Food and drink businesses across Scotland will benefit from a share of more than £10 million in funding, the Scottish government has said today (Monday, November 7).
A total of 33 business, large and small, will receive grants ranging from £16,000 to £1.4 million from the Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation (FPMC) grant scheme.
The grants will be given in a bid to boost efficiency and increase production in the sector, as well as running feasibility studies.
Projects include capacity building for a dairy farm to meet the growing demand for its soft cheese, setting up of a new venison processing operation, and installation of solar panels at a butcher premises to reduce carbon footprint and minimise electricity costs.
Among the higher-amount recipients in this round of the awards, round two, are Highland Meats, a division of Dunbia, which received £883,744 for a programme of works to increase long-term processing capacity and efficiency; Graham’s, The Family Dairy which received £1,400,355.60 for equipment; and Aberdeen & Northern Eggs t/a Farmlay Eggs, which received £740,077.20 for construction of a new building.
The full list of recipients is publicly available on the Rural Payments and Services website.
During a visit to one of the recipients of the fund, a family run organic farm in Aberdeenshire, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said:
“The Scottish Government is supporting investment and expansion in our food and drink sector which offers incredible produce that is enjoyed at home and abroad.
“The FPMC scheme has enabled some really exciting projects in the past and I’m confident that this round of funding will play an important role in helping producers continue to deliver high-quality, innovative and nutritious products – securing and creating jobs and boosting the economy.
“I look forward to seeing how these grants enable businesses to move to the next level and I wish them the very best,” she said.
Phil Swire of P HM & PP Swire, Balmakewan Farm Shop, said: “We are absolutely delighted that our FPMC Grant application was successful.
“The FPMC grant gives our small farming business a huge opportunity to diversify and move forward.
“It will allow us to process our organically home-grown produce on-site, creating further local employment.
“It is my belief that we need to be offering nutrient dense, ethically farmed, chemical free and environmentally positive food directly to local consumers whilst also reducing food miles.
“This project will allow our small family run farm to start offering exactly this to our local community,” he said.
