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Farming and scheme information

Related Links

Offices map

Map of Rural Affairs offices in Wales
Where are we? How can you contact your local office? Find out here.

Join in the Common Agriculture Policy Conversation

The Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and European Programmes published CAP Reform; Conversation on the way forward for Wales on 19 December 2011.

Farming Connect

Farming Connect
Farming Connect can provide one-to-one support, guidance, advice and training.

Single payment scheme

Single payment scheme
Information and guidance relating to the Common Agricultural Policy subsidy payment scheme.

Cross compliance

Cross compliance
Cross compliance is a European Union (EU) requirement setting out standards that farmers have to meet in order to receive the Single Farm Payment (SFP).
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The Welsh Government is promoting a sustainable approach to agriculture and supporting farmers in adapting for the future.

We aim to improve income and employment in rural areas by supporting the community. As well as protecting and improving Welsh wildlife and the environment.

We aim to achieve:

  • a clean, healthy and safe environment
  • maintenance of our land, air and water quality standards
  • improvement of people’s enjoyment of their natural surroundings

through sensitive stewardship and sustainable development of natural resources.

Welsh farming covers the whole range of agricultural production

  • Sheep - A breeding flock of over 5 million ewes and ewe lambs (28% of the UK flock) within a total of some 11 million animals
     
  • Beef - A breeding herd of approximately 233,000 cows and heifers in calf (14% of the UK herd)
     
  • Milk - We produce about 10% of the UK total. The main milk producing region is Carmarthenshire, with processors ranging from local dairies to specialist cheese-makers.
     
  • Pigs - Only 3.7% of agricultural holdings in Wales keep pigs (1% of the UK total)
     
  • Horses - A traditional source of income on Welsh farms
     
  • Deer, goats, alpaca, guanaco, llama, ostrich & buffalo
     
  • Arable - potatoes, barley and wheat are the main crops grown here, although arable farming is not that common due to the geography of Wales

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Reform of the Common Agriculture Policy has meant a new basis for payment to farmers. In 2005, subsidy schemes were replaced with the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). This "decoupled" or broke the link between CAP payments and production. Now farmers can concentrate on producing what the market wants and farming in an environmentally friendly way. The Single Payment Scheme is paid once a year and is based on the amount of subsidy paid, and land used, between 2000 and 2002.

Farmers have been encouraged to manage their land in an environmentally sensitive way through the Tir Cynnal, Tir Gofal, Tir Mynydd and the Organic Farming Scheme/Organic Farm conversion schemes. From 2012, Glastir will replace the existing agri-environment schemes, ensuring that future environmental challenges can be met.