DESPITE this week's seemingly positive changes to the administration of the Beef Efficiency Scheme, questions are still being asked over the number of farmers choosing to leave rather than put up with its demands.

When first launched, the initiative, which offers financial help in return for the introduction of efficiency measures in suckler herds, had a reported uptake of around 2000 beef producers – but there have since been rumours of producers backtracking, and dropping out in their hundreds.

Chairman of the Scottish Beef Association, Neil McCorkindale, was far from positive about the current state of the BES: "To my knowledge, the figures when it comes to people withdrawing from the scheme are anything but encouraging, and are definitely at a worrying level.

"Many people that registered early have found themselves dropping out, including myself," he said. "This has been happening for a number of reasons, but the general feeling is that the whole scheme needs looked at, if it is going to work at all."

The five-year scheme was intended to introduce a range of improvements focusing on cattle genetics and management practice on-farm, but many are now questioning the information they have been given, and the level of guidance with regard to what the scheme actually requires of them.

"We can do nothing but hold our hands up at this point, and admit that the scheme is failing" continued Mr McCorkindale, "It's a great pity, and a massive concern, that the money is there for beef farmers, and effectively, we're not being able to use it just now.

"I'm hoping to talk to industry leaders, including Jim McLaren and Andrew McCornick, at the Scottish Beef Event. We need to get round the table, and try and reassess the situation," he added. "It's a huge disappointment that things have got to this stage, but hopefully it is not too late to resolve things."

NFU Scotland livestock committee chairman, Charlie Adam, admitted that the scheme hadn't been all plain sailing, but expressed the hope that all is not yet lost, and that things can move forward in a more positive way.

"NFUS have recently been included in a steering group relating to the BES," explained Mr Adam, "and it would seem that, yes, people have been dropping out of the scheme, and they have been doing so for a variety of reasons.

"Some people have dropped out because they are perceiving what they are being asked to do in the scheme as excessive when you weigh up the rewards, and many people have decided not to take part because they feel that the information they have been given hasn't been clear enough, so that's caused doubts," he reported.

"Those in the scheme need crystal clear guidance, and so far, that's not what they've had. You could say that the fallout that we are currently seeing is down to poor administration and lack of clarity.

"However, it needs to be pointed out that not everything so far as been a loss," he stressed. "We are hoping that the Scottish Government publishes figures in the near future that are indicative of the information that has been gathered so far. The benefit of the scheme, in the short term, will be this statistical information.

"There is limited scope for those who have already dropped out to back track, but overall ScotGov are now paying more attention to the industry, and I would hope that the loss doesn't continue, and we can build a base of people that will still mean the scheme is worthwhile," said Mr Adam.

"ScotGov need to learn their lessons about how they roll out these types of schemes in the future. I hope that people won't follow the crowd out of the scheme, and that they will make their own minds up."