Ewing confirms £57m advance on key support for hill farmers

Scottish hill farmers will benefit from the advance payment of £57 million of support announced yesterday by the Scottish Government.

Speaking ahead of today’s annual meeting of NFU Scotland, Fergus Ewing, the government’s rural economy secretary, confirmed hill farmers and crofters would be offered a nationally-funded loan of up to 90 per cent of their less favoured area support scheme (LFASS) 2018 entitlement, with payments beginning in April.

“I am acutely aware of the continuing importance of LFASS for farmers and crofters operating in the most remote and marginalised areas, which is why I am making these loans available.”

Responding to the move, Union president Andrew Mccornick said: “This support is critical to ensuring that farmers and crofters can continue to deliver for rural Scotland – providing jobs and opportunities. LFASS support is key to our remote communities, driving growth and tackling the causes of rural depopulation.”

Looking to the future, Mccornick stressed the big worry was the future of the LFASS scheme: “Farmers from across Scotland, from Shetland to Stranraer, want to hear the Scottish Government deliver certainty on its ambition to retain this budget for 2019 and 2020 scheme years – with support to be delivered in 2020 and 2021 respectively.”

Responding to the future challenge, Ewing claimed he was “working tirelessly on finding a solution to continue to deliver funding under LFASS at approximately 100 per cent for this year and the next two scheme years within the context of changes to EU regulations and budgetary constraints.

“My priority remains to protect and grow our rural economy and I encourage all eligible farmers and crofters to strongly consider taking up the loan offer.”