The Welsh Dairy Support Scheme

Part of 3. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 12:40 pm on 24 June 2020.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 12:40, 24 June 2020

Thank you for your answer. I have been contacted, I have to say, by a number of farmers who are literally just a few pounds short of meeting the 25 per cent threshold of a fall in their income, which would then make them, of course, eligible to qualify for the support scheme. But these are farmers who have incurred significant losses, but, of course, subsequently, they get nothing, no support whatsoever, because, of course, they continue to be ineligible for all other support schemes, particularly, of course, the economic resilience fund.

Now, the European Commission has currently included a COVID-19 measure within the European agricultural fund for rural development, and Members of the European Parliament have now voted to allow for a one-off lump sum to be made to farmers of €7,000, with up to 2 per cent of the rural development plan budget, plus co-financing of EU funds, allowed for this measure. So, will you consider the implementation of this measure so that we can help ease the cash flow problems on so many Welsh farms?