Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
In response to the period of exceptionally hot and dry weather earlier this summer, I brought together a range of stakeholders at the Royal Welsh Agriculture Show to discuss the action Government and the industry might take collectively to mitigate the issues farmers are facing. I have continued my discussions with industry representatives at the agriculture summer shows and conversations are ongoing at officials’ level too.  

  

Whilst the weather and immediate forage situation has improved, I remain concerned about the medium and longer term cost and fodder availability implications for farm businesses.  

In recognition of the current exceptional circumstances, I have taken the decision to make available a loan facility to farm businesses later this year.  

  

European regulations set the payment window for BPS from 1 December to 30 June, and based on Wales’ excellent payment performance, I expect approximately 90% of farm businesses in Wales to receive their BPS payments on day one. To ensure parity between claimants, I will also introduce a loan facility for the remaining approximate 10% of farm businesses where the BPS claims are yet to be validated and therefore cannot be paid under European regulations.  

  

Farmers will need to apply for a loan payment and Rural Payment Wales (RPW) will provide full details and make available an online application form in the autumn. Subject to the necessary terms and conditions being met, a loan payment of 70% of the individual farm businesses anticipated BPS 2018 claim value will be paid in early December 2018\.  

Payments to Glastir contract holders will commence in January 2019 as planned.  

  

Communicating this decision at this time will provide farm businesses with assurance and the knowledge they need to help manage their immediate cash flow and plan their finances in the longer term, especially through the forthcoming winter.  

  

I am conscious the Farming Unions have been calling for Welsh Government to bring forward the BPS 2018 payments. I have decided this would not be particularly helpful as making advance payments in October will not resolve the immediate or longer term implications of the exceptional weather conditions, and it would create an unfortunate disparity between businesses in terms of some receiving BPS payments while others would not.  

  

The Farming Unions themselves recognise this position would be unfair and create further problems. Therefore, the introduction of a loan scheme is a better and fairer solution to the difficult circumstances affecting farm businesses this year.  

In the short term, I am acutely aware of the human impact on farming families. I have therefore asked my officials to work closely with the agricultural charities, to decide how best the Government can support their work. In order to help address immediate financial difficulties, Welsh Government will be making a donation of £500,000 to help provide short\-term support to those families in Wales who are least able to meet living costs.


Farmers struggling with cash flow issues should also consider contacting their bank or our own Farming Connect service. Farming Connect can signpost farmers to other organisations for further assistance and has in place a number of support measures to help review businesses and develop their resilience and I would urge farmers to contact Farming Connect to see what’s on offer.


I will continue to monitor the position closely and my officials will remain in constant contact with farmers and other stakeholders.  

  

This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep Assembly Members and the industry informed. Should Assembly Members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Assembly returns I would be happy to do so.







Translation:


 
Fel ymateb i'r tywydd twym a sych a gawsom yn gynharach yr haf hwn, cynullais nifer o randdeiliaid yn y Sioe Frenhinol i drafod yr hyn y dylai'r Llywodraeth a'r diwydiant ei wneud gyda'i gilydd i leddfu'r problemau sy'n wynebu ffermwyr o'i herwydd. Mae'r drafodaeth honno â chynrychiolwyr y diwydiant wedi mynd rhagddi yn sioeau amaethyddol yr haf a chafwyd sgwrs hefyd ar lefel swyddogion.   
  
Er bod y tywydd a'r sefyllfa o ran porthiant anifeiliaid wedi gwella, rwy'n dal yn bryderus am y goblygiadau o ran costau a faint o borthiant fydd ar gael i fusnesau fferm yn y tymor canolig a hir. Fel cydnabyddiaeth o'r amgylchiadau eithriadol hyn, rwyf wedi penderfynu creu cynllun benthyca i ffermwyr.   
  
