Local MP David Davies met with Monmouthshire farmers and the farmers unions at the Usk show on Saturday over concerns to replace the Welsh Government's Basic Payment Scheme and Glastir, which doesn't appear to favour small family farms.
On 6th September 2018, Lesley Griffiths AM, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs wrote an open letter to the farming community on why reform of the Basic Payment Scheme is vital in relation to the Welsh Government's 'Consultation on Brexit and our Land – Securing the future of Welsh farming'. This open letter to all Welsh farmers can be viewed online via the following link: http://ow.ly/kQct30lIMi5
David Davies MP regularly meets members of the Monmouthshire farming community throughout the year and has always appreciated the vital role that local farmers play in contributing to the economy, the countryside and food production.
David took the opportunity to meet with the National Farmers Union Cymru (NFU) and the Farmers Union Wales (FUW) at the Usk Show to discuss the changes which the Welsh Government are proposing to the Single Farm Payment in Wales, and to hold a question and answer session with local farmers.
Mr Davies said:
"These changes would see payments being made mainly for environmental schemes and would have a devastating impact on farm incomes especially in areas like Monmouthshire.
The changes would benefit landowners rather than working farmers. This would mean money flowing into the accounts of big organisations such as Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the National Park authorities and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and away from the small family farms which are at the heart of rural communities."
Mr Davies concluded:
“Agriculture is a vital part of the economy of Monmouthshire and Wales, and I am grateful to NFU Cymru and FUW for discussing this issue with me and shall be closely following the development of this change so that working farmers do not lose out.”