The National Farmers’ Union (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 (Thursday, September 1).
The application period for SUSSS runs from September 1 and closes on November 30, giving applicants three months with eligible ewe hoggs to get their applications into the Scottish Government.
NFU Scotland Less Favoured Areas (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/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 Love Lamb Week, the annual week-long celebration of lamb.
As in previous years, the industry-wide initiative is supported by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), NFU Scotland, The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (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.”
