By Debbie James

A Pembrokeshire arable grower who has yet to be paid her Basic Payment eight months after a routine farm inspection is calling for a change to a system which she says unfairly penalises businesses randomly selected for scrutiny.

Sally Thomas grows crops on 400 acres near Manorbier and has consistently received her subsidy in the first week of December.

But last July her farm was the subject of a Welsh Government routine crop diversification and Ecological Focus Area inspection. The inspector was due to return to the farm to complete the inspection once all the crops had been harvested at the end of the summer but failed to return until November.

Concerned that this would hold up her basic payment, Mrs Thomas asked the inspector for clarity on this point. “She assured me that there wouldn’t be an issue, that her failure to complete the inspection until November 24 would only mean that the payment would be delayed a week or so.’’

Despite repeated attempts to contact Rural Payments Wales to establish the whereabouts of the subsidy, Mrs Thomas has yet to be paid.

“Rural Payments Wales make a big deal out of being approachable and contactable but it has been impossible to speak to anyone to find out why the payment has been held up,’’ she said.

“Without knowing what is causing the hold-up, how can we be certain about completing this year’s single application form?’’

The Welsh Government admitted that the introduction of the new greening requirements for arable farmers had led to more complex inspections.

“The EC requires farm businesses subject to an inspection in 2016 to have their claim finalised before payment can be made,’’ said a government spokesperson.

Defra recently confirmed that farms which had been the subject of a routine inspection would receive 75% of their basic payment by the end of March but this has not been the case in Wales.

Mrs Thomas, who farms with her son, Harry, said this was unfair. “Why should Welsh farmers be treated differently?’’

The Thomases had invested in a combine harvester for their arable work and had timed their repayments for January.

“We budgeted to use our basic payment for this but we haven’t had that lump sum this year so we have had to increase our borrowing facility,’’ said Mrs Thomas.

A Welsh Government spokesperson pointed out that the BPS payment window runs until June 30.

“Rural Payments Wales is doing everything it can to make all remaining payments as quickly as possible and expects to pay all but the most complex claims by the end of April.”