Farmers and crofters who secured funding through the Scottish Government’s Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS) in its first round will be eligible to apply again when the next round opens this winter.
First Minister John Swinney announced this at the Turriff Show, confirming that successful 2025 applicants would not be excluded from future support as the scheme enters its second phase.
The decision comes after the first round attracted significant demand, with 7584 applications submitted. Of those, 1672 were successful, while 5910 applications were unsuccessful — meaning around three‑quarters of applicants did not receive funding.
The original FFIS programme was launched in 2025 to provide capital grants supporting efficiency improvements, climate‑friendly farming and sustainable investment. Demand exceeded the initial £14 million budget, which was later increased to more than £21 million.
The first round attracted criticism from parts of the farming sector and political representatives over the low success rate and questions over how funding was distributed, including whether priority groups received sufficient support. The Scottish Government said many unsuccessful applications were linked to issues including ineligibility, incomplete information or failure to meet requirements.
Announcing changes to the scheme, Mr Swinney said the next round would be designed to make FFIS 'simpler, fairer and more accessible'.
Applications will be assessed on how effectively proposed investments deliver the scheme’s objectives, while a clear list of eligible items will be published before the scheme opens to provide greater certainty for applicants.
The maximum grant will remain at £20,000 per business, regardless of size. Upfront funding will continue, alongside enhanced support for new entrants, Highlands and Islands businesses and projects delivering environmental benefits.
At least 725 farming and crofting businesses will share £14.25 million through the next round of FFIS.
Mr Swinney said the scheme’s success should be judged not by the number of grants awarded, but by 'the difference it makes on farms across Scotland'.
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