Green farmers will not lose out

THE WELSH Assembly has reassured farmers who reduced stock numbers when they pioneered agri-environment schemes that their single farm payments will be adjusted.

A spokeswoman said those who entered schemes from 1997 will not be disadvantaged because stock numbers were lower to meet scheme prescriptions.

In response to fears expressed by the Country Land and Business Association and individual farmers, she said EU regulations were clear.

Those affected could apply under hardship provisions if scheme participation had reduced their CAP payments in the reference years used to calculate SFPs.

Anyone concerned about their payments should contact the Welsh Assembly‘s agriculture department offices, or make use of the advisory facilities being offered at all major agricultural shows.

Sue Evans, CLA Wales‘s rural policy adviser, is urging farmers who are currently checking their data conformation forms to take into account the level of subsidy claims before they changed farming practices to entering an agri-environment scheme.

Large sums of money were at stake and farmers should be ready to make justified appeals, she said.    

NFU Cymru says that the onus is on farmers to ensure that the facts used to calculate SFPs are correct or challenged.

The union is staging a series of advisory meetings to help members check the CAP subsidy data they have received.