SCOTLAND'S hill sheep farmers will receive around £7 million in payments in the coming weeks from the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme, ScotGov has confirmed.

Industry representatives welcomed the rate increase of £5 per animal, with payments set at £68 per head, which it believes will help with the rising costs associated with farming and crofting.

Around 1118 upland sheep farmers are due to receive payments. Cabinet secretary Fergus Ewing highlighted the importance of this additional funding to maintaining sheep numbers in the Scottish uplands, providing social and environmental benefits to these areas.

“With payments set at £68 per animal, farmers and crofters will see a welcome increase of just over £5 from the 2017 rate," said Mr Ewing. "As the only part of the UK to provide coupled support for sheep and beef farmers, these timely payments will provide a boost to the rural economy while helping to support our farmers who are producing the quality meat products that Scotland is globally renowned for.

“With further payments being made in the coming weeks, I am confident that the majority of awards will be made by the end of the payment window, demonstrating my absolute commitment to supporting our farmers, crofters and the wider rural economy,” he concluded.

The National Sheep Association's Scottish chair, Jen Craig, commented: "These are welcome payments to the sheep sector and the £5 increase will make a noticeable difference to the recipients of it. However, over the last few years we have been asking for these payments to come in April when they are needed to clear winter bills. We will continue to push for these payments to come earlier in the years to come, as it is a lot of money which could make a big difference to the sector especially off the back of winter," she stressed.

NFU Scotland’s LFA committee chair, Robert MacDonald, added: “The announcement that the SUSSS payment for eligible ewe hoggs will be hitting the bank accounts of hill farmers and crofters over the next few weeks is welcome news for the 1118 who are due this important payment.

“While the weather has been kind in many parts of Scotland this lambing time, the costs associated with hill farming and crofting continue to climb, so this additional cashflow will contribute to the viability of these vulnerable hill farming or crofting business,” he said. “NFUS has consistently pushed for SUSSS payments to be paid in a timely manner, and the fact that we are going to see payments start significantly earlier than they did last year is a positive for the union and our members."

Mr MacDonald also noted that the payment rate increase to £68 per hogg was a reflection of a decrease in the number of eligible ewe hoggs as a result of severe weather events like the ‘Beast from the East’.

He added: “A bigger funding issue for our hill farming and crofting sectors is potential cuts to the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) in 2019 and 2020. There remains a challenge ahead to secure the funding to make good the LFASS shortfall. And the intention of Scottish Government, following intensive lobbying by the union, is that support equivalent to the current £65 million LFASS budget will be secured."