The announcement by deputy minister for farming and food Rebecca Evans AM that, BPS part-payments of approximately eighty percent will only be made to around 50 percent of farmers before Christmas, has been described as disappointing but expected by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

The minister, who spoke at the Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) Royal Welsh Winter Fair breakfast, further said that the vast majority of remaining part-payments will be made as early as possible in the New Year. The balance, or final 20 percent, payment will be made to farmers next April, although a minority of payments – probate cases for example – will take longer.

The FUW acknowledged that warnings have been made in the press repeatedly since June that a delay was likely for many and that part payments would be made.

Farmers will remember the extremely complicated process of completing the Basic Payment Forms coupled with more EU regulations of the requirement of sketch maps – struggles that FUW members of staff have experienced first-hand when helping members fill out their BPS forms.

SOURCE: smallholder.co.uk