The announcement is the second year that Rural Payments Wales (RPW) has made automatic BPS advance payments in October.
70% BPS advance payments
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said: “I warmly welcome the announcement from the Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths MS that 70% BPS advance payments will be made to the vast majority of farmers in Wales this Friday. This support will be a major boost for the cash flow of more than 15,000 Welsh farmers, along with the allied industries who rely on farmers for so much of their income.
“I would like to recognise the work of the staff at RPW for ensuring that this support can be delivered tomorrow and to all those who support farming businesses with the completion of the Single Application Form by the May deadline date.
Extreme pressure
“This news is particularly important for farmers this year given the continued rise in the cost of inputs which are putting extreme pressure on farmers’ margins. Latest government figures show that agricultural inputs have increased by around a third over the past 12 months, with some fertiliser products having tripled in price.
“The drought this summer will also mean that many farmers will have suffered reduced harvests, resulting in farmers having less crops to sell and livestock farmers will need to purchase more feed to take them through the winter.
Importance of the BPS
“Once again, current national and global events have highlighted the continued importance of the BPS to the Welsh farming industry and the wider rural economy. At a time when we are facing a global food crisis, largely due to the ramifications of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the continuation of this stability payment is as important now as it has ever been and why it is crucial that stability measures remain as a key part of the long-term agricultural policy framework in Wales.
More than 15,600 Welsh farms will receive a share of over £161m when Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2022 advance payments are made tomorrow.
— Welsh Government Rural Affairs (@WGRural) October 13, 2022
This means 97% of claimants will receive a #BPS advance payment worth 70% of their estimated claim value.
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“It is also important to remember the ripple effect that this support has in our rural communities, benefitting wider jobs and employment, stimulating the rural economy and providing broader societal and cultural benefits, as well.
Other 3% of farmers
“Whilst I am extremely pleased to see this injection of funding into Welsh farming, we must not forget the small percentage of farmers who are not due to receive an advance payment tomorrow. I hope that RPW will prioritise its efforts so that these farming businesses receive their BPS payment when the window for balance payments opens on 15 December.”