Farmers to get early payment of subsidy for livestock lost in winter
Farmers in Mid Wales who lost livestock in heavy snow during the spring are set to receive subsidy payments six weeks early, it has been announced.
Alun Davies, the Welsh Assembly's Natural Resources Minister, announced that about 3,300 farmers will receive up to half their single farm subsidy from October 16.
But farmers on the Shropshire side of the border will have to wait until the end of November to receive their payouts.
Farmers across Shropshire and Mid Wales lost scores of sheep which were buried in inches of snow which fell last winter. Malcolm Roberts, who farms at Maesbury near Oswestry, said at the time he had lost 20 sheep and up to 60 lambs during the winter months.
Farmers who meet certain criteria are given the single payment subsidy each year - but farmers in Wales are now set to receive their annual payment early to "ease some of the pressures" they are under because of the bad weather.
The news has been welcomed by NFU Cymru, which says its members are continuing to suffer because of the loss of livestock in the blizzard conditions.
Ed Bailey, NFU Cymru president said: "Clearly I am pleased that the minister has taken action to help alleviate some of the serious cash flow problems that farmers in these areas of Wales are facing as a result of the horrendous weather experienced earlier this year.
"Unfortunately I saw first-hand the devastation that the weather caused in terms of sheep and lamb losses, collapsed sheds and I am fully aware of the costs that these same farmers have subsequently faced in dealing with the aftermath of the weather.
"Farmers continue to suffer, with less stock to sell this autumn and with fewer replacements to keep. The impact of this spring will undermine the profitability of many upland farms for some time to come."
Mr Davies said Wales is the only part of the UK to bring forward the payments, and farmers in other parts of the country will receive their payments as planned later in the year.
He said: "I am pleased that we are able to provide farmers with earlier access to funding to help alleviate the financial pressures some are facing following the loss or depletion of their lamb crop earlier this year."
