Scottish Government

Priority Code

Business viability and competitiveness priorities

Relevant Packages

GRA03

Improved business competitiveness or sustainability, through improved management or improved animal health and welfare by supporting land managers to undertake practical, vocational or business skills training (especially where it complements other capital investments or changes in business structure or orientation). Particularly proposals which:

• will enhance business and/or traditional skills for land managers through training and development
• introduce new trainees into the forestry sector, also seek to improve the forestry skills of other land managers, especially farmers, with an active interest in forestry and in diversifying their own traditional activities
• help provide support for new trainees in the farming and other land use sectors where there is a demonstrable skills gap
• help provide support for land managers to increase their skills in incorporating environmental and social objectives into their own traditional business activities
• target training programmes not able to access funding elsewhere.

GRA04

Active management or the use of the land for productive purposes by supporting capital investment in small-scale crofting or crofting-type production.

GRA05

New or expanded demand led markets, through encouraging producers, processors, retailers and others in the supply chain to work together and build capacity. Particularly proposals which:

• support the collaborative development and marketing of new products, particularly quality regional identity for food and drink, energy and other products arising from primary sector production, based on appropriate marketing strategies.

GRA06

Local wealth and reduce food/timber miles (especially in relation to food, drink, woodfuel and biomass) through expansion of local sale and add value processing of primary agricultural and forestry products. Particularly proposals which:

• develop and expand local markets and sale of value added products with particular emphasis on a quality regional identity for food and drink, energy and other products.

GRA07a

a. Enhanced viability and improved quality of primary products, where such will improve economic viability, through improved management practices (e.g. improved timber quality through good silviculture), particularly in areas that will most benefit from sustainable community development, employment and rural diversification, and through improvements in transport infrastructure, e.g. agreements developed in partnership with regional Timber Transport Groups. Particularly proposals which:

• promote good silviculture to improve timber quality, including hardwoods
• enhance productive potential, especially for farm woodlands and under-managed woodlands
• support the Scottish Timber Transport Fund and link well with the Strategic Timber Transport overview for Grampian provided by the Grampian Timber Transport Group.

GRA07b

b. Organic conversion and maintenance - Develop the production, processing and marketing opportunities for the organic sector in Scotland and in doing so deliver biodiversity, pollution control, energy efficiency and soil protection benefits. Particularly proposals which:

• maximise biodiversity, pollution control, energy efficiency and soil protection benefits for quality organic produce.