WALES’ branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has called on the Welsh Government to help farmers apply to a scheme offering them financial payouts for work to protect the environment.

Through Glastir, the the Welsh version of the entry level agri-environment scheme, farmers are able to obtain government payouts for taking action to protect the environment.

But NFU Cymru members have expressed concerns that farmers were not given an opportunity to apply to the scheme during 2015, and dates for an application window in 2016 have yet to be confirmed.

The organisation’s rural affairs board chairman Hedd Pugh said: “NFU Cymru has long argued for an entry level agri-environment scheme which offers farmers in Wales the opportunity to participate, if they so wish, irrespective of location, scale or farm enterprise type.

“Glastir was originally developed to be accessible to all farmers in Wales through the entry level.

“We are concerned that Welsh Government appears to be taking forward a more selective approach to supporting new applicants together with those who have contracts coming to an end which means that access to an entry level scheme may no longer be offered.”

Mr Pugh added it was important farmers were aware of their options as soon as possible so they were able to plan for the future.

“Farmers across all sectors have experienced extremely challenging market conditions during the past twelve months,” he said.

“We are calling on the Welsh Government to make clear its commitment to an entry level scheme as soon as possible to allow farm businesses across Wales to consider the full range of options available to them and to allow for focussed business planning.”