The £33 million reduction in 'ring-fenced agricultural funds' will have 'no impact on existing commitments or schemes, and has no impact on the National Test Programme', according to the Scottish Government.

ScotGov has played down the impact of the budget cut announced by Deputy Minister John Swinney. In the Scottish Parliament, the Perthshire North MSP had said there would be a '£33m deferral of ring-fenced agriculture funds, to be returned in future years'.

Read more: Do our government truly prioritise home food production?

When asked by The Scottish Farmer for more details on the impact of the announcement, a ScotGov spokesperson said: “The cost of living crisis has created an unprecedented challenge. The Scottish Government has, rightly, explored all financial options to support the emergency response and help people and businesses through this crisis.

“There will be no impact on existing commitments or schemes, and has no impact on the National Test Programme.”

“The fact is that our budget has been cut by £1.7 billion and between 2021-22 and 2024-25, Scotland’s agriculture sector is set to lose out on approximately £93 million due to the UK Government failing to match EU funding lost due to Brexit."