NFU Scotland is entering 2020 on a healthy financial footing with membership growing again for the third year in a row.
2019 books
Publication of its annual accounts for 2019, shows income is up by £61,000 compared to last year, with subscriptions accounting for nearly all the increase.
Affinity income generated from the wide range of exclusive member services and discounts remains strong at £145,000 (2018 – £146,000).
However, expenditure at NFUS in 2019 was also up £176,000 at £3.2 million, leaving an operating deficit this year of £109,200.
Investment income and unrealised gains mean NFU Scotland ended with a net surplus before tax of £110,500 compared to £42,600 in 2018. As a result, the balance sheet remains strong with net assets increasing by £91,000 to £3.06 million.
Growing membership
Farming, crofting and professional membership at the financial year-end was 8,366, up from 8,315 at the same time last year – an increase of 51.
Last year, the union launched its family membership. As part of an existing membership, at no cost, it gives any family member who is actively involved in the farm business the opportunity to be recognised as a member of NFUS. The union now has 368 family members, 60% of whom are women.
That takes NFUS total membership to 8,734.
Changing with the times
The union is also appointing a new climate change policy advisor and has already launched a mobile phone app, in recognition of the changing ways many people now access information.
The new app is available to download to iPhone through the Apple App Store and offers the latest announcements from NFU Scotland, special offers from its affinities team and blogs.
NFU Scotland chief executive Scott Walker said: “NFU Scotland exists to lobby. We are here to bring pressure to bear on policymakers and commercial organisations to gain favourable outcomes for Scotland’s farmers and crofters in order to achieve a sustainable and profitable future for Scottish agriculture.
“In order to achieve this, we need to be underpinned by a robust financial base to give us the resources to employ the right people to be the advocates for the industry and to do all the activities that will make a difference.
“I am pleased that, once again, we have had a good financial year. A lot of hard work by many people has seen our membership grow for a third year.
I set a goal a few years back to grow affinity income and to return an amount equal to the value of subscriptions back to our members in the form of discounts on goods. We have achieved that for the second year in a row.
“We have again ploughed back our surplus into growing the activities we do. We will have created a new climate change policy manager post alongside a new rural business policy adviser, and we will continue to strengthen our lobbying activities to ensure that the voice of Scotland’s farmers and crofters is heard.
“Recognising that the way that many people access information has changed and the demand to be kept informed on key issues is constantly evolving, the new phone app means that all news and views reach our followers in the quickest way possible.”
