Scottish dairy farmers have until 9 June to apply for a share of £2.4 million EU funding, which provides money to implement milk recording and production profiling techniques.

If funds are left unclaimed by the end of the application period, the government will increase all successful applicants’ payment rates.

James Rankin, NFUS Milk Committee chair, said: “I fully support this scheme and strongly encourage those who have not yet signed up to consider the benefits. It is widely accepted that supply management, up or down, is hugely important to the dairy sector and the more accurate and complete information we have the better.

“Regarding milk recording, the benefits are far reaching on-farm and just as significant beyond the farm. Where the information on health, nutrition, milk quality, production trends, fertility, calving age and genetics have huge potential for the individual and the sector.”

In the first round of applications, just over 700 farmers submitted a claim to the scheme, accounting for £1.7 million of the EU pot.

Under the scheme, the highest payment rate of £4,000 will be made available to farmers on Bute, Arran, Mull and the Kintyre peninsula, to protect the supply base for Campbeltown creamery.

Farmers who were paid less than 20ppl during 2016 will receive £3,250. Farmers who were under 25ppl will get £2,000 each, while those farmers who received 25ppl or more will receive £1,000.