Farmers who helped keep rural Scotland moving during last week’s severe snow should receive a one-off “thank you” payment from underspent government funds, an MSP has urged.
Scottish Conservative shadow rural affairs secretary Tim Eagle MSP has written to the Scottish government calling on ministers to recognise farmers’ “heroic” recovery work.
In a letter to agriculture minister Jim Fairlie, Mr Eagle said a proportion of an estimated £8 million underspend in Tier 1 agricultural payments should be used for the gesture.
The call follows days of heavy snowfall across Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands, during which farmers took on extensive recovery work alongside their normal duties.
Despite the extra demands of feeding livestock and thawing frozen water supplies, farmers cleared roads free of charge for the public.
In snow drifts reported to reach 12ft, farmers worked from early morning until late at night, rescuing stranded motorists, assisting emergency services and delivering food and medicines to vulnerable residents.
Mr Eagle said a share of the underspent funds should recognise the voluntary nature of that work and help cover fuel costs, machinery wear and lost working time.
In his letter, he said last year’s outturn report showed “an underspend of around £8 million in Tier 1 agricultural payments alone”, alongside further underspends elsewhere.
He added that, with similar underspends recorded in 2024, there was “a real possibility that a similar position may arise again this year”.
Mr Eagle said farmers contribute far beyond food production and are “central to the economic, environmental and social fabric of rural Scotland”.
That role, he said, had been “especially evident in recent weeks”, with reports highlighting farmers using their own tractors and equipment to clear roads, reach isolated homes and support emergency services during the snow.
He noted that most farmers are unpaid for this work, and that those who are compensated receive only “very modest rates” from local authorities.
“Much of the support provided during the recent extreme weather was voluntary,” he said, adding that it was often carried out over several days and at personal cost.
Calling for action, Mr Eagle asked whether ministers would consider using a small proportion of any remaining underspend as a one-off “thank you” payment.
He said such a gesture would recognise the role farmers played during the snow, help offset the personal costs they absorbed, and show practical support for rural communities.
