PROMPT PAYMENT BRINGS FESTIVE CHEER says NFUS

NFU Scotland has welcomed the announcement from the Scottish Government that the majority of Scottish farmers will have their lifeline Single Farm Payments (SFP) in their bank accounts on Tuesday (December 1), injecting more than £400 million into the rural economy.

The Union is delighted that the Scottish Government continues to meet its commitment to prompt payment of support. Tuesday is the first day payments are permitted by European regulations and around 75 per cent of claimants will receive payment into their bank accounts by the end of the first week of the month. By the end of December, Scottish Government has pledged that 90 per cent of eligible producers – 20,200 businesses – will have received SFP worth £460 million.

NFU Scotland Chief Executive, James Withers said:

“It is great news for Scottish farmers and crofters that the Scottish Government has maintained its excellent record in getting lifeline SFP out the door and into farmers’ bank accounts.

“This injection of funds into the country’s farm businesses is hugely important to rural communities as a whole and helps underpin the economic and environmental activity that farming generates.

“Our members’ thoughts are already turning to what shape SFP and the Common Agricultural Policy will take in the future. There are only three meetings left to go in our current round of SFP roadshows. Although we are at an early stage in the SFP debate, the interest has been phenomenal, with more than 1000 members attending the meetings we have held so far.”