Short deadline worries Welsh
By Isabel Davies
FARM LEADERS in Wales have said they are very concerned that farmers have been given just a month to complete their single farm payment applications.
They have also challenged the Welsh Assembly over its decision to ask farmers on the form whether they will sign up to the new Tir Cynnal scheme.
Farmers Union of Wales” policy director Arwyn Owen said the assembly had started sending out Single Application Forms (SAF) only this week – but like elsewhere in the UK they had to be returned by May 16 at the latest.
“This is a huge concern to us,” he told FW. “A lot of our members rely on our staff to help them complete the forms and it is getting to a stage where they have serious questions about how they are going to do it.”
NFU Cymru president Peredur Hughes said he had grave reservations about the fact farmers had to indicate on the form whether they wished to join Tir Cynnal, given that the scheme had not been approved by the EU.
“We feel that requiring farmers to commit to anything more than an expression of interest” in the scheme is premature and frankly unacceptable.
“We have been calling on the assembly for some time now to alter the form so that farmers merely have to indicate an interest in the scheme with no obligation if they decide not to proceed once it has been approved by the EC.”
A spokeswoman for the assembly said Divisional Office staff would be on hand to help farmers with applications and producers could also attend one of the roadshows taking place during April and in early May.
She added that it had been decided on Wed (Apr 13) that farmers who apply for the Tir Cynnal may withdraw their application at any time up to when they are offered an agreement. They will also now have until Sept 30 2005 to change the habitat codes they have provided, without penalty, if they decide on reflection that they have under or over-estimated the amount of habitat on their SAF.