Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Rural Affairs Minister Llyr Gruffydd has accused the Welsh Government of putting Rural Development Programme funding beyond the reach of most Welsh farmers and has called for a scheme that gives access to small scale grants that can help improve farm efficiency.
His call came after the Deputy Minister suggested the Government had no intention of delivering low level support through the RDP but to focus only on larger scale strategic projects.
Speaking in the Assembly Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Rural Affairs Minister Llyr Gruffydd said:
“Before the summer the Government announced new schemes under the Rural Development Programme – one of which is the Sustainable Production Grant. Projects have to cost at least £40,000 to qualify for grant support of up to 40%. That will suit some farmers who require investment at that level and who can of course afford it in these difficult times. But many more farmers need smaller scale grants of a few thousand pounds to make more affordable but still essential improvements to their farm efficiency. New stock handling equipment for example could greatly improve the efficiency of some farms, but when you have to spend £40,000 to qualify for support it’s no good.
“When the Welsh Government took £1/4bn out of the pockets of Welsh farmers through its 15% transfer from CAP Pillar 1 we were all led to believe that this kind of support would be available. The Government must get a move on and launch such a programme that will see direct on-farm investment at a level that more Welsh farmers can access. Without such a scheme many farmers will effectively be excluded from accessing the grant support they need.”
In her response the Deputy Minister said the RDP was a seven year programme and that there was no intention to introduce such a scheme although the Government might want to consider it at a later date.
Mr Gruffydd said:
“This apathetic attitude is unacceptable. The Government must understand that whilst big ticket investment projects will help some farmers this won’t be within the reach of most – particularly in these difficult times. Surely, in a near £1bn budget, there is scope to provide support for low level funding that can still have a hugely positive effect on farm resilience and efficiency. Kicking it into the long grass is typical of this tired Government.”
