Contact newsdesk on:  info@hebridesnews.co.uk

Classified adverts   I   Jobs                               

 Local Services     

 

Hebrides News

 

 

 

Payments under the new ewe hogg scheme risk being lower than expected as the initiative is over-subscribed.

 

The Scottish Crofters' Federation (SCF) said more applications than originally anticipated were caused by larger upland farms retaining greater numbers of hoggs than they would usually in order to get the payment.

 

SCF vice-chair Russell Smith said: "This is their right of course, but it means that the money that was touted as the ‘top-up’ to the dismal basic payment on rough grazing of around £7 per hectare will be watered down."

 

Estimated rates of around £80 per animal were predicted. However, the actual payment will depend on the total number of eligible hoggs claimed as the budget is fixed.

Therefore as the total number retained for payment goes up, the payment per hogg goes down.

Crofters warned of drop in sheep payment

 

6 April 2016