Scottish Government will start LFASS payments this month

Payments under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) will be made by the end of March, the Scottish Government has said.

In a meeting with industry representatives, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead confirmed the Scottish Government will provide cash support within weeks to almost 11,500 farming businesses in S

cotland’s most remote and rural areas whilst basic payments are being processed. All farm land in Orkney qualifies under the LFAS scheme.

Mr Lochhead said: “I recognise that farmers and crofters in Scotland’s very remote and rural areas are particularly vulnerable to the tough market conditions and extreme weather that have been exacerbating cash flow issues in the industry. For them, LFASS can be a lifeline.

“LFASS payments have always started in March and, to avoid delays, the Scottish Government is taking action using national funds to ensure the vast majority of claimants will receive payments in March as usual.

“Given the importance of LFASS to Scottish agriculture, the Scottish Government’s view – which was supported by industry – is that this should be a priority.

“Our nationally-funded scheme for LFASS claimants will see almost 11,500 farm businesses in Scotland’s most remote and fragile areas automatically get a payment, injecting almost £55 million more into Scotland’s rural economy over the coming weeks.

“This is the first year of a radically reformed and exceptionally complex Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which has had a knock-on effect on payment schedules here in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe. Whilst I have always been clear that decisions taken with the industry on the complexity of the new policy would prove extremely challenging to implement, it is taking far longer to make payments than we had hoped.”