£158m paid to Welsh farms ahead of new support scheme launch
More than £158 million has been paid to farm businesses across Wales today (Tuesday, October 14) in the latest round of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) advance payments.
The Welsh Government confirmed that over 15,500 claimants will receive around 70% of their estimated claim value as part of the 2025 BPS advance. Rural Payments Wales (RPW) will continue to release payments as individual claims are validated.
The remaining balances will be paid from 12 December, once claims are fully verified.
Ministers expect that all but the most complex cases will be resolved before the payment window closes on 30 June 2026.
Reassurance
Deputy First Minister and Rural Affairs lead Huw Irranca-Davies said the money would provide reassurance to farming businesses during a difficult economic period.
“I am pleased that thousands of farms across Wales have now had the BPS advance payments for 2025,” he said.
“I hope this gives farming businesses reassurance and stability for the year ahead. RPW will be working hard to ensure full and remaining balance payments are made as early as possible once the full payment window opens in December.”
This year’s payment marks the final instalment under the BPS, which is being phased out to make way for the Welsh Government’s new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
The SFS, set to launch in January 2026, will be the main route for farm support in Wales.
Sustainable food production
After delays and farmer protests, the final version of the scheme was published in July. It aims to support sustainable food production while tackling the climate and nature emergency.
The Welsh Government dropped its controversial proposal to make 10% tree cover mandatory on farms following backlash.
Instead, the scheme offers a universal payment tier, backed by the equivalent of the £238m BPS budget, alongside optional payments for measures such as tree planting and hedgerow creation.
The government’s targets include 17,000 hectares of new tree planting and 1,500km of new hedgerows by 2030. Ministers say the streamlined approach will be less complex and ensure farm incomes are protected while delivering environmental benefits.
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I have no comments over the current issues over subsidies / inheritance taxes etc. But the Senedd / Welsh public sector can do a lot more to increase farmers incomes. Schools could be mandated to buy direct from farmers all their dairy and meat requirements and not use logistics providers – many of which make high profits. This should also be beneficial as then the schools can buy their products cheaper and farmers have long-term contracts, so can invest in more full-time staff – so rural communities will grow. Lufthansa created the world’s largest procurement organisation Star Alliance with a… Read more »
You make sensible suggestions. However it looks too much like hard work for the ruling juntas at Bay regime, Local Authorities and their defective flocks of bureaucrats.