The Tir Gofal agri-environment scheme is suffering because funds are being diverted to organic farming, say Pembrokeshire's Assembly Members.
The oversubscribed agricultural stewardship scheme has been made much harder to qualify for – and funding has been diverted to encouraging farmers to go organic.
"Why do you need to get all of these farmers to go organic?" South Pembrokeshire AM Angela Burns asked Agriculture Minister Elin Jones in the Senedd.
"I am sure that it is worthwhile in the round, but we are currently under pressure.
"Like people all over Wales, farmers are concentrating on survival—they do not have the opportunity to start looking at completely different diversification strategies. They are under too much pressure.
"The organic sector undoubtedly has an enormous role to play in Wales's future, but not at the expense of worthwhile proven, habitat protecting, revenue-producing schemes. We need the environmental schemes to be reopened to all applicants."
Her comments were reiterated by Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies.
"Support for the organic farming sector must not be at the price of robbing Tir Gofal," he said. "We should not be pitting one set of farmers against another. We cannot deny entry to farmers wanting to join the Tir Gofal scheme.
"It is regrettable that the Assembly Government has slashed Tir Gofal's budget to make up the shortfall for organic conversion at probably the worst time. We must look to support all our farmers as effectively as possible or face the consequences in times to come."
