Rural and Environment

  • Pig producers support extended

    9th May 2022 by

    The Rural Affairs Secretary has extended the Pig Producers Hardship Support Scheme to provide additional support to the pig industry.

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  • Supporting pig producers

    1st February 2022 by

    A picture of pigs next to white text on a blue background reading "Supporting Pig Producers"

    Pig producers affected by the temporary closure of the abattoir at Brechin last year, and subsequent suspension of its China export licence, can now apply for financial support if they supplied pigs to QPP between 1 April and 30 September 2021.

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  • Food and drink funds open

    28th January 2022 by

    Statement from the Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon on the opening of two food and drink funds.

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  • Extension of the Pig Producers’ Hardship Support Scheme

    10th January 2022 by

    Statement from Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon on the extension of the Pig Producers’ Hardship Support Scheme

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  • Clarity on seafood support

    26th February 2021 by

    The UK Government must provide urgent detail on its new seafood funding scheme or risk undermining the support it is looking to provide businesses impacted by EU Exit and coronavirus (COVID-19), Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing has said. In a letter to the UK Government ahead of the second meeting of the Scottish Seafood Exports Taskforce...

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  • Fisheries Secretary responds to UK Government seafood funding announcement

    9th February 2021 by

    Commenting on the opening of the UK Government’s Seafood Disruption Support Scheme, Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “After three weeks of waiting for detail, it is disappointing and beyond any rational explanation that this new compensation scheme will not help the vast majority of fishing vessels who continue to face the cost of the disruption...

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  • Compensation needed for Scotland’s food and drink businesses

    14th January 2021 by

    Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has urged the UK Government to provide compensation to Scotland’s beleaguered food and drink sector as a result of the current trade issues. The sector is currently facing a series of challenging impacts as a result of the Brexit deal establishing new non-tariff barriers. This is compounded by the coronavirus...

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  • Update on seafood sector exports

    12th January 2021 by

    Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing met key seafood businesses and organisations this afternoon to discuss the ongoing issues affecting trade. Following the meeting, he said: “The plain facts are these very serious problems have arisen because of Brexit and the UK Government’s failure to agree to proposals about how to implement it – in particular...

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  • Post-Brexit seafood export delays

    7th January 2021 by

    Responding to reports of delays with exporting seafood from Scotland to the EU as a result of post-Brexit arrangements, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing issued a statement. He said: “The Scottish Government, together with Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Scottish Local Authorities, have been working intensively for many months to mitigate the worst impacts of...

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  • Concern for small breweries

    19th August 2020 by

    Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has called on the UK Government to reconsider proposed changes to the Small Brewers Duty Relief which could disadvantage Scottish micro and craft breweries. In a letter to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice, Mr Ewing expressed concern that the changes would be financially damaging...

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