The Farmers’ Union of Wales has described the Welsh Government’s Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online Single Application process as an overwhelming success following the May 15 deadline for Single Application forms and called for the approach taken to developing the system to be a template for other areas of Welsh Government work. 

In a letter to natural resources and food minister Alun Davies, FUW president Emyr Jones said: “As was always anticipated, there have been teething problems with the new online system and during some periods the availability of paper SAF forms has been invaluable in terms of allowing FUW members and staff to complete and submit SAF forms. 

“However, the response of our members and staff has been overwhelmingly positive.” 

Mr Jones said there can be no doubt that this positive response is a direct result of the lengths to which RPW has gone to ensure the involvement of industry representatives, from the very outset of the project, with union staff and members involved at every stage of the development process and RPW staff being receptive and accommodating in response to all comments made by stakeholders. 

“In particular, I would like to thank Elaine DeBono and her staff for their commitment to the project, and would single out Anthony Pritchard and Paul Phipps for their instrumental role in developing the system and accommodating industry views at every turn, thereby making the system the success it has been. 

“This clearly demonstrates the importance of placing differences to one side to secure mutual benefits and positive outcomes through collaboration and, as has already been emphasised on numerous occasions, the RPW Online approach should serve as a template for future collaboration.” 

However, Mr Jones warned of the need to ensure that the transition to paperless systems took the industry with it and that a “carrot rather than stick” approach continued to be adopted by Welsh Government. 

“I have already referred to the important role that paper alternatives to RPW Online have played this year and a large number of farmers have continued to rely on paper forms for valid reasons. 

“As has been shown, the FUW fully supports the transition to RPW Online but we would highlight the importance of ensuring that this transition is driven by reliability, broadband availability and reputation rather than the enforcement of a deadline for paper applications which would place many at a significant disadvantage.” 

FUW Caernarfon county executive officer Gwynedd Watkin, who sits on the RPW Online user group which helped develop the system, said: “The online system has significantly reduced the workload we have to deal with and the likelihood that errors are made is also cut because inconsistencies are automatically flagged up, calculations are done automatically and figures can be automatically compared with last years’ figures. 

“The system also means data goes straight into the RPW computer system rather than having to be scanned in from paper forms. This stops scanning errors, which have caused problems in the past, and will speed up SAF processing times. 

“The online system also enables farmers and their advisers to view forms and correspondence remotely, enabling discussions without need for meetings and paper copies of correspondence.” 

However, Mr Watkin emphasised the importance of continuing to allow hard copy form-filling beyond 2016, not least for those who lack broadband, IT skills and expert back-up. 

“We have had minor glitches this year in Wales which have made the paper forms invaluable and much more serious problems have occurred over the border in England. There has to be a fall-back position which accommodates those who have no choice but to rely on paper,” added Mr Watkin.

Welsh farmers are being encouraged to take part in a survey to give the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) a fuller picture of the relationship between retailers and their direct suppliers and the impact of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

Farmers' Union of Wales arable, horticulture and cropping committee chairman Maelgwyn Davies said the survey is an ideal opportunity to influence the GCA in tackling the issues that hamper businesses and lead to inefficiencies in the supply chain.

"The FUW fully supported the setting up of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice and with the survey being completely anonymous suppliers can speak frankly about what they think needs to change in the UK groceries supply sector.

"The results of the research will be used to inform the adjudicator's current and future work programme and to meet reporting commitments."

The survey - which can be accessed by following: https://g4-emea.yougov.com/vwwdZs8WXJrCwC - will close on May 23 and the results will be presented at the GCA Conference on June 23.

With the powers to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, the GCA can:

• investigate confidential complaints from any source about how supermarkets treat their suppliers;
• make recommendations to retailers if a complaint is upheld;
• require retailers to publish details of a breach of the code;
• in the most serious cases, impose a fine on the retailer;
• arbitrate disputes between retailers and suppliers.

For more details, go to the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/groceries-code-adjudicator

[caption id="attachment_2872" align="aligncenter" width="187"] FUW arable, horticulture and cropping committee chairman Maelgwyn Davies[/caption]

A West Wales farmers' leader today called on fellow farmers to help maintain the "lifeline" of fodder deliveries to Somerset where the crisis caused by the recent floods is "far from over".

Farmers' Union of Wales Ceredigion county chairman Aled Rees, who has already overseen the delivery of 16 huge loads of hay and silage to the West Country over the past two months, said West Wales farmers were now telling him they didn't realise there was still a problem in Somerset.

"The grass is growing here in West Wales and it has been a fairly good spring so they think it's the same all over the country. But last week I saw a lot more demand from the forage bank in Somerset.

"They rang me several times during the week to ask for forage as they were running low because they had experienced a lot of wet weather last week and stock had to be re-housed because the land that had only just dried out became saturated very quickly."

Mr Rees said he had been in regular contact with Somerset Levels agricultural flood recovery co-ordinator Abigail Vickery who had told him the fodder they had already received from West Wales farmers "has been a lifeline for them and has helped keep the fodder bank full".

"But we still need to keep donations flowing as we are now scraping the bottom of the barrel to get loads. We have enough pledges to do two more weeks and then there will not be a lot left," added Mr Rees, who farms at Penparc, near Cardigan.

[caption id="attachment_2869" align="aligncenter" width="215"] FUW Ceredigion county chairman Aled Rees[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed Hybu Cig Cymru’s (HCC) decision to conduct a review into the future of the beef industry in Wales - and has reiterated its call for supermarkets to bolster support for the Welsh beef industry.

FUW vice president Brian Thomas, who farms pedigree beef shorthorns in north Pembrokeshire, said he had been inundated by phone calls from beef farmers regarding the current low prices and a fall in Welsh slaughterhouse throughputs caused by cheap imports.

“There is real concern out there with receipts for steers down between £170 and £200 a head, and this is having a major impact on farmer confidence. Without confidence the reinvestment needed to ensure the long-term viability of the industry will fall away.

“Farmers have also been unable to book cattle into slaughterhouses due to the fall in throughput caused by cheap imports, and this leads to an increase in losses as animals have to be kept for longer and may pass prime condition.”

Mr Thomas said the fall in prices and throughput was adding to existing worries over the fall in single payment receipts.

“Many beef farmers will be hit hard by the movement to a flat-rate payment system and the decision to transfer 15 per cent of the single payment budget to Pillar 2.

“The review instigated by HCC’s Board of Directors is extremely timely and welcome, and it is imperative that the findings are used to ensure the Welsh Government acts on its commitment to using Pillar 2 funds to improve farm profitability.”

[caption id="attachment_2866" align="aligncenter" width="300"] FUW vice president Brian Thomas[/caption]