Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths is announcing that Glastir Advanced, Commons and Organic contracts will be extended until the end of 2023. Other Welsh agricultural schemes will also benefit from the latest announcement.
Griffiths said she intends to continue the Basic Payment Scheme until 2023. This is subject to the UK Government’s spending review however.
She emphasised that “the programme is crucial in supporting our farmers. The extension will help us further enhance our understanding of the impact of Glastir actions and interventions. The wider work the scheme also helps us assess the development of the future Sustainable Farming Scheme”.
Over 1.3m hectares of Welsh agricultural land comes under a Glastir contract. An extension of the scheme helps ensure priority sites in Wales can achieve positive environmental outcomes.
The scheme guarantees the conserving and enhancing of Welsh wildlife. The scheme also improves soil and water resources too. Moreover, it helps restore peatland habitats and looks at how to reduce the carbon output of Welsh farmland.
All existing eligible contract holders will be offered an extension via their RPW on-line accounts.
The Minister also announced a further £7m to extend Farming Connect to March 2023.
Farming Connect provides key business support to 1000s of farmers and foresters across Wales. The programme helps those in the sector identify areas which they can improve. This allows the sector to develop new skills and find more efficient ways of working.
See: Substantial funding made available as key agricultural schemes extended | GOV.WALES