Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has confirmed farm funding in Wales for 2020 following the UK Government’s announcement they will provide £243m for the Basic Payment Scheme in 2020.
Farmers in Wales will be paid the Basic Payment Scheme in 2020 at the same level as in recent years and support for Wales’ rural economy and environment will also be maximised after Brexit by transferring 15% of the 2020 budget for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) to support rural development in 2021/22.
Under the Common Agricultural Policy, member states and administrations are permitted to transfer up to 15% of their BPS budget to their Rural Development budget.
This funding can be invested in a range of important schemes and priorities including:
- Support for farmers to make their businesses more environmentally friendly by reducing carbon and greenhouse emissions,
- Projects that deliver water and air quality improvements,
- Improving the resilience of our precious habitats and species,
- Tree planting programmes including support for the recently announced National Forest for Wales,
- Support for our food and drink businesses after Brexit.
Lesley Griffiths said:
Wales has benefitted from many years of European investment, including in agriculture and rural development. This is of vital importance to Welsh farmers and rural communities.
We welcome today’s announcement from the HM Treasury, but let us be clear, this is only making good on commitments already made.
I would call on the UK Government to provide guarantees of funding for agriculture and to replace other current EU funds for future years. This will allow us to plan important future work to support agriculture, develop the economy, tackle climate change and protect our environment.
