Agritourism monitor farms announced

A press release from Scottish Agritourism shared news of four new agritourism monitor farms. They were formally announced by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison, at the Scottish Agritourism Conference in Perth.

Almost forty farming and crofting businesses applied to become new monitor farming businesses, with applications submitted from every part of rural Scotland.

Eleven businesses and their local community members were interviewed about their future plans for agritourism and farm retail growth over a two-week period, with four successful businesses selected.

The Agritourism Monitor Farm Programme represents a three-year investment of £440,000 made by the Scottish Government to support the delivery of growth targets as set out in Scotland’s National Agritourism Strategy.

It includes bringing around 300 new farms and crofts into the sector and increasing the value of the sector to £250 million per annum from £170 million per annum.

The new Monitor Farms

• Highlands and Islands Enterprise area - Fearn Farm, in Easter Ross, which produces Scotch beef, Scotch lamb and cereals

• Scottish Enterprise area - Westerton Farmers, in Aberdeenshire, which grows a range of vegetable and cereals

• Scottish Enterprise area - Kinclune Estate and Organic Farm, in Angus, which produces Scotch beef and Scotch lamb

• South of Scotland Enterprise area - Ernespie Farm, in Dumfries and Galloway, which is a dairy farm

New satellite monitor farms

In addition, two other farms will become satellite monitor farms and will host one monitor farm visit each year.

• Cairns Farm, West Lothian
• Long Island Retreats, Outer Hebrides

Core Community Group

An additional forty businesses are being supported as part of the Core Community Group, receiving targeted support and advice.

Based on the quality of applications received all the monitor farm applicants who were unsuccessful, were able to take up a place on the Core Community Group.

An additional nine businesses will be able to apply for the remaining Core Community Group places.

Scottish agritourism statistics

Latest statistics for the sector announced at the conference show there are now officially 632 farms and crofts in Scotland with an agritourism or farm retail business.

This is up by just over 100 in the last twelve months. Some of these businesses are new to agritourism, whilst others are now listed with visitscotland.com and therefore being counted in official figures.

The 2030 travel trade target for 40 farms working with the international trade has already been reached following a drive to by Scottish Agritourism and VisitScotland over the last year to support businesses to have a travel trade offering. This has increased from 15 travel trade ready businesses in 2022.