Scottish farmers and crofters are set to receive £250,000 of funding support to help them offset the cost of retrieving fallen livestock following the recent weeks of disruptive weather.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing announced the plans for the support package earlier this week, following recognition from the Scottish Government’s appointed weather panel that the recent weather conditions precipitated an increase in the number of sheep and cattle deaths across the country.

In addition to supporting farms that incurred additional costs of disposing of fallen livestock, the support package will include actions to address feed and fodder shortages as well as providing more practical and emotional support to farmers and their families whose wellbeing may be suffering.

Discussing the need for support, Fergus Ewing said: “I’ve seen first-hand the massive impact that the prolonged wet and severe weather has been having on farmers, resulting in higher numbers of dead animals and acute shortages in fodder across the country.

“We are already doing a lot to help farmers cope with the adverse conditions. This includes aiding cash flow through the LFASS and BPS loan schemes, providing specialist advice through our Farm Advisory Service, and actively seeking derogation from the European Commission from the Three Crop rule. However, there is more that can, and must, be done.”

NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick said: “No sector has been immune and whether you grow crops or keep livestock, no one has escaped the impact of the weather.

“That said, the nation’s farmers and crofters are, once again, proving themselves to be incredibly resilient and have been doing all they can to ensure the wellbeing of their stock and to get crops into the ground, but it is taking a toll on businesses and on the people.”

The charity RSABI has also been given additional funding to help provide more emotional support to farmers, to tackle the toll the recent weeks may have taken on their wellbeing.

Commenting on the announcement, National Sheep Association Scotland chair John Fyall welcomes the support for RSABI in particular.

“RSABI is good news. That is an excellent use of money. I would stress to people to contact them, and I hope it’s a significant amount of funding they have received to help them implement help to farmers. The main thing is we concentrate on fodder supplies, and we need to implement practical steps to take.”