NFU Cymru has called on the Welsh Government to re-affirm its commitment to an entry level agri-environment scheme, funded via the Wales Rural Development Programme (RDP 2014-2020).
NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board Chairman, Hedd Pugh, said, “NFU Cymru has long argued for an entry level agri-environment scheme which offers farmers in Wales the opportunity to participate, if they so wish, irrespective of location, scale or farm enterprise type.
“Glastir was originally developed to be accessible to all farmers in Wales through the entry level and we are concerned that Welsh Government appears to be taking forward a more selective approach to supporting new applicants together with those who have contracts coming to an end which means that access to an entry level scheme may no longer be offered.
“This is most disappointing in the context of the Welsh Government decision to transfer the maximum amount possible (15%) from Pillar one to Pillar two in Wales – a decision unique in Europe. This combined with the uncertainty surrounding the lack of commitment to renew existing entry level contracts flies in the face of scheme monitoring which emphasises the need for a long-term commitment to interventions if outcomes are to be fully realised.
“Farmers across all sectors have experienced extremely challenging market conditions during the past twelve months. We are calling on the Welsh Government to make clear its commitment to an entry level scheme as soon as possible to allow farm businesses across Wales to consider the full range of options available to them and to allow for focussed business planning,” Mr Pugh concluded.
At the recent NFU Cymru Council meeting, members from across Wales expressed concern at the lack of an application window for Glastir Entry Scheme during 2015 and the dates for the 2016 application window have not been confirmed for 2017 entry to the scheme. This is despite the fact that Glastir Entry contracts for over 1,500 farmers will be ending later this year.
