Welsh farmers now on the brink under interim scheme
Many Welsh farms face a dramatic reduction in support at a critical time. The Welsh Government should withdraw its Interim Scheme, Habitat Wales, and extend the existing rural payments scheme, Glastir until 2025.
“The Welsh Government should withdraw its Interim Scheme, Habitat Wales and extend the existing rural payments scheme, Glastir until 2025,” says CLA Cymru. The call comes as many existing Glastir contract holders are facing a reduction in payments as vital support comes to an end at the end of this year.
Fraser McAuley, Senior Policy Advisor, CLA Cymru says, “The interim scheme Habitat Wales threatens the economic viability of many farms as a cap in support reduces vital support payments for farms over 400ha. It will also affect smaller holdings who are losing the Glastir whole farm payment and only receiving funding for a specific amount of eligible habitat. Furthermore Glastir Organics contract holders are seeing their whole farm payment coming to an end. These farmers must either dramatically increase productivity to make-up the shortfall – or become unviable.”
“Threatened farms may have to withdraw from environmental schemes critical to meet our net-zero and natural conservation goals that Welsh Government is legally binded-to.”
“All this undermines the credibility of a Government which committed itself to the principle of “not a penny less” at the outset of its project to develop a scheme to support farmers after we departed from the EU Common Agricultural Policy.”
“The Welsh agriculture sector has long called for clarity and commitment by the Welsh Government in continuing support for our farmers. The interim scheme throws doubt about the direction of travel for the Sustainable Farming Scheme set to be introduced in 2025.”
