Radical farming shake up imminent (From Western Telegraph)

Radical farming shake up imminent

The most radical shake-up of the Pembrokeshire farming economy is in the pipeline as the European Parliament prepared to reform the Common Agriculture Policy.

On Thursday, the vice-president of the National Farmers Union was in Pembrokeshire to brief local farmers on what the reforms would mean to them.

Speaking at Agriculture House, Haverfordwest, Tim Bennett told them they must prepare for change.

But farm commissioner Franz Fischler would have to overcome a tide of opposition if the reforms are to become law next spring, he insisted. The mid-term review of Agenda 2000 wants to see subsidy money redirected into rural development.

Mr Fischler wants aid payments to be decoupled from production. Up to 20% would be taken off aid cheques within six years.

But what will this mean for the farmers producing arable crops, livestock and milk in Pembrokeshire?

Statistics show that there are 732 farms in Pembrokeshire growing cereals. The county grows 26% of the Welsh total, second only to South Wales with 28%. Pembrokeshire is the largest producer of barley with 34% of the Welsh total.

In future they could receive direct support without having to produce cereals.

Decoupling aid payments from production could simplify the system of support and free farmers to produce for the market. Local grain producers are currently paid less than £60 a tonne.

Meurig Raymond, Wales representative on the NFU cereals committee, said the reforms would hugely disadvantage UK farmers. He is confident they wont be accepted in their current form.

If the Fischler proposals were accepted in their entirety it would be bad news for UK farmers and bad news for Pembrokeshire farmers, said Mr Raymond, who farms at Mathry.

Net farm incomes are at an all time low, these proposals would lead to incomes falling even further.