Farmers begin to receive subsidy payments

Welsh Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths confirmed at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair on November 28 that £173m would be paid into the bank accounts of 13,176 Welsh farmers on the first day of the payment window, December 1.

Welcoming the news, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: "The Welsh Government has hit a high payment target and we are grateful to all the staff who have worked hard to ensure money can be released on the first day of the payment window.

"Last year our farmers faced a considerable delay in receiving the BPS due to the extremely complicated process of completing the Single Application Forms, so we are grateful that these problems have been resolved in most cases.

"Most money arriving in the farm account through the BPS will be going straight out to secondary and tertiary businesses. Hundreds of firms are solely reliant on Welsh agriculture. Look at all the traders and businesses exhibiting at the Fair today. Any delay in the payment of the Basic Payment would have a direct impact on these businesses and their employees."

Stephen James, President of NFU Cymru said that a return to making full payments, rather than part payments as was the case last year, was welcome along with the improved exchange rate, up 16.5 per cent on the 2015 rate.

"The improved exchange rate will help cushion the blow for the many farmers who will see their support payments fall as part of the transition from the previous historic basis of support to the new flat rate based BPS. This will be important given that farm incomes have been under immense pressure as a result of difficult market conditions over the past 18 months or so as highlighted by the forecasts for net farm income for 'all farm types' for the year to March 2016 down by 25 per cent to £13,000."

" I make a plea to both RPA and RPW to work together to ensure that our many hundreds of cross border farmers are not subject to delayed payments this year."

In England, payment were due to start on December 1 with the RPA committed to paying 90 per cent of eligible farmers by the end of December. Shortly after payment, farmers will be sent a remittance advice in the post, confirming the amount paid.