Funding to provide farmers with good business advice, training, management, etc, through the Scottish Agricultural College. The Executive will be introducing a grant scheme to help farmers in the designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zones to adjust their business practices to protect the water environment. National Farmers' Union of Scotland has published its own strategy paper for Scottish Agriculture. This concentrates on areas where the industry could take action to secure its competitive position by increasing returns and reducing costs. A number of trial farmers' markets have started up in Scotland facilitated by local authorities.
Machinery rings to make optimum use of expensive equipment and reduce costs.
Labour rings to help create a more flexible, mobile and skilled rural workforce. Major retailers have undertaken to draw up a Code of Practice to guide their business relationships with small suppliers.