The Welsh Government’s announcement that the basic payment date will not be brought forward and emergency loans will not be made available until December suggests the Welsh Government is out of touch with the implications for farmers of the severe weather experienced over the past 12 months.

That was the view of the FUW after the Welsh Government released a written statement on Thursday (August 24),  confirming it would not follow the Scottish Government’s lead and make loans available from early October.

Instead, it plans to make no change to the usual December basic payment date, and only offer loans for the five to ten percent of farmers who will not receive payments by that date.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “Ironically, Scottish Labour criticised the Scottish Government for being slow to confirm loans would be available in October for farmers unable to afford to buy fodder and feed following a disastrous harvest - and for not going far enough.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is once again looking to recognise an individual who has made a great contribution towards the development of the dairy industry and has become an integral part of the dairy industry in Wales.

To recognise such outstanding services the Union is seeking nominations for its FUW-HSBC Outstanding Service to the Welsh Dairy Industry award.

The winner will be announced, and the presentation made, at this year’s Welsh Dairy Show in Carmarthen on Tuesday, October 30.

FUW Carmarthenshire County Executive Officer David Waters said: “There are a number of very worthy individuals in Wales who deserve this award and looking back we have had some very worthy nominations and winners. So if you know of a person in Wales who has made a great contribution towards the development of the dairy industry and has become an integral part it in Wales, then why not nominate them for this prestigious award.”

Wales’ highest mountain called Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) fundraisers recently and a team of dedicated staff and members answered by tackling  six routes in 12 hours, in order to raise funds for the Union President's charities: Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and The Farming Community Network (FCN).

Tackling the 1085 metre giant,  some of them three times in a row, fundraisers managed to raised £1344.

“This was another fantastic challenge our staff and members have set themselves to raise money for our charities. And I thank the team, who either walked or were involved in a supporting role, for their continued support and excellent effort,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is urging all farmers and those with an interest in the survival of the Welsh rural economy to attend one of its information evenings and hear about the Welsh Government’s proposal to replace ‘single farm payments’ with a single agri-environment/‘public goods’ scheme.

The Welsh Government’s ‘Brexit and our land: Securing the future of Welsh farming’ consultation, which closes on the 30th October 2018, proposes phasing out  direct support for farmers by 2025, and replacing them with ‘payments for public goods’, accompanied by a ‘resilience scheme’ aimed at farm business improvement and development.

Glyn Roberts, FUW President, said: “While farmers across the country are busy planning how to cope with the imminent winter shortages, it is important they take a longer view of their businesses given what the Welsh Government is currently consulting on. In blunt terms, they propose replacing the Basic Payments which makes up around 80 percent of farm incomes with what is a souped up Glastir agri-environment scheme.”

“Given that Scotland and Northern Ireland intend to keep direct farm payments, as does every country in the EU, Welsh farmers should ask themselves how they would fare in a world without direct farm support, when their counterparts in Scotland or Ireland continue to receive payments.

Mr Roberts said that while the EU is looking at strengthening the ‘active farmer’ criteria to ensure money goes to family farms, the Welsh Government proposes making a future scheme open to anyone with land - something the FUW believes will lead to a massive flow of funding away from Wales’ rural economy to charities and big business.

“Farmers, agricultural contractors, mechanics, feed merchants and anyone else with an interest in Wales’ rural economy should make their views clear by responding to the consultation. Over the coming weeks the FUW will be hosting open meetings across Wales so people can discuss and respond directly to the proposals and I hope many of you will be there,” added Glyn Roberts.