The Farmers’ Union of Wales is urging all farmers and those with an interest in the survival of the Welsh rural economy to attend one of its information evenings and hear about the Welsh Government’s proposal to replace ‘single farm payments’ with a single agri-environment/‘public goods’ scheme.
The Welsh Government’s ‘Brexit and our land: Securing the future of Welsh farming’ consultation, which closes on the 30th October 2018, proposes phasing out direct support for farmers by 2025, and replacing them with ‘payments for public goods’, accompanied by a ‘resilience scheme’ aimed at farm business improvement and development.
Glyn Roberts, FUW President, said: “While farmers across the country are busy planning how to cope with the imminent winter shortages, it is important they take a longer view of their businesses given what the Welsh Government is currently consulting on. In blunt terms, they propose replacing the Basic Payments which makes up around 80 percent of farm incomes with what is a souped up Glastir agri-environment scheme.”
“Given that Scotland and Northern Ireland intend to keep direct farm payments, as does every country in the EU, Welsh farmers should ask themselves how they would fare in a world without direct farm support, when their counterparts in Scotland or Ireland continue to receive payments.
Mr Roberts said that while the EU is looking at strengthening the ‘active farmer’ criteria to ensure money goes to family farms, the Welsh Government proposes making a future scheme open to anyone with land - something the FUW believes will lead to a massive flow of funding away from Wales’ rural economy to charities and big business.
“Farmers, agricultural contractors, mechanics, feed merchants and anyone else with an interest in Wales’ rural economy should make their views clear by responding to the consultation. Over the coming weeks the FUW will be hosting open meetings across Wales so people can discuss and respond directly to the proposals and I hope many of you will be there,” added Glyn Roberts.
Open meetings across Wales will be held on the following dates:
Anglesey: 18 September 2018, 7.30pm: Mona Cae Sioe,The Showground, Gwalchmai, Holyhead LL65 4RW
Breconshire and Radnorshire: 13 September 2018, 7.30pm: FUW Pavilion, RWAS Showground Llanelwedd, Builth Wells LD2 3NJ
Caernarfonshire: 12 September 2018, 7.30pm: Grwp Llandrillo Menai- safle Glynllifon,Caernarfon LL54 5DU
Carmarthenshire: 6 September 2018, 7.30pm: Halfway Inn, Nantgaredig, Carmarthen, SA32 7NL
Ceredigion: 5 September 2018, 7.30pm: Aberaeron Rugby Club, SA460JR
Denbighshire: 17 September 2018 , 7.30pm: Brookhouse Mill, Ruthin Road, Denbigh LL16 4WS, TBC
Flintshire: 10 September 2018, 7.30pm: Plas Hafod, Gwernymynydd, Mold CH7 5JB
Glamorgan: 11 September 2018, 7.30pm: Grove Golf Club, Porthcawl, CF33 4RP
Gwent: 10 September 2018, 7.30pm: Monmouthshire Livestock Market, Raglan,NP15 2BH
Meirionnydd: 3 September 2018, 7.30pm: Rugby Club, Dolgellau, LL40 1UU
Montgomeryshire: 6 September 2018, 7.30pm: Elephant & Castle, Newtown, SY16 2BQ
Pembrokeshire: 11 September 2018, 7.30pm: The Picton Centre, Haverfordwest, SA61 1UG
For further information please contact your local FUW county office