Scottish dairy farmers eligible for share of £2.4m

The Scottish government will divide its share of a £350m EU Commission fund between dairy farmers worst hit by the recent crisis.

Payments will help farmers to implement management tools such as milk recording and production profiling techniques.

See also: Scots renewables and food and drink get £20m in extra funds

Producers will each receive between £4,000 and £1,000 of the £2.4m given to Scotland by the EU as part of its £350m dairy support package.

Dairy farmers from Bute, Arran, Mull and the Kintyre peninsula will receive the maximum amount of £4,000 to safeguard the supply base of the Campbeltown Creamery.

Payments will then be allocated according to 2016 average farmgate milk prices, with producers who were paid less than 20p/litre receiving £3,250.

Those on less than 25p/litre will be entitled to £2,000 and those who averaged more than 25p/litre can claim £1,000 each.   

Supporting those hit worst

“It is clear that some farmers suffered more than others during the latest period of market instability, which put severe downward pressure on dairy farmgate prices,” said Scottish rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing.

“It is therefore only right that we deploy this EU funding to support those who were at the lower end of the milk price table.

 “[The management tools] will enable farmers to take control of their own costs and drive stability.

“I would therefore urge everyone who wishes to do so to submit their application as soon as possible.”

The Scottish government will release more information on the scheme on April 1 but producers can submit applications for the scheme now (pdf).