NFUS welcomes early payments

With the first loan support payments hitting bank accounts this week, the industry has welcomed the Scottish Government’s early start – and told producers to award themselves a pat on the back for sticking to the original IACS deadline.

With the payment of the first of the 2020 national basic payment support scheme(NPBS) – which allows recipients to receive up to 95 per cent of their basic payment scheme and greening payments in advance–beginning this week, NFU Scotland said that the move would help ease cash-flow concerns for many farmers and crofters :“Considering that loan scheme offer letters were issued in early August, the quick turnaround for those who have received and accepted their loan offers is appreciated, allowing this advance on payments at a critical time for many,” said the union’s CAP Schemes policy manager Jenny Brunton.

She added :“The ability for Scottish Government to bring forward and deliver this loan scheme several weeks earlier than previous years is also testa - ment to the commitment and hard work undertaken by farmers and crofters, Scottish Government officials and SGRPID staff in sticking to the 15 May SAF application deadline, despite the unprecedented circumstances this year.”

Stating that Covid-19 and the UK’S exit from the EU continued to cause huge uncertainty throughout agriculture, she said that the loan payments would come as a great relief to many farmers and crofters who still had to invest and plan cash-flow–adding that anyone yet to submit a claim or receive a loan letter should act swiftly.