New support announced for Welsh farmers after summer drought

Nation.Cymru staff

Welsh farmers are to receive larger advance payments and more time to spread slurry following the summer drought.

The Welsh Government will increase advance payments under the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) Universal Layer and Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) from 70% to 80% of each farm’s estimated eligible claim.

Legislation will also temporarily extend the period in which slurry and manure can be spread until November 15.

The measures follow an exceptionally difficult year for the agricultural sector, with farmers facing drought, wildfires, disease outbreaks and rising costs.

The dry weather reduced grass growth and disrupted normal grazing and cutting patterns, leaving slurry storage levels higher than usual on some farms.

The Welsh Government said extending the spreading period would allow farmers to reduce those levels before winter and lessen the risk of stores overflowing or failing.

The change will apply for this year only and include safeguards for water quality, including limits on how much slurry can be spread at one time and minimum gaps between applications.

Poultry manure is excluded because it can be managed through alternative storage methods.

The announcement follows calls from the Farmers’ Union of Wales for greater flexibility and financial support.

FUW representatives raised the issues with Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability Llyr Gruffydd at a meeting in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Union president Ian Rickman said: “This year has proven to be extremely challenging for Welsh farming businesses. They have faced extreme weather conditions, disease outbreaks and rising input costs during the most significant transition in agricultural support policies for decades.”

The union had called for advance payments to be increased, warning that cash-flow pressures and shortages of winter fodder were creating difficult choices for some farmers.

Mr Rickman said: “Limited cashflow means some farmers are faced with a pressing dilemma, whether to vaccinate their animals against Bluetongue or buy more forage for the winter.”

The FUW had also sought a temporary relaxation of slurry spreading restrictions.

Mr Rickman said: “The FUW supports action to improve water quality and recognises that agriculture has a role to play in reducing pollution.

“However, the current regulations are too rigid, too costly and too bureaucratic. This year’s drought has prevented timely slurry spreading, and there could be serious repercussions if farmers are unable to empty their stores appropriately before the winter.”

‘Support’

Mr Gruffydd said farmers had told him they needed “certainty, flexibility and support”.

He said: “I’ve listened, and we’re taking action.

“We are making changes to the closed period for slurry and manure spreading to give farmers more flexibility to manage storage safely and responsibly as we head into autumn.

“Not only have we delivered on our commitment to pay an advance payment for SFS in October, but we have also gone further to help with cash flow. We will increase advance payments under SFS and BPS from 70% to 80%, so farm businesses get more of their expected payment sooner.”

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