FUW WARNS LAND REVIEW MUST NOT IGNORE UPLAND FARMERS

THE Farmers' Union of Wales warned today that decisions following a Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) consultation on a review of land management must ensure upland farmers do not lose out financially.

"Our big concern is the impact this long-awaited consultation document could have on those 10,300 farmers currently receiving Tir Mynydd assistance within the Less Favoured Area - which covers 79 per cent of Wales," said FUW senior policy officer Rhian Nowell-Phillips following the launch of the consultation document today.

The consultation, "Sustaining the Land", is part a review of programmes under Axis II of the Wales Rural Development Plan. Axis II covers all land management programmes, agri-environmental schemes including Tir Gofal, woodland grants and Tir Mynydd.

It lists three options - modifying existing schemes including Tir Mynydd; introducing a new, two-tier pan-Wales scheme developed from Tir Mynydd with an element targeting carbon management and water quality issues; and introducing a new fully integrated agri-environment approach without Tir Mynydd.

"We must ensure that farmers now receiving Tir Mynydd assistance will not lose out as that scheme was intended to compensate them for the additional difficulty of farming in the uplands," said Ms Nowell-Phillips.

"Whatever scheme or schemes are eventually put in place we must not increase the level of land abandonment in the uplands. We will now spend the next 12 weeks consulting our members across Wales for their views," she added.

WAG also intends to hold discussion meetings with farmers and other stakeholders as part of the process. Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said the consultation was a first step in the process of developing a new framework of programmes under Axis II.

"The Assembly Government is keen to promote schemes under Axis II that meet public concerns on climate change mitigation whilst ensuring farmers are able to continue to manage land for their purpose of food production and maintaining the traditional Welsh family farm," added Ms Jones.

The consultation will run until December 19 and details of the dates and venues of the public meetings will be placed at: http:/new.wales.gov.uk/consultations