EVERY eligible farmer in Scotland should receive their payment from the first tranche of the 'convergence dividend' by the end of March.

In an update to its members, the National Farmers Union Scotland has clarified how the money – provided by the UK Exchequer to put right the historic wrong of £160million worth of Common Agricultural Policy convergence funding that Defra diverted away from Scottish agriculture back in 2013 – will be allocated this spring.

"In a statement in the Scottish Parliament on January 23, 2020, Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy confirmed his decisions regarding the first tranche – £90 million – of the convergence dividend," noted NFUS.

"This payment is expected by the end of March and will consist of a single payment to individual recipients made up of up to four potential payments – BPS, SSBSS, SUSSS and ‘LFA producer’. To be ‘eligible’, a recipient must have completed a 2019 SAF.

"Scottish Government have produced the below tables to demonstrate the estimated payment rates per hectare. It is important to note, that these figures are estimates which may change, subject to the validation process," said the union.

Table 1 – Year 1 combined BPS convergence funding increases by rate – not including the £13m LFA or £15m VCS (SSBSS, SUSSS) components.

The Scottish Farmer:

Table 2 - Year 1 combined BPS Convergence Funding by Region, £m - not including the £13m LFA or £15m VCS (SSBSS, SUSSS) components.

The Scottish Farmer:

"A cap of £55,000 will be applied to the total combined BPS convergence elements shown in tables 1 and 2 above. Scottish Government modelling shows the cap of £55,000 will affect around 80 businesses," added NFUS.

"The Voluntary Coupled Support component will be worth some £15 million. It is NFU Scotland’s understanding that based on 2018 claims, eligible claimants could expect the estimated additional payment below."

The Scottish Farmer: