The Welsh Government is offering a few crumbs of comfort in response to the crisis facing farmers from the knock-on effects of the recent Arctic weather conditions, the Farmers' Union of Wales maintained today.
The union's president Emyr Jones, who has lost stock on his Bala farm, said natural resources and food minister Alun Davies' decision to extend the current derogation for on-farm burial until April 16 with the addition of parts of north Ceredigion was the least he could do.
"He has also announced a review of how farm businesses will cope with future difficult circumstances arising from extreme weather conditions but that is little help for farmers suffering livestock losses, damaged buildings and fodder shortages right now,” said Mr Jones.
“Most upland farmers coming to the end of what has been a disastrous lambing season this year are unlikely to have the energy or time to consider a whole farm plan at the moment and it is likely to be several weeks before the full extent of the losses can be determined.
“Despite the minister’s assertion that there must be an inherent weakness in an industry ‘if a single year of reduced prices, together with the difficult weather, causes such apparent economic disruption to the sector’, for those farmers who have lost a significant proportion of their breeding stock, plus this year’s crop of lambs due to the freak weather, this statement is insensitive to say the least.
"All the minister is offering are a few crumbs of comfort which will do little to alleviate the crisis facing Welsh farming now and in the longer term.
"When I met him on a Montgomeryshire farm last week I urged him to consider an emergency financial package as the devolved administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland have already agreed to assist farmers hit by similar weather conditions.
"But he has shown a total disregard for the way in which many Welsh farmers are now fighting hard to sustain their livelihoods in the hills.”
Farmers can contact the RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution) Helpline for confidential help and advice by calling 0300 3037373 or email