Second legal challenge to Welsh Basic Payment Scheme deal

Lowland farmers in Wales have launched a legal challenge to Basic Payment Scheme arrangements, the Welsh government has confirmed.

A so-called pre-action protocol letter was submitted to the government this week by a group of lowland farmers who face huge losses in subsidy payments following the recent decision to introduce a flat-rate payment in Wales by 2019.

The farmers claim that the decision is unlawful and puts at risk the survival of viable lowland farmers in Wales.

See also: Rumours grow about second BPS legal challenge in Wales

Many of these farms could now see their CAP payments cut by up to 60% by 2019 and there is concern that this could have a knock-on effect on the wider rural economy.

It is estimated that 1,323 farms in Wales face losing more than €2,500 (£1,825) each under the new BPS deal which was only put in place after upland farmers mounted a successful challenge to the initial CAP plan in 2014.

A Welsh government spokesman told Farmers Weekly: “We have received a pre-action protocol letter regarding CAP reform on behalf of a group of farmers.

“We will respond to the group but given the possibility of legal action it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”