Meeting to discuss rural economy

Rural stakeholders are being urged to find out about the scheme

Farmers, land owners and foresters across the Forth Valley are being urged to attend a public meeting on how to boost the rural economy.

The £1.6bn Scotland Rural Development Programme (SDRP), which is yet to be formally announced, is designed to develop the sector until 2013.

The money will be made available for local environmental and social schemes.

Those attending the event will be given advice on how best to secure a share of the funding.

The meeting is being held at the Royal Hotel in Bridge of Allan at 1930 GMT on Tuesday.

Similar get-togethers are being held across the country to give possible applicants an overview of SRDP and more detail on the new Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities scheme.

There will also be help and advice on what makes a proposal worth while.

The Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said the government was closer to getting the "final sign-off of the most significant investment in rural Scotland in living memory."

'Local priorities'

He added: "Farmers, foresters and environmental interests all have the chance to reap enormous benefits from the programme, but all proposals must also seek to deliver a number of benefits for Scottish people.

"It is vital that potential applicants are all able to fully understand what's expected and these public meetings will go some way to ensuring SRDP can develop sustainable rural communities."

Iain Rennick from Scottish Natural Heritage, who will chair the event, stressed its importance.

He said: "This meeting is of great importance to land managers, other rural businesses and groups and I would encourage as many people as possible to attend.

"While the applications process has been made as simple as possible, getting first hand advice at an early stage will assist individuals and groups get what they want from the programme while helping to achieve the local priorities identified for Stirlingshire."