Rural Support Plan (RSP) - Annex

Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme

Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme - RP&S guidance

Description

Additional direct payment to assist beef producers

Purpose

Scottish Government recognises the importance of livestock in sustainable food production. Scottish Government also recognises the importance of reducing emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change and to fulfil its ambition to make Scotland a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. Scottish Government is working to develop future support mechanisms which can support lowering emission intensity from livestock. This scheme helps sustain the commercial beef industry by investing in livestock production but does so in a manner that encourages efficient beef production by recognising productive livestock, contributing to a reduction in emissions in line with Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture whilst sustaining rural economic activity

Contribution to Strategic Outcomes

High Quality Food Production

• SSBSS supports efficient and productive cattle, promoting sustainable beef production
• SSBSS helps maintain beef herds which in turn sustains the Scottish beef industry
• Cross Compliance conditions regulate land, plant and animal health and welfare facilitating high quality output
• Focussing support on cattle with lower excess emissions targets support towards those with lower environmental impact (in terms of GHG emissions)

Enabling Thriving Rural Communities

• SSBSS provides direct support to beef farms, facilitating continued business viability and continued contribution to rural communities and the rural economy
• The small herd derogation recognises the role of small beef producers in the rural economy

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

• SSBSS calving interval conditionality supports efficient and productive cattle, contributing to reduced emissions and climate mitigation

Method

Application

Key dates

Annual, application window 1 January to 14 January, payment window by 30 June

Eligibility

• You must have submitted a SAF for the same year
• You must be a farming business maintaining a suckler beef herd
• Calves can be owned or leased
• Calves must be at least 75% beef bred
• Calves must have been born on a Scottish holding and kept there for 30 days
• Calves must be the first registered offspring of a dam or the registered offspring of a dam with an established calving interval of 410 days or less. There is a derogation to this condition for any businesses claiming 10 or fewer calves in a scheme year.
• Calves must have a valid cattle passport and have been correctly officially identified
• Available Scotland wide. Currently delivered as both a mainland scheme and an island scheme.

We have established a derogation for the calving interval condition to any businesses claiming 10 calves or fewer in a scheme year. This will mean that those claiming support for 10 calves or fewer in 2026 will not need to meet the calving interval requirement. This change, which is subject to legislation, will also apply in future years.

Requirements

• You must maintain a herd register in line with Cattle Identification Regulations
• Cattle will be inspected under the existing Cattle Identification Inspection programme

Baseline payment information

Budget circa £40.5M

No. of recipients circa 6,098