Details of a £6 million scheme offering financial help to farmers hit by the extreme weather have been announced today by the Scottish Government.

The application form and detailed guidance will be available on the Scottish Government website on Monday June 3. This is to comply with EU state aid rules where a block exemption scheme must be registered with the EU 10 days before opening for applications.

Farmers will have over a month to submit their application before the closing deadline on Friday July 5.

Anyone who does not have access to the website can contact their area office who will post a copy. Applications cannot be accepted from an agent on a client’s behalf without a letter of authority from the client.

Applications will be accepted from producers who:

• have lost 10 or more per cent of breeding ewes/lambs put to the ram/goat
• will have over 20 per cent fewer lambs/kids reared this year from equivalent breeding stock numbers
• have re-sown 20 per cent of an arable crop
• have lost 5 or more per cent of other breeding livestock
• will have more than 10 per cent fewer calves/other livestock reared this year from equivalent breeding stock numbers

The Weather Aid group, chaired by Chief Agricultural Officer Drew Sloan, has recommended the Scottish Government register a block exemption scheme as well as using de minimis rules. This will comply with EU state aid rules.

The group will meet at the end of July to review the applications and finalise the level of support available for individual producers with agreement that priority will be given to those affected by the snow at the end of March. Support payments will be processed from August 1.

The scheme includes an extra £250,000 for the fallen stock fund to be used to rebate some of the costs to livestock producers during March, April and May.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

“This is a distressing time for farmers and the industry as a whole. I know, having spoken to a number of farmers, just how big an impact it has had on them, and this money will provide a much needed lifeline to help them get back on their feet.

“The Scottish Government acted swiftly to provide assistance and the £6 million package will be available to those hardest hit. It was important that the group examined the situation fully to come up with a scheme to distribute this much needed financial help.”