Single Farm Payment Advance Could Aid Welsh Farmers, says NFU Cymru

NFU Cymru has called on the Welsh Assembly Government's Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones AM to come to the aid of farmers facing cash flow problems following a difficult year for Welsh agriculture.

Speaking at today's Anglesey Agricultural Show, NFU Cymru Vice President Ed Bailey said, "2007 has seen weak market realisations for both livestock and milk producers early in the year, followed by a summer of heavy rain and flooding which produced water logged fields, necessitating supplementary feeding and seriously hampering harvesting.

"The quality of conserved fodder for this winter is likely to be of generally inferior quality and in some instances in short supply. This will inevitably reflect in rising costs of production in terms of securing additional supplies of fodder, if it is available and supplementary feeding costs in general will be heavier."

Mr Bailey added, "This position has clearly now been further impaired by the imposition of movement controls as a consequence of FMD being identified in Surrey. Whilst clearly movements of finished animals direct to slaughter are now permitted, we are still far from back to trading normality and this together with consequential costs arising from the restricted status that constrains farm management practices is bound to squeeze incomes.

"The EU makes provision for an advanced payment of 50% of Single Farm Payment after 16 October. It would help the industry's cash flow position if the Welsh Assembly Government was in a position to bring forward a part payment to mid October given the quite exceptional circumstances that have to date prevailed this year."