The Scottish Government

Regional Priority Code

Diversification of Rural Enterprise Priorities

Relevant Packages

A diverse land-based business sector through:

TAY26a

a. encouraging innovation and new product development and local processing, marketing and retailing in line with Scottish Food and Drink Strategy and the Scottish Forestry Strategy. Particularly proposals that:

• develop the potential for non-timber forest products, e.g. mushrooms and other food and drink-related products derived from the region's forests especially when appropriately branded to promote the region's environmental credentials

• add value to timber grown in Tayside through support to local groups

• support the farm retail sector especially those introducing innovative ways of selling local produce

• support initiatives to innovate and promote the use of Tayside-grown products particularly those products for which Tayside has particular advantages and expertise such as soft fruits

• support for linked rural businesses where the goods and/or services created or enhanced will benefit the local economy.

b. strengthening links between primary producers and other industry sectors, including processors, retailers, the food service sector and other rural enterprises, to develop predictable and stable supplies and reduce costs, waste and food/timber miles and live animal transport. Particularly proposals that:

• assist with the development of farmers' markets across Tayside

• support for education initiatives which promote greater understanding of the work of the primary sector by urban consumers through, e.g. farm, forest, and estate visits and other educational events.

TAY26c

c. improvements in environmental performance particularly in resource usage and waste management practices. Particularly those that:

• replace the use of non-renewable resources with renewable resources from sustainable sources, e.g. woodfuel/biomass and bio-digesters.

TAY27

Higher value rural goods and services being delivered from the primary (agriculture and forestry) manufacturing and processing, and the recreation and tourism sectors, through improvements in quality and reductions in production, processing and transport costs.

TAY28

The increased local use of renewable energy, e.g. Woodfuel. Particularly proposals that:

• will develop small-scale local projects utilising hydro, wind power, food and animal waste (biodigester) and wood fuel/biomass and clearly deliver a net carbon benefit.

TAY29

Improved number of career development opportunities, through skills and training initiatives addressing rural skills gaps (complementing work of local enterprise agencies) and incorporating awareness of environmental and social objectives. Particularly proposals that:

• facilitate access to training in rural areas
• support collaborative proposals which bring together training providers and end users to deliver an identified training need
• introduce new trainees into the land use sector and which seek to improve the diversification of business activities, e.g. farmers incorporating woodland/forest management into their livestock enterprises.

TAY30

Improvement in the value and duration of tourism visits in rural areas, including maximising opportunities for green tourism. Particularly proposals that:

• seek support for land-based tourism initiatives which support the relevant tourism strategies for Perthshire and Angus and Dundee
• develop and support distinctive rural tourism initiatives in Tayside for example Perthshire Big Tree Country, Angus Ahead
• support the development of distinctive tourism niches such as ecotourism/wildlife viewing and activity/outdoors tourism
• support specific events in rural areas
• support tourism projects which will:

• deliver actions in the National Parks which complement the NP Tourism Plans
• support development in the rural tourism infrastructure in Tayside which will demonstrably add value to the rural tourism product and which will which enhance the viability of tourism ventures in rural parts of Tayside.

Improvements in integration between access and land management:

• priority will be given to proposals that enhance access/land management integration in NSAs, the settlement coalescence study, and opportunities arising from Greenspace/Open Space Strategy

Improvements in facilities for specific user groups including all abilities. Particularly proposals that:

• include facilities for walkers, mountain-bikers, canoeists, horse-riders, divers, wildlife clubs and community interest groups.