NFU Scotland has welcomed details on how the Scottish Government’s £200,000 emergency aid fund, announced in April, will support those Scottish sheep farmers whose flocks were hit hardest by the worst winter in living memory.
As a result of the extremely poor weather, the losses recorded on some Scottish sheep farms during January to April of this year were significantly higher than normal. At that time, NFU Scotland had asked the Scottish Government to help affected farmers dispose of their animals by relaxing the current ban that prevents the burial of fallen stock in much of Scotland. With Scottish Government unable to relax EU rules on burial, NFU Scotland then requested support towards the costs of disposing of fallen sheep and welcomed the announcement of the Scottish Government’s £200k package in April to support this.
Those farmers who organised the disposal of their fallen stock via the National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) during the first four months of the year are now to benefit from the emergency aid fund through a refund of around 20 percent on the collection costs they incurred at that time.
NFUS also welcomes the simple way in which the fund will be distributed. Farmers will not have to make a claim as NFSCo administrators will review the number of fallen sheep collections from all Scottish farmers between January 1st and April 30th, and will pay out the £200,000 in an equal proportion between all affected scheme members. The members will receive the refund later this month.
NFU Scotland Livestock Committee Chairman, Rob Livesey said:
“This was a horrendous winter for many of Scotland’s sheep farmers who fought long and hard to keep their animals alive in the most testing of conditions. While higher stock losses were inevitable and will have delivered a huge financial blow to many farming businesses, the Scottish Government aid package will help soften that blow.
"The reports of significant sheep losses throughout the prolonged winter were borne out in the 40 percent increase in the numbers of dead sheep that were picked up by knackerers and renderers when compared with the winter of 2009. That figure brings home just how difficult the past winter has been for many of Scotland’s sheep farmers.
“NFU Scotland’s own winter survey, being carried out amongst the membership, closed on Monday (June 1st) and initial analysis shows that the impact on all sectors of farming and horticulture have been far reaching and costly. We will analyse the results in detail but it is clear that livestock losses, higher feed bills, pasture and crop failure and damaged buildings all point to a winter that will leave a lasting impact on Scottish agriculture.”
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006