Members of the Farmers' Union of Wales Glamorgan county executive committee have met Welsh MEP Jill Evans and Scottish MEP Alyn Smith at county chairman Richard Walker's farm to tell the politicians the impact they expect from the current CAP reform proposals.
The MEPs were keen to discover how the proposals were impacting on Glamorgan FUW members and were told that a lack of information and guidance on important policy issues was affecting their ability to make important business decisions.
This was particularly relevant with regard to the uncertainty over how the calculation of Single Farm Payment entitlements would be made in 2015 and confusion over the greening proposals.
Members were also keen to point out that the Welsh Government’s 15% top slicing of Pillar 1 Payments to fund Rural Development measures would place Welsh farmers at a significant disadvantage compared to their counterparts throughout the whole of Europe.
Members noted that the Scottish Government had agreed to include a minimum stocking level in their definition of an active farmer to be used in connection with the eligibility to claim Single Farm Payment from 2015 onwards.
There was also discussion over the Welsh Government’s sheep EID consultation and members were interested to learn the situation that existed in Scotland and to hear how the regulations had applied there.
County vice chairman Phil Thomas asked where legislation stood with regard to the de-beaking of laying hens as he was keen to learn the latest proposals from the European Commission with regards to this subject.
Both MEPs thanked Mr Walker, of Llancarfan, near Barry, and his mother for their kind hospitality and also the Glamorgan members for being able to spare the time to meet them during a busy period of the year.
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From left, Alyn Smith, FUW finance and organisation committee member for South Wales Lorraine Howells, former FUW Glamorgan county chairman Glyn Jones, FUW deputy agricultural policy director Rhian Nowell-Phillips, Jill Evans, FUW Glamorgan acting county executive officer Glyn Davies and Richie Walker.[/caption]