All Welsh farmers to get €175 per hectare in 2019
All farmers’ payments will move to the same value per hectare (about €175) in five annual steps.
But the Welsh Government will ease the transition to flat rate with a redistributive payment.
This will top-up on the first 54 hectares claimed by each farmer, softening the flat rate effect for any farm smaller than 125ha of eligible land.
Nearly 11,000 out of Wales’ 16,350 farmers will gain, compared with their current Single Payment Scheme.
But 1,323 will each lose more than €2,500.
Many of those who gain will be larger, more extensive hill farmers; intensive lowland farms will feature among the biggest losers.
The outcome was favoured by farmer unions, in the absence of mapping for a viable regional payment system. The Welsh Government has scope to further support affected farmers and landowners through the new Wales rural development programme.
