Ex-NSA chairman slams sheep coupled support scheme

holyrood: Late farm payments also come in for criticism

One of Scotland’s best-known sheep farmers has launched a scathing attack on the Scottish Government over late farm payments and the sheep coupled support scheme.

Dalmally farmer Sybil MacPherson, who is the immediate past chairman of the National Sheep Association (NSA) in Scotland, was heavily critical of the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (Susss), also known as the ewe hogg scheme.

She said the scheme rules were too stringent to follow and not practical for sheep producers in the hills, putting them at high risk of penalties from rule breaches.

“The most vulnerable people in the whole sector are subjected to this,” said Mrs MacPherson.

“The whole ewe hogg scheme puts your whole payment at such risk if you get it wrong. People have lost their entire payment through no fault of their own and there’s no appeal system.”

She said government had ignored industry concerns that the scheme was not fit for purpose.

“The Government was told in the very outset that the ewe hogg payment was not going to MacPherson. “We don’t think it could ever deliver.” A Scottish Government spokesman said there had been more applications than anticipated.

“As with all schemes, we are working flat out to get payments out of the door and into farm and croft businesses.

“We remain on track to make Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme payments by the end of June, providing additional support to sheep producers who farm on Scotland’s most challenging land.” work,” added Mrs

“We don’t think it could ever deliver. SYBIL MACPHERSON