Scottish farmers set to quit beef over changes to suckler support

The Scottish government has been warned that new rules around suckler support will force some farmers to quit the beef sector and reduce overall cow numbers.

The changes have been designed to cut emissions and make beef production more efficient, but industry bodies claim they have been poorly implemented and will mean farmers’ incomes take a significant hit.

Under the new conditions for the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme, beef suckler cows will be required to achieve a calving index of no more than 410 days to qualify for payment.

See also: Suckler beef payments set to roll out in Scotland

The new rules are due to be introduced as early as 2 December 2024. But the National Beef Association (NBA) and Scottish Beef Association (SBA) have written to ministers urging them to consider a one-year delay.

A previous suggestion from industry to alleviate the pressure on incomes by running a split payment for a year, where every calf would still receive a payment and the ones that met the new conditions would be eligible for a top-up, was rejected by government because of its complexity.

NBA chief executive Neil Shand said: “We are not averse to the introduction of a calving index, but introducing it halfway through the qualifying period is just foolish.

“Farmers need to have a full calving period and the bulling period over the summer to prepare.

“That would allow every cow that calves from October 2023 to October 2024 a fair opportunity to achieve the 410-day calving index and enter the scheme.”

Smaller herds

Paul Ross, chairman of the SBA, told Farmers Weekly he believed farmers with smaller herds would be hardest hit by the new rules.

He said: “Bigger herds have a tighter calving interval because they run two or three bulls together, but smaller herds might only have one bull.

“And if that bull has an issue of any type, it is obviously going to have an impact on the calving interval.

“Some of these farmers will just be thinking ‘enough is enough, I’m going to get out of cows’. I can’t see cow numbers staying where they are with the introduction of this rule.”

Co-design

Neil Wilson, executive director of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland, said he believed the situation had come about because the Scottish government had failed to properly consult on the plans.

“A lot of the industry was removed from discussions,” he said.

“Co-design is happening with a little sliver of the industry who are handpicked by government, so they can claim that it’s happening, but it’s not really happening on the ground.

“This beef suckler scheme is a prime example of that.”

In a statement, the Scottish government said it had announced in June 2023 that changes to calving intervals were to be expected and the new conditions were the result of “extensive” consultation.

There is scope in the rules for the calving interval to be reduced in future by up to 10 days a year.