The Scottish Beef Association (SBA) is calling for all cows bulled before the end of March 2024 to paid under the old Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (SSBSS) rules. This would mean that these females would not have to hit the calving threshold of 410 days or less to qualify for eligibility.
Chair of the SBA Paul Ross said: “It is patently unfair that farmers were bulling cattle without knowing their decisions would impact their beef calf scheme claims. You can’t announce a scheme six months after the rules have started to take effect. We want to see the scheme start when the Cabinet Secretary explicitly told the industry of the 410 day rule this spring. We have explained this to the Scottish Government.
MORE NEWS | BBC badger documentary cause backlash
“I worry that these new rules will discourage farmers from keeping cows and that the estimated reduction in emissions is minimum.”
In response to the SBA’s plea a Scottish Government spokesperson said:
“From 2025 onwards, calves will only be eligible for a SSBSS payment if their dam has a calving interval threshold of 410 days or less, or if the calf is the first registered birth associated with that dam. This condition is designed to help balance productivity and profitability with the opportunity to address climate impact of emissions.”
Meanwhile, NFU Scotland are championing the ‘hard won’ clarifications on the scheme they secured following meetings with Scottish Government officials.
Writing in an online blog this week, livestock chair Hugh Fraser said: “Following pressure from NFU Scotland, we have now secured further guidance as to how force majeure and an appeals process could be applied to new SSBSS.
MORE NEWS | Land Court rejects tenant’s compensation claim
“This includes examples of how the impact of bull failure or disease breakdown on the new scheme condition around calving interval. Also clarity that a business’ claim to the scheme would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
Hugh writes: “We have been clear since the announcement that if the calf scheme was to be reformed that we wanted to see a process enabling an individual to present evidence highlighting that, despite their due diligence and good practice, they were subject to abnormal and unforeseen circumstances out with their control. And these circumstances impacted on their ability to comply with the new conditionality in the calf scheme.”
Mr Fraser explains that farmers will need to provide evidence to explain their exceptional circumstances. He said: “Given the depth of detail required by Scottish Government to consider an exemption, we must be realistic and acknowledge that this is not going to be a silver bullet. It does however address the examples we provided to Scottish Government, notably bull failure and disease breakdown, as part of our lobbying efforts related to SSBSS.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here