LFA farmers must record their interest in applying for Glastir on their next SAF application

NFU Cymru highlighted to members present at Merioneth County Show that Wales’ dedicated Less Favoured Area support scheme would end and in the future LFA farmers would have to enter ’Glastir’, the new agri-environment scheme, in order to qualify for an enhanced level of support which would recognise the higher costs associated with farming LFA areas.

Ed Bailey, Vice President of NFU Cymru who also farms on severely disadvantaged land in Merioneth said, "Historically the Tir Mynydd Scheme has been a vital component of the hill and upland farmers’ income. The whole of Merioneth is designated "less favoured" because of the permanent difficulties and additional costs associated with farming these areas." He emphasised that, "The 20% premium for all LFA farmers entering the basic Glastir scheme is recognition by the Welsh Assembly Government of the additional costs we face as LFA farmers in delivering environmental benefits. However, I still remain to be convinced that this problem is pitched at the right level to reflect the additional costs and income we will forgo in committing to Glastir.

"It is essential that LFA farmers record their interest in applying for Glastir when the SAF forms come out next spring and subsequently make a successful submission once the application window opens otherwise there will be a significant hole left in the income of LFA farmers when the Tir Mynydd scheme ceases."

Ed Bailey ended, "NFU Cymru is fighting hard to ensure that the additional targeted element of Glastir should be made accessible and widely available across Wales and not just open to farmers in elite isolated environmental pockets. There needs to be a wide variety of works and actions that farmers can undertake, but again I stress that to be eligible for entry into this secondary part of the scheme farmers will have to first participate in the basic all Wales scheme. It is really important that farmers do not ignore these developments but are alive to the impending changes and seek to make them work to their business advantage."