Press Release - Emergency funding needed to help Scottish stock farmers overcome snow damage to winter housing

Emergency funding needed to help Scottish stock farmers overcome snow damage to winter housing.

The National Beef Association has appealed directly to cabinet secretary, Richard Lochhead, for a national emergency fund to be created which will help farmers, and other important Scottish businessmen, limit fundamental damage to their enterprises following disastrously heavy falls of snow.

The Association is particularly worried about the short term consequences of collapsed cattle sheds and would like to see an emergency relief system established so that the severe, welfare and economic, problems created by housed stock being exposed to winter weather conditions can be quickly overcome.

“Snowfall has been so heavy that the roofs on a number of cattle sheds have caved in. Mr Lochhead is aware of the urgent nature of the situation created on many farms and the very real dangers faced by stock that is suddenly without shelter,” explained NBA director, Kim Haywood.

“Damage caused by natural disasters like flood and drought regularly qualify for emergency relief and the Association has asked Mr Lochhead to take advantage of his position as cabinet secretary and secure the release of some of the Scottish Government’s adversity funds to cover extreme snow damage.”

For more information contact:

Kim Haywood, National Beef Association director.
Tel. 0131 336 1754/07967 698936