The Scottish Government has brought into force regulations reforming the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme from 30 January 2026. The instrument fixes three-year operational programmes, links the aid cap to production grown in Scotland, and creates a statutory review and appeal route for funding decisions. (parliament.scot)
Operational programmes move to a fixed three-year duration, replacing the previous minimum two and maximum three-year rule. New programmes are submitted only every third year; following the 2025 round underpinning the 2026–2028 cycle, the next application window is in 2028 for programmes expected to commence in 2029. (parliament.scot)
Financial assistance remains capped at 4.1% of the value of marketed production, but the ceiling is now calculated only on produce grown in Scotland for each producer organisation or association. This aligns funding with domestic output and is intended to give Ministers clearer control of the scheme budget. (gov.scot)
A transitional arrangement applies to aid paid between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2028 for producer organisations whose previous programme ended on 31 December 2025 and who have submitted a new programme beginning in 2026. For members who joined before 30 January 2026, production can continue to be counted even if grown outside Scotland; for members joining on or after that date, only Scotland‑grown production counts. Officials told MSPs that three‑year contracts would run from 2026, with these measures designed to maintain continuity while the new basis is phased in. (parliament.scot)
From the 2029 cycle onward, the cap and the annual ceiling calculation under the delegated regulation are applied using members’ Scotland‑grown value of marketed production over the prescribed reference period, with a membership snapshot at the start of the first programme year. Producer organisations should plan for full geographic ring‑fencing of value from that cycle. (parliament.scot)
Key timelines are tightened. Producer organisations must pre‑notify the estimated amount of financial assistance for the upcoming programme by 1 March in the year preceding the application window, and submit the operational programme by 15 September in the application year. The long‑running September submission practice is retained for the formal application. (tsoshop.co.uk)
Decisions taken under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/891 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/892 are now expressly reviewable under the Common Agricultural Policy Non‑IACS Support Schemes (Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2004. This gives a first‑instance right to seek review by Scottish Ministers, with a further appeal to the Scottish Land Court available thereafter. (parliament.scot)
Scheme administration in Scotland transfers from the UK Rural Payments Agency to the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments and Inspections Division for programmes approved for the 2026 scheme year onwards. Recognition and monitoring of producer organisations remain with the RPA, so applicants should use updated Scottish contacts while continuing to follow RPA recognition processes. (ruralpayments.org)
For producer organisations and finance leads, immediate actions include auditing membership records to confirm join dates, separating value of marketed production between Scotland‑grown and non‑Scottish output, aligning capital and staffing plans to a three‑year cycle, and preparing the 1 March pre‑notification for the next applicable window. Where decisions are disputed, the new appeal route provides a structured alternative to judicial review. (parliament.scot)
The regulations are made using powers in sections 7 and 21 of the Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Act 2020, as updated by section 27 of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024. They also revoke the spent 2023 amendment instrument. Stakeholders should expect updated guidance to follow as officials embed these changes. (legislation.gov.uk)