Funding support announced for Welsh farmers hit by extreme weather

A new loan facility to help Welsh farmers who won’t receive their BPS payment on day one has been announced.

In response to the period of exceptionally hot and dry weather earlier this summer, the Welsh government has made available a loan facility to farm businesses later this year.

European regulations set the payment window for BPS from 1 December to 30 June.

The Welsh government expects approximately 90% of farm businesses in Wales to receive their BPS payments on day one.

To ensure parity between claimants, a loan facility will be introduced for the remaining approximate 10% of farm businesses where the BPS claims are yet to be validated and therefore cannot be paid under European regulations.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said: "Whilst the weather and immediate forage situation has improved, I remain concerned about the medium and longer term cost and fodder availability implications for farm businesses.

“I am conscious the Farming Unions have been calling for us to bring forward the BPS 2018 payments. I have decided this would not be particularly helpful as making advance payments in October will not resolve the immediate or longer term implications of the exceptional weather conditions and it would create an unfortunate disparity between businesses in terms of some receiving BPS payments while others would not," she said.

The Welsh government will also be making a donation of £500,000 to farming charities to help provide short-term support to those who are least able to meet living costs.