Yn unol â rheoliadau Ewrop, cyfnod talu'r BPS fydd 1 Rhagfyr i 30 Mehefin, ac o ddilyn patrwm ardderchog y gorffennol yma yng Nghymru, rwy'n disgwyl y bydd 90% o fusnesau fferm Cymru  yn cael eu taliadau BPS ar ddiwrnod un. Er mwyn sicrhau bod pob hawlydd yn cael yr un tegwch, rwyf am gynnig benthyciad i'r 10% o fusnesau fferm nad yw eu hawliadau BPS wedi cael eu dilysu eto ac felly na fydd modd eu talu o dan reoliadau Ewrop.   
  
Bydd angen i ffermwyr wneud cais am fenthyciad ar ôl i Taliadau Gwledig Cymru (RPW) gyhoeddi'r manylion llawn a darparu ffurflen gais ar\-lein yn yr hydref. O fodloni'r amodau a'r telerau, caiff y busnes fferm fenthyciad o 70% o werth y BPS 2018 y disgwylir iddo ei hawlio a chaiff ei dalu iddo ddechrau mis Rhagfyr 2018\. Byddwn yn dechrau talu busnesau fferm sydd â chontractau Glastir ym mis Ionawr 2019, yn unol â'r bwriad.  
  
Trwy roi gwybod i ffermwyr am y penderfyniad hwn nawr, rhoddir y sicrwydd a'r wybodaeth sydd eu hangen arnyn nhw i allu rheoli'u llif arian a chynllunio'u cyllid yn y tymor hwy, yn enwedig trwy'r gaeaf nesaf.   
  
Rwy'n sylweddoli bod Undebau'r Ffermwyr wedi bod yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i dalu taliadau BPS 2018 yn gynt. Yn fy marn i, ni fyddai hynny'n arbennig o ddefnyddiol gan na fydd talu rhagdaliadau ym mis Hydref yn lleddfu effeithiau tymor byr na hir y tywydd eithriadol, a byddai'n creu anghydraddoldeb rhwng busnesau gan y byddai rhai'n derbyn taliad BPS ac eraill ddim.   
  
Mae’r  Undebau'r Ffermwyr eu hunain yn cydnabod y byddai'n creu sefyllfa annheg a mwy o broblemau. Felly, byddai cynnig benthyciad yn ateb tecach a gwell i'r amgylchiadau anodd sy'n wynebu busnesau fferm eleni.   
  
Yn y tymor byr, rwy’n ymwybodol iawn o’r effaith ar y teuluoedd eu hunain. O’r herwydd, rwyf wedi gofyn i’m swyddogion gydweithio’n agos â’r elusennau amaethyddol, er mwyn penderfynu sut orau y gall y Llywodraeth roi help llaw iddynt. Er mwyn helpu i fynd i’r afael â’r anawsterau ariannol sy’n wynebu ffermwyr ar hyn o bryd, bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwneud cyfraniad o £500,000 er mwyn helpu i gynnig cymorth yn y tymor byr i’r teuluoedd hynny yng Nghymru sydd leiaf abl i dalu costau byw.       
  
Dylai ffermwyr sy'n cael trafferthion â'u llif arian gysylltu â'u banc neu ein gwasanaeth Cyswllt Fferm. Gall Cyswllt Fferm gynghori pa gyrff all eu helpu ac mae ganddo nifer o fesurau i helpu busnesau i adolygu a chryfhau'u sefyllfa.  Byddwn yn annog ffermwyr i gysylltu â Cyswllt Busnes i weld beth sydd ganddyn nhw i'w gynnig.   
  
Byddaf yn cadw golwg fanwl ar y sefyllfa a bydd fy swyddogion mewn cysylltiad rheolaidd â ffermwyr a rhanddeiliaid eraill.   
  
Mae'r datganiad hwn yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn ystod y toriad er gwybodaeth i Aelodau'r Cynulliad a'r diwydiant. Os bydd Aelodau'r Cynulliad am imi wneud datganiad pellach neu ateb cwestiynau pan fydd y Cynulliad yn dychwelyd, byddaf yn fwy na pharod i wneud hynny.