NFU Cymru President Mr Aled Jones said: “From looking at the detail contained within the budget, it would appear that funding for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2025 has been maintained. I know that this will come as welcome news to farmers across Wales.
BPS budget maintained
“Over the last few weeks and months in our meetings with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and MSs, we have been clear in emphasising how important it is for Welsh farming, the agri-food supply chain and rural communities that the BPS budget is maintained at the current level for 2025. I am pleased that those calls appear to have been heeded by Welsh Government with the publication of this draft budget.
“At what is once again a very challenging time for the sector, the certainty and stability of an adequately funded BPS is crucial. As I have said on many occasions, supporting Wales’ farmers through the BPS to the tune of £238 million annually, produced a gross output of £2.2bn in the same year, a return of almost £9 for every £1 given in government support.
Rural investment support measures
“Rural investment support measures are also crucial to the sector and so it is positive that some of the cuts which were made last year to this budget line appear to have been partly restored. We now await confirmation from the Deputy First Minister as to how he proposes to spend the money which has been made available to him, including what investment support measures are going to be made available to the industry. These measures are crucial for the delivery of productivity and environmental improvements on farm.”
Mr Jones went on to say: “In terms of next steps, there will of course be some important Senedd scrutiny processes. To that end, NFU Cymru has already made an extensive submission to the Senedd’s Finance Committee setting out what the union believes should be the Welsh Government’s priorities for rural affairs when it comes to setting out its spending, in order to help the committee with its scrutiny of the draft budget.
Working together
“There is also, of course, the matter of the Welsh Government getting its budget through the Senedd. The next few weeks and months will therefore be critical ahead of the final budget being published at the end of February and voted on at the beginning of March. NFU Cymru will continue to make representations to Welsh Government and the Senedd to help ensure the best possible settlement for the sector in terms of the rural affairs budget.
“Looking to the future, Welsh farming needs a longer-term, multi annual funding agreement that will provide stability and certainty to farming families and allow us to achieve our ambitions in relation food, nature, climate and communities. I call on the UK and Welsh governments to work together in order to deliver this for Welsh farming.”