Glastir surgeries positively received by tenant farmers

The Tenant Farmers Association is pleased to have received positive feedback from members about the Welsh Assembly Government’s Glastir surgeries. The surgeries, which are due to run until 15th July 2011, provide an opportunity for farmers who made a 2010 application for Glastir, to discuss changes they wish to make following the recommendations made by the Glastir Independent Review Group.

Farmers who made applications in 2010 for the Glastir All-Wales Element (AWE) have been invited to meet with Divisional Welsh Assembly Government staff where they can discuss their applications and make changes that reflect amendments introduced following the review.

TFA Honorary Life President and farmer in Wales, Reg Haydon said, "I am pleased that the Welsh Assembly Government is providing surgeries to assist farmers with amending their 2010 Glastir applications. A considerable amount of work was undertaken by relatively few farmers to try and enter the All-Wales Element of Glastir in the first application year. The application process was frustrating. Although I had invested considerable time into my application, it soon became clear that the new scheme had too many negative, practical implications for farmers, which was shown by the poor uptake in the first year."

"Once the results of the independent review were announced, there was an initial concern that 2010 applicants would be disadvantaged because the forms had already been submitted. I am very glad that I attended the recent surgery session run by my divisional office in Carmarthen, which was very comprehensive and helpful. I would recommend all farmers in my position to attend these surgery sessions. I am now awaiting my one-to-one appointment and will hopefully have a workable agreement in place to commence on 1st January 2012," said Mr Haydon.

The TFA is pleased to hear of positive steps being taken by the Welsh Assembly Government towards the implementation of Glastir and hopes that this continues.