Farm Business Development Scheme
This Scheme closed to new applications on 11 September 2006. Please see the latest information on the Scottish Rural Development Programme 2007-2013.
The Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS) was set up to provide financial support to farming families to help them to increase their income, either from their agricultural business or from an alternative non-agriculture business.
The purpose of the FBDS is to help farming families make their existing agricultural business more efficient, or to help them move into other types of business. The diversified business can be carried out on or off farm.
To this date, the 30th May 2008, the scheme has paid out £21.2 million. By the middle of 2009 this is expected to rise by a further £7.9 milllion.
The scheme broadly covers lowland Scotland, i.e. the area outwith the Highlands & Islands Special Transitional Programme (HISTP), which is covered by the Agricultural Business Development Scheme (ABDS).
Scheme Information
Although the scheme is closed to new applicants, many of the documents relating to the scheme are still available for reference purposes.
Full details of the scheme can be found in the Explanatory Booklet, available on this website. For information on Grants please visit the Grants section.
If you have questions about any aspects of the FBDS please do not hesitate to contact your SGRPID Area Office, details of which are available on the Contacts page.