Farm support is justified – Carwyn Jones

CARWYN JONES, the Welsh Assembly’s rural affairs minister, has said that making £235m worth of single farm payments to Welsh farmers is justified.

“Within the context of cross-compliance, I hold the strong view that it can represent good value for the taxpayer in terms of what the farming community contributes in providing a package of environmental goods,” Mr Jones told the Farmers Union of Wales annual meeting on Mon (Jun 13).

Questioned about the Prime Minister’s demands for CAP reform, Mr Jones insisted that he had no doubt that the currently agreed level of support would continue until 2013.

He added that he was committed to releasing the first SFPs on Dec 1.

Acknowledging FUW members’ concerns about the proposed cuts to Tir Gofal payments, the minister promised that he would take the views of farming unions into account when revised rates were announced.

However, he warned that a review was necessary because the 2500 farmers who had signed up could not be paid through their SFPs and Tir Gofal contracts for doing the same thing.

“Please wait until you know what your single payment is to calculate the impact of the revision,” he said.

“We have increased the budget for 2005/06 by no less than 39% to £20m, the clearest possible evidence of our continued commitment to the scheme.”