NFU Cymru vindicated over Glastir scheme

NFU Cymru’s deep concerns about the proposed Glastir scheme being impractical and unworkable at farm level have today been completely vindicated with the announcement that the Welsh Assembly Government has only received 2,904 applications.

Ed Bailey, President NFU Cymru said, "The Welsh Assembly Government’s overall objective of the basic scheme, as outlined in its submission to Brussels, is to maintain and improve the environmental value of 90% of farmland in Wales during the life of the current Rural Development Programme for Wales.

"Experience of the first window for applications which ended on 22 November 2010 shows that NFU Cymru has been absolutely right to be concerned and on the basis of current interest and if the scheme is not amended it is likely to fall far short of this target even if the 2,904 number of applications translate into agreements - of which there is no guarantee. During the Single Application Form process in the spring 15,298 applicants expressed an interest in the scheme (83% of SAF applicants) but this has translated into only 2,904 Glastir applications, accepting that some will have extended their Tir Gofal and Tir Cynal agreements."

Ed Bailey went on to say, "A survey of farming households in Wales, conducted by the Wales Rural observatory and published in July, indicated that 42% of respondents were "highly likely" or "likely" to enrol in Glastir.

NFU Cymru, however, knew from feedback received from our membership, that this didn’t reflect what our members were telling us. This is why we pressed for deferral of the implementation of Glastir, to extend the existing schemes and in the meantime to continue to persuade other interests of the need to refine the scheme so it was fit for purpose. It has always been acknowledged that the scheme would only be successful if it worked for land managers and clearly it doesn’t as presently tabled."

Ed Bailey said, "NFU Cymru has now drawn up a simple questionnaire to inform any review of the scheme. Farmers are urged to complete this questionnaire so that we can get an evidence based fix on what the shortcomings are with a view to addressing them."

NFU Cymru welcomes the Minister’s decision to set up an independent review panel to consider the practicalities of on-farm implementation of the options under the All Wales Element of Glastir and make recommendations for the future. Ed Bailey said, "This group will only be of value if its views are respected and taken on board, there has already been plenty of stakeholder engagement but all to frequently the views of farming representatives have been ignored or dismissed. I hope that the findings of NFU Cymru’s questionnaire will aid the group’s considerations."