Compensation cash set to hit £750,000

More than 4,000 farmers across Scotland who lost livestock during this year’s extreme weather have now received compensation from the Scottish Government.

On a visit to Arran yesterday, rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead confirmed most of the £750,000 Fallen Stock Fund had now been paid out.

The announcement came as Scottish Government officials continued to process weather aid applications with some £6 million to be distributed to those worst hit by the severe weather this spring.

Lochhead said he was pleased to confirm that more than £730,000 in fallen stock payments were now in the bank accounts of 4,082 farmers across Scotland.

“This will go some way to helping meet the additional costs involved in disposing of carcases,” he said. “More than half of these funds have gone to farmers in south-west Scotland which was particularly badly affected by the snow.”

He expected that weather aid payments would begin to be paid “within weeks.”