Welsh single payments to be released in December

91% of Welsh Single Payments will be released on December 3 - the first day of the payment window.

The announcement that over £213 million would be released to more than 15,000 farm businesses was made by deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies during a Hybu Cig Cymru breakfast event at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Llanelwedd.

"I would like to thank all those Welsh Government staff who have worked hard to ensure that such a large proportion of claims have been processed and can be released on the first day of the payment period" said FUW President Emyr Jones, speaking after the event.

The Single Payment represents an injection of funds into rural communities which sustain farms and other businesses which rely directly or indirectly on agriculture.

Jones also welcomed the deputy minister’s commitment to maintaining the CAP budget at a level which reflected its importance to the economy of Wales.

"We have heard a great deal from successive UK governments about cutting CAP spending and moving money away from food production but we have yet to see a ‘plan B’ which holds water and recognises the challenges we face in terms of feeding a growing global population."

"In the absence of acceptable Pillar 1 CAP payments we would see the collapse of our rural economies and communities, and UK and EU food security would be severely compromised at a time when global food shortages are occurring more and more frequently."

"The deputy minister is right to recognise these concerns, and is very much on the same page as the FUW in doing so."