Practical aid for farmers urged after spring deluge
AMID one of the wettest springs in living memory, NFU Cymru has raised a series of key asks to Welsh Government to assist farmers hamstrung by the ongoing poor weather and ground conditions.
Many areas of Wales have received around 200% of the rainfall they would expect against long-term weather averages. Records also show that Wales has experienced the second wettest eight-month period in 100 years, causing significant disruption to farming businesses; crops can’t be sown, cattle can’t be let out to grass and lambing has been extremely challenging.
This has all added a huge cost burden on farmers, with some having to buy in additional feed and straw while their stock is housed for extended – and in many cases unforeseen – periods.
NFU Cymru has stated that the persistent wet weather again highlights the need for Welsh Government to recognise the importance of a future policy that provides stability to farm businesses to safeguard domestic food production at times of volatility.
The union has put the following key asks forward to Welsh Government to seek help in supporting farmers through the current crisis:
■ In the short-term, Welsh Government must show flexibility in the delivery of various scheme requirements, including cross compliance for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and other rural investment schemes, such as the Growing for the Environment Scheme, introducing derogations where necessary;
■ Natural Resources Wales (NRW) must work with farmers and adopt a sensible approach to regulation that demonstrates flexibility and understanding of the on-the-ground conditions;
■ In order to build longer-term resilience, there is a need for Welsh Government to bring forward the £20m committed to support farmer compliance with the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations without delay. NFU Cymru continues to call for a Wales-wide review of local planning authorities and NRWs approach to applications for new infrastructure with the aim of streamlining and reducing the burden associated with undertaking work to meet regulatory requirements and for environmental betterment;
■ Welsh Government’s commitment to providing the BPS at the same level for 2024 is welcomed and the need for timely delivery of the BPS in 2024 cannot be overstated. Moving forward, a stability measure must be included as a permanent feature of future policy to provide stability and address volatility caused by factors beyond the control of individual farmers; and
■ In terms of flood risk management policy, greater emphasis is needed on properly valuing and protecting agricultural land.
NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said: “Farmers in all sectors are finding the incessant wet weather extremely challenging.
“Livestock businesses are seeing increased expenditure on forage due to having to keep stock housed far longer than they normally would and the conditions are less than ideal for those businesses who have been lambing and calving. With autumn planting impossible on many Welsh farms, arable businesses are increasingly concerned that they will not be able get any spring crops planted due to no improvement in the weather and ground conditions.
“The financial pressures and significant challenges posed by this prolonged rainfall are compounded by a range of ongoing issues affecting the industry, including uncertainty over future agricultural policy proposals, agricultural pollution regulations (NVZs) and animal health issues, such as bovine TB and the Schmallenberg virus.
“This is an awful lot for farmers to contend with and we are very concerned about the mental toll this is taking on our farmers.
“We ask Welsh Government, working with its regulator NRW, to do all it can to assist Welsh farmers at an extremely difficult time. This is a time when sensibility and flexibility should take precedence to ensure that our farming businesses are resilient and can produce food to feed the nation.
“We cannot ignore that the past few months have once again served to illustrate that direct support to farmers has served as a key safety mechanism underpinning their financial resilience. It remains imperative that future policy includes a stability measure to ensure our farmers and growers can continue producing food for the nation. Policymakers must also recognise that agricultural land is an irreplaceable national asset. Food production is a matter of strategic national importance, alongside the provision of other public goods, and greater emphasis is needed to protect agricultural land in flood risk management policy decisions.”
Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said in a statement: “I am convening a summit of key representatives on Thursday, April 18, to examine the impacts of the current and prolonged wet weather, and to explore what interventions may be necessary from across the supply chain to deal with the exceptional circumstances some farmers are facing.
“It is clear that the changing climatic conditions and increasing weather extremes are already affecting Welsh soils, water resources and livestock, both from intense and prolonged rainfall and flooding as well as recurring periods of summer droughts and wildfires.
“Our future generations will be farming in much more challenging conditions, and we must act today to adapt and mitigate for this. It is essential that we take steps now to build resilience to the potential impacts of climate change.
“I fully recognise the impact the prolonged period of wet weather is having on our farmers, and I have seen first-hand the impacts it is having on our farmers during farm visits last week. This is affecting all sectors by increasing costs and delaying work on the land which will have short, medium and long-term impacts.
“The mental health of those involved in the agricultural industry is of great concern to me. I strongly encourage anyone suffering with stress or other mental health issues to ask for help. In this, the work of our farming charities is more important now than ever.
“We can all work to raise awareness of the help which is available, so that people can access the support they need, when they need it. My thanks go to all those who provide this crucial support across Wales.”