NFU Cymru is once again advising farmers to check their basic payment scheme statement carefully when their part payment is received.
Speaking prior to the Glamorgan NFU Cymru Annual Conference tomorrow, Abi Reader, Glamorgan NFU Cymru Chairman said, “Farmers here in Glamorgan and across Wales are currently experiencing a cash flow crisis affecting all sectors of the industry. While I welcome the news that over two thirds of Welsh farmers have now received their part payments, it is crucial that Rural Payments Wales put every available resource into getting payments out to those remaining farmers with the minimum of delay.
“The EU support payments are vital to all farmers to help compensate for market failure, manage price volatility and reward high standards of farming. They not only benefit farmers but also the wider rural community, because more often than not, the money is spent locally.
“If you are fortunate enough to have received your payment, it is important to highlight that you should carefully check the detailed payment statement in particular, which is available via Rural Payments Wales (RPW) online to make sure that everything is in order. With the first year of this new scheme and the well-known complications in rules and the changes to the eligibility of land with trees it is important that if there are any discrepancies in terms of the land area declared by RPW compared to what you feel is correct then these need to be queried and challenged with RPW as soon as possible.
“NFU Cymru has already come across a number of cases where we feel that penalties for over declaration of land have been unfairly applied and we have taken this matter up with Welsh Government who has, as a result, introduced a simplified stage one appeal process. Farmers have up to 60 days to appeal the penalties and this can be done by submitting the CRN and field parcel references that you wish to query.
“Stage one appeals must be submitted through RPW online or by submitting a paper copy to the RPW call centre in Caernarfon. You will then receive a stage one appeal result and if this is not satisfactory then you have the option of escalating the appeal to the stage two Independent Appeals Panel.
