Bates lobbies Minister as farmers lose confidence in agri-environment schemes (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

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Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Bates lobbies Minister as farmers lose confidence in agri-environment schemes

November 5, 2008 12:00 AM

Following a meeting with farmers and representatives from the FUW in Mid Wales, Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has written to the Minister Elin Jones, to highlight concerns over the future of agri-environmental schemes in Wales and to demand that farmers are paid the long overdue money that they are owed under agricultural schemes.

Commenting Mick states:

"The recent announcement by the Minister that funds for the Organic Payment Scheme would be increased is good news for Welsh agriculture. However, I am deeply concerned that in order to fund this, money has been transferred from other areas of the rural affairs budget and agri-environment schemes may suffer as a result, jeopardising the development of sustainable farming in Wales.

"It is crucial that the Minister clarifies how the Tir Cymru scheme will continue to support the development of sustainable farming in Wales, despite the temporary halt imposed on any further new Tir Cynnal agreements and the decision to reject all Tir Gofal applications that do not reach the 100 point score required to join the scheme.

"I am also concerned about continuing delays in long overdue payments, which is causing serious cash flow problems for many farmers. There are currently around 22 Tir Cynnal payments waiting to be paid and 435 Tir Gofal payments currently not validated and due for payment, along with outstanding payments under the Organic Farming Scheme.

"That the use of different maps is raising so many queries, delaying the validation of Single Farm Payments and in turn payments under other schemes, is unacceptable. I have written to the Minister to seek her reassurance that this administrative technicality will be resolved as soon as possible, so that farmers can be paid the long overdue money that they are owed.

"With this catalogue of concerns, farmers are rightly losing confidence in the Assembly Government's ability to deliver agri-environment schemes. I am deeply concerned that this will have a detrimental and serious impact on the development of agri-environment schemes and sustainable farming in Wales and I have urged the Minister to outline her plans to secure the future of these schemes."

End/Diwedd