Plaid Cymru has warned that some farmers could see their basic farm payments cut after 2019.
With Welsh agriculture at a cross roads because of the Brexit process there has been no guarantee from the Labour Government for farm payments after 2019 in Wales.
Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Simon Thomas said:
“Agriculture will face the biggest impact if we leave the European Union according to research by the NFU. They estimate for every £1 invested in farm support in the UK, farming delivers £7.40 back to the economy.
“Despite this the Labour Welsh Government has given no commitment to ring-fence the money for current recipients after 2019 and has talked about dividing up an already small cake among up to another 10,000 other rural businesses who do not currently receive farm payments.
“As the Westminster Treasury has promised to maintain the same funding until 2022, this is an opportunity to stabilise matters in Wales at a time of great churn and change and give Welsh farming a clear sign of continuation.”
Mid and West AM Simon Thomas added: “Plaid Cymru will continue to fight to ensure the farming does not get a penny less if Brexit goes ahead and we believe major changes should be endorsed in an Assembly election.
“We do need to move towards paying our farmers based on outcomes rather than how much land they own. Over 80 per cent of land in Wales is farmed and farmers are therefore well-placed to improve our environment and economy. However I am concerned that the Labour Welsh Government want to keep the distinction between Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 CAP payments when this is a chance to release farmers’ skills and ideas and free up the system.
“Farmers could be paid to deliver eco-system services like improved water quality and biodiversity; flood prevention and cutting carbon. This would cut red tape as farmers would be receive payments based on outcomes, with the freedom to innovate on how they achieve those goals.”
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