REFUSAL by the Scottish Government to make changes to the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme – which re-opens for applications this Friday – has been criticised by both NFU Scotland and the National Sheep Association.

For the second year running, despite intensive industry lobbying, there are to be no changes to the rules of the scheme, which was put in place by ScotGov to assist active hill farmers and crofters through a payment coupled to the number of ewe hoggs they keep as breeding replacements for their flocks, with a budget of £6million.

While welcoming the intent of the scheme, NFUS and NSA Scotland have been requesting changes to its administrative rules, arguing that it could work better at no extra cost to taxpayers.

The union recommended 'budget-neutral' changes to the scheme's application periods, retention periods and targeting of payments – and despite these recommendations being ignored, this week urged those eligible to continue to apply for the scheme as before; submitting their applications between September 1 and October 16, with the required retention period running from October 17 to March 31 next year.

NFUS vice president Martin Kennedy, who also chairs the union’s less favoured areas committee, said: “As a union, we had unanimous backing from our membership to pursue, for a second consecutive year, changes to SUSSS to target this valuable pot of funding more effectively

“While disappointed at the response, correspondence with Scottish Government hints at the possibility of scheme changes next year and we will continue to pursue scheme improvements on behalf of applicants."

NSA’s Scottish chairman John Fyall told The Scottish Farmer: “It is disappointing, but not surprising that the SUSSS is opening unchanged. This scheme was implemented without the considered views of the sheep industry and suggested improvements not heeded.

"Our previous chair, Sybil MacPherson, requested directly to the minister in November 2016 that the scheme be reviewed and was asked to wait until that scheme year was completed, and despite NSA raising the SUSSS in May this year with the government and again at both hill farming summits, nothing has been done.

“Given the particularly bad summer in some parts of Scotland, we have upland farmers trying to finish shearing and silage whilst preparing for autumn sales, sales which have never been more important to those who await delayed subsidy," said Mr Fyall. “We hear that changes to application dates and retention periods would be difficult, but government could at least have attempted to sit down and work through a solution. It is still not too late to extend the application window to take some pressure off.

“We would also like assurance that penalties are a last resort and proportional, and any unintentional errors, such as clerical by rushed sheep farmers are dealt with fairly and considerately," he added. “It is time those working hard within the industry had their concerns listened too and acted on instead of the eleventh hour scramblings and postponements which have become the norm in recent years.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson responded: “While we have been in correspondence with the NFUS over their proposed changes, we have also made clear that current European Commission regulatory legislation limits the extent of changes that can be made.

“We will discuss the issue with NFUS and other stakeholders, and in the meantime our priority is to ensure this support scheme continues to help hill farmers and crofters.”