Welcome financial support for farmers impacted by Covid-19

AS we continue into another week of lockdown, I would once again like to pass on my gratitude to those working for the NHS and in other frontline services. Farmers continue to work hard during the Covid-19 crisis, ensuring top-quality food is available for the consumer.

Welsh Government has announced more details of the Welsh dairy support scheme, which aims to help Welsh dairy farmers severely impacted by Covid-19. The loss of the service sector has had a significant impact on the dairy sector, and we welcome the financial support to help some of the farmers hardest hit.

NFU Cymru staff and officeholders have worked hard to ensure this scheme was introduced, gathering substantial evidence highlighting the depth of the effect the pandemic had on the dairy sector. Though, there are some concerns for those dairy farmers whose businesses may not meet the eligibility threshold for the scheme, as it has been slightly amended since it was originally announced by the minister last month.

Applications for scheme will open via RPW Online on June 18 until August 14, 2020. Guidance will be available on how to access the scheme, but eligible dairy farmers will need to demonstrate a reduction of 25% or more in the average price paid for their milk in April and May, when compared to February 2020. Eligible farmers will be entitled to up to £10,000, to cover around 70% of their lost income. Applications will need to be supported by milk statements covering February, April and May, 2020.

The NFU food standards petition, urging the public to get behind our high British food standards, is gathering momentum. Launched in February, the petition calls on the UK Government to put into law rules that prevent food being imported to the UK which is produced in ways that would be illegal here. Famous TV chef Jamie Oliver has thrown his support behind the campaign, which, at the time of writing has already received over 800,000 signatures, with the figure rising every day. It is great to see such support from the public to protect our world leading standards, something Welsh farmers work hard to achieve and are very proud of. For more information and to sign the petition please visit the NFU Cymru website.

A reminder that the deadline for submitting the Single Application Form is June 15 so please ensure that your application is submitted in time.