Frustrations have been mounting in the beef cattle sector as producers continue to be left in limbo over the Scottish Government’s proposed reform of the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (SSBSS).
It has been confirmed that the scheme, currently worth £40 million, will be a feature of future support arrangements in Scotland.
However, proposed changes to the scheme rules for 2025 and beyond, including the introduction of calving interval rules, have yet to be shared with the industry.
Any eligible beef calf born after December 2 2023 will fall under the scheme reform, and it is understood that the existing 30-day retention period will remain as part of the reform.
Calves born after Dec 2 2023 fall into new scheme
Neil Shand, chief executive of the National Beef Association said that the industry is now well into spring calving and the fact that there is no sign of a policy is just “not good enough.”
He said not only is there no policy, but once a policy is in place, payments are set to depend on what has happened in this calving year, and producers have not been kept in the loop.
He said: “It still frustrates me that the money to fund this scheme – which was originally intended to recognise the wider benefits of suckler cows in rural communities and support beef producers – is now being used as a stick to beat the industry – or will be when it is eventually rolled out?
“The scheme will reportedly use a calving index score as a means to determine the payment per calf, and this year’s calving was to be set as the baseline year.
“For example, dead calves born in 2024 will need to be tagged and registered by the producer to ensure the dam has a calving index for the year 2025.
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“However, the reality is even worse than that. Let’s assume the new scheme starts on the December 2 2024, and the calving index is 410 days.
“For a breeding female that has had the misfortune to produce a dead calf after October 18 2023 – yes twenty three – there will be no calculable index, deeming the breeding female ineligible for the new scheme, and no payment eligibility for her calf.
“So here we are, basically six months into the scheme‘s qualifying period, and we still have no policy in place.”
Mr Shand said the Scottish Government should be held to account for this and the policy implementation delayed until the end of this year.
“When the policy is eventually published, the Scottish Beef Association and National Beef Association will be challenging hard for this delay,” he said.
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“It’s disrespectful to our industry to roll out policy in this fashion.”
Beef farmer Gary Christie from near Huntly said: “With spring calving in full swing now, it is totally unfair and unacceptable to suckler producers that we’re four months and maybe more into the reference year for the new SSBSS.
“We still have no clarification from the government on how the rules and conditions are going to be implemented.
“I think this new scheme should be kicked into touch until December 2024 to allow everyone to digest and understand the new rules”
“Hopefully other organisations support the SBA and the NBA to get the government to delay the scheme until December.”