As the annual celebration of lamb, #LoveLambWeek begins, NFU Scotland is reminding hill farmers and crofters that the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (SUSSS), worth more than £7 million annually, opens from today.

The application period for SUSSS runs from 1 September and closes on 30 November, giving applicants three months with eligible ewe hoggs to get their applications into the Scottish Government.

NFU Scotland LFA Chair Robert Macdonald said: “SUSSS is a vital source of support for more than a thousand hill sheep farmers and crofters and, in a year when every penny will count, they must make the most of this valuable funding stream.

“Last scheme year, the payment rate per eligible ewe hogg was worth £61.65 per head. This support is not only important for farmers and crofters producing a fantastic product from some of the toughest farmland, but also to the local communities which see a huge amount of reinvestment from these businesses.”

The opening of SUSSS coincides with the return of #LoveLambWeek, the annual week-long celebration of lam.  Back for an eighth year, #LoveLaqmbWeek will run from 1-7 September and shine a light on the sustainability of UK sheep production, whilst also reminding consumers of the exceptional taste and quality that UK lamb brings to the dinner table. As in previous years, the industry-wide initiative is supported by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), NFU Scotland, AHDB and others.

 Livestock Policy Manager, Hannah Melville, said: “Sheep farming plays an integral role in the preservation of our natural landscapes and prosperity of our rural communities, as well as making an important contribution to our national economy.

“That is why celebrating such a tasty, local product as part of the eighth Love Lamb Week is a real opportunity for the industry to showcase, once again, why Scotland is one of the most suitable places in the world to sustainably farm and produce quality lamb.”  

Notes to Editors

• More details on the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme at: https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/scottish-upland-sheep-support-scheme/
  
  
• To find out more about Scotch Lamb, visit www.qmscotland.co.uk/. Keep up to date with LLW activity and the upcoming autumn campaign by following @MakeItScotch on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Twitter.

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Contact Bob Carruth on 07788 927675