The Scottish Government has recognised Scotland’s wet summer.
The wettest summer in Scotland for 80 years has posed problems for farmers in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones who have been prevented from spreading slurry due to the poor summer weather.
Borders’ farmers have approached Rachael Hamilton MSP for assistance after application to spread slurry past the deadline were refused.
However, even despite interventions from MSPs Scottish Government officials quibbled over the level of rainfall in Scotland and initially refused to allow slurry spreading past the deadline.
Now, after pressure from the NFU the Scottish Government has agreed to look sympathetically at cases of NVZ where poor weather has stopped spreading their slurry in time.
Decisions on leniency will be made on a case by case basis as to whether derogation will be granted to those who have missed the deadline.
Rachael Hamilton MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire said: ‘Finally the Scottish Government has seen sense. This is welcome news for Borders farmers and I hope now the Scottish Government can shift a gear and get on with helping them.
‘The debate I had with a Scottish Government official on how much rain had fallen, when on record it has been Scotland’s wettest summer for 80 years, was surreal. And this delay in acknowledging that deadlines were missed due to the wet weather highlights the city-centric SNP Government’s attitude.
‘Farmers have been hugely concerned for their livelihoods because the Scottish Government refused to listen to their cries for help, refused to listen the NFU and MSPs, until now.
‘So even though this is welcome news, and it is welcome news for the livelihoods of farmers right across Scotland, we are asking ourselves again – why the delay in offering assistance to our agricultural communities, why the reluctance to offer help in the first instance?’