Payments to hill farmers and crofters under the 2022 Scottish upland sheep support scheme (SUSSS), worth more than £7m annually, have commenced.
The scheme gives direct support to help maintain sheep flocks in farm businesses reliant on poorer quality rough grazing found in Scotland.
It is seen as a vital source of support for more than a thousand hill sheep farmers and crofters in Scotland.
Last year, 1,134 farmers and crofters applied with 115,886 animals claimed, resulting in a payment rate per head of £61.25.
NFU Scotland has welcomed the commencing of the payments, calling it a valuable funding stream "in a year when every penny counts."
The union's LFA chair, Peter Kennedy said: “This support is not only important for farmers producing a fantastic product from some of the toughest farmland, but also to the local communities which see a huge amount of reinvestment from these businesses.
“It underlines the importance of headage schemes and the value they deliver as we start to transition towards new support arrangements for farmers and crofters in the future.
“Sheep farming plays an integral role in the preservation of our natural landscapes and prosperity of our rural communities, as well as making an important contribution to our national economy.”
