Last batch of EU funding before Brexit takes effect

TOMORROW promises to be a truly historic day, when what up to now was the mere prospect of Brexit starts to become a reality. The UK Government’s triggering of Article 50 also signals the official start of what is likely to be a period of considerable uncertainty for Wales’ agriculture sector.

Welsh farmers, landowners and rural businesses have benefited greatly from a wide range of EUfunded programmes, such as the Basic Payment Scheme, Farm Business Grant, Glastir Advanced and Rural Community Development Fund. But in the early hours of June 24 last year, the future of all of these programmes was immediately thrown into doubt.

It is because of this uncertainty that I am delighted to confirm today that we will be fully committing the remaining tranche of funding under our Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-20.

This funding, worth nearly a quarter of a billion pounds, means a number of important schemes under the RDP can continue to go ahead.

I see this £223m commitment as an investment in key areas that will help our agriculture sector to be more resilient during the postEU transition. I recognise this funding is only guaranteed for a limited period but I hope it will provide a degree of reassurance to farmers and rural business owners during this period.

Beyond 2020, however, the picture becomes less clear. Of course, we were told by some Leave campaigners that Wales would not lose out on money we would otherwise have received from the EU, that the UK Government would simply replace every single penny.

While I welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to guarantee funding for all projects signed before the UK leaves the EU, we still do not have any detail on what the funding landscape will look like when the current projects come to their conclusion. This has caused a great deal of uncertainty within our rural communities and it is why we continue to press the UK Government in the strongest possible terms, at every opportunity, to honour the long-term funding commitments made by the Leave campaign.

Clarity over future funding is a key issue that farmers raise with me time and time again. I hope by confirming now that we are fully committing the remaining money under the RDP, they can start to make plans for a future outside the EU and shape their business operations accordingly.

Details of upcoming scheme windows under the RDP will be available on the Welsh Government website in due course.