Welsh hill farmers are celebrating after the Welsh Government abandoned plans for a moorland payment region under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
About 100 or so farmers calling themselves Fairness for the Uplands had challenged the plan to set the moorland rateat 400 metres (much of this common land), claiming there was often land above this line which did not deserve to punished with a low payment rate.
The decision will come as a huge relief to those farmers facing the prospect of a very substantial reduction in their level of subsidy payment under the new CAP, but also imposes implications for those within the other land payment categories.
Farmers above the new moorland line, set at 400 metres (1,312 feet), would have received €20/hectare (£15.80/ha) or €8/acre (£6.40/acre).
This is compared with €200/ha (£158/ha) or €80/acre (£64/acre) for land in a severely disadvantaged area and €240/ha (£192/ha) or €97/ace (£77.70/acre) for lowland or disadvantaged area farmers.
For more information see Farmers Guardian
