6. How is the Welsh Government supporting the agricultural sector in mid Wales? OQ55487

Thank you. Farmers within mid Wales have received basic payment scheme payments totalling over £84.3 million. In addition to this, the Welsh dairy support scheme was also available, which has paid over £900,000 to date. Our Farming Connect service has continued to support farmers, providing advice and online training, whilst also having the ability for support on the phone during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for your answer, Minister. Many farmers will not ask for help or support with mental health issues, for a number of known reasons, but I was interested in seeing a recent survey by Tir Dewi, the charity, on farming in Powys specifically. As well as identifying the many reasons why farmers would not access that kind of support, for reasons I'm sure you and I would be familiar with, 58 per cent said they didn't know what support was available. So, I do wonder what you are doing in terms of liaising with your colleague the health Minister to ensure that mental health services reach farming communities in rural Wales, such as in my constituency in Montgomeryshire, because, as we know, many in the agricultural sector do work in isolation and this is a significant, significant issue. 

You're absolutely right and you make a very good point about people not asking for help when it's really needed. It's very disappointing to hear a figure of 58 per cent and it's certainly not the sort of figure that I would have thought it would be. I meet regularly with the charities that help with mental health issues and support in relation to agriculture. I'm sure the Member's aware that we gave additional funding to the DPJ Foundation, for instance, to help them train people to assist farmers. So, it is really concerning that that figure is something that you think is apparent because I'm very surprised, because, again, over the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen an increase in the number of people that have accessed the mental health helplines that have been put in place by those charities, including the DPJ Foundation and Tir Dewi. But when I next attend—. There's a group of all the charities that my officials meet with regularly, and one of the benefits of meeting online and virtual meetings is that you can access them much easier, and I certainly attended I think two or three over the past few months, but it is something that I will highlight again. But I do think, through our Gwlad newsletter, through our Farming Connect service, we do make sure that farmers are aware of the help and assistance available, and I would urge them to ask for help when they need it.