What is the Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS)?
The FBDS is an innovative business development scheme for farmers who operate an eligible business on an agricultural unit and their immediate family members who reside on or adjacent to that agricultural unit. An eligible business means a business, which has been engaged in agriculture on an agricultural unit for a continuous period of two years, ending with the date of the application.

The FBDS can provide assistance towards the development of new diversification enterprises, or improvement of existing diversification enterprises, based either on or off-farm, to increase the income generation of the farming family.

The FBDS, which operates within the ambit of the Rural Development Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, is funded by SEERAD.

What are the aims and objectives of the FBDS?
The purpose of the Scheme is to provide financial support to farming families to create new income generating opportunities, or to expand or improve existing diversified activities, either within or outwith agriculture. The Scheme will therefore support economic diversification by those engaged in agriculture and their immediate families, and help broaden their income base and protect and create new employment. It will help to support a key sector on which the economic, environmental and social well being of many rural communities depend.

What level of grant assistance is available?
The maximum grant assistance will be £25,000 per eligible business

What rate of grant assistance will be applied?
The FBDS is a discretionary and competitive scheme. Projects involving diversification outwith agricultural activities may be offered grant of up to 50% of eligible expenditure. For projects involving agricultural diversification, which includes novel and non-traditional crops and livestock, support may be offered to a maximum grant rate of up to 50% of eligible expenditure, for projects within Less Favoured Areas (LFAs), and up to 40% of eligible expenditure for projects in non-LFA areas. The Project Assessment Committee will recommend the grant rate to be awarded during the assessment process.

Further information can be accessed through the Scottish Executive website:
www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/agri/abds01-00.asp

Call 01698 456329 to speak to the SEERAD Project Officer (Marion Currie) covering North Ayrshire (excluding Arran and Cumbrae)

The islands of Arran and Cumbrae do not fall within the FBDS boundaries, but are instead covered by the equivalent Highlands & Islands scheme, the Agricultural Business Development Scheme (ABDS). This scheme is similar in content and objectives to FBDS.

Further information can be accessed through the Scottish Executive website: www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/agri/1abds-00.asp