SCOTLAND’S upland sheep farmers will welcome this week’s announcement of support payments worth £6.7million – but much more help is needed for a sector almost on its knees.
The first batch of payments of £65 per ewe under the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme will arrive in farmers' bank accounts this week, with the whole payment run to around 1050 eligible producers expected to be complete by June 30.
NSA’s Scottish chairman John Fyall told The Scottish Farmer: “I’m sure our members will welcome this payment which will go some way to help pay the bills. However, the reality is that it is only a drop in the ocean and the whole sheep sector is in desperate need of further help.
“The sector has never been poorer in my view. The cash flow is so tight. We need an early announcement from the Scottish Government regarding LFA money and rural development support. They are both vital and must not be held up," said Mr Fyall.
“A little announcement like this might be hailed as a success by the government, but there is a far bigger picture and far bigger concerns ahead. We had no government visit to our stand at the Highland show and I would welcome the chance – as soon as possible – to sit down with officials so we know where their priorities lie.”
Confirming the process to get support payments out, rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing said: “With our sheep sector contributing more than £200 million a year to the rural economy, it is vital that we support that contribution.
“My absolute priority remains supporting the rural economy and this announcement demonstrates how we are getting on to do just that.”
NFU Scotland vice president Martin Kennedy commented: “The numbers of ewe hoggs claimed through the scheme is up slightly on the year, a reflection of improved lambing conditions in 2016 compared to 2015, but exchange rates have also helped boost the value of the headage payment by around £8 per head.
“For hill farmers and crofters who are eligible to receive the payment on their ewe hoggs, there will be a sigh of relief that payments, although originally promised in May, are now going out the door and that is ahead of 2016," said Mr Kennedy.
“This scheme is a vital and valuable element of the support that they need to viably run their hill farm or croft. As a union, we are still focused on making effective changes so that this valuable pot of money hits the intended target and that claimants are less likely to fall foul of various legislative trip wires and a draconian penalty matrix for any breaches that has been handed down from Europe," he added.
“For the future, NFU Scotland still believes improvements, including a wider application period; a new retention period; and linking the total number of ewe hoggs a producer can claim to a percentage of their breeding flock, would be of genuine benefit to the scheme.”