Question reference: S6W-19400
- Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 22 June 2023
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 June 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the food and drink industry as it addresses the ongoing effects of Brexit, the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war against Ukraine.
Answer
The food and drink industry has been through significant turmoil in recent years, and Scottish Government support has been vital in ensuring the industry has been as resilient as possible during these times. As a key member of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership, the Scottish Government has been integral in the collective decision making and financial support for the previous Industry Strategy (Ambition 2030) and the subsequent Recovery Plan in place during Covid.
Today, we are delighted to announce year 1 funding of £5m, supplemented by £1m from Industry themselves, towards the new Food and Drink Industry led strategy – Sustaining Scotland, Supplying the World – which sets out short-, medium- and long-term goals developed in collaboration with food and drink producers with a focus on stability amidst turbulence from global events including the war in Ukraine.