Farming chiefs raise payments concern

The Welsh Government’s process of issuing advanced Single Farm Payments to those areas affected by extreme snowfall, has been called into question by local farming chiefs.

The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) in Montgomeryshire claims that while many farmers have received payment, they have been contacted by others who have not which is putting a strain on their business.

Montgomeryshire AM, Russell George, has now called on the Minister for Natural Resources and Food, Alun Davies AM, to bring forward an urgent statement to clarify how the Government was managing the process.

Mr George said: “I have been contacted by FUW in Montgomeryshire, who have rightly raised concerns that farms in areas which were heavily affected by the weather last April, have not received their advanced payment because it appears they have not qualified under the Welsh Government’s criteria.

“They have also brought to my attention that cross-border farms in those affected areas have also not received their advanced payments, even though the majority of their holding is in Wales.

“When the Minister eventually took action in April, my understanding was that the vast majority of Montgomeryshire did fall under the Government’s derogation and therefore, a large proportion of farm businesses in the constituency would qualify.

“The Minister must bring forward an urgent statement on this issue because it is clear that some farmers are being wrongfully discriminated against.”

The Spring snowfall caused chaos in the local farming community which lost thousands of livestock, including many new born lambs, during the atrocious weather.