Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme must deliver for farmers, says industry

A much-anticipated statement on Wales' Sustainable Farming Scheme is being presented to the Senedd in Cardiff tomorrow (July 15).

But what do farmers hope to gain from the support scheme which has been almost a decade in the making.

While union leaders have consistently appealed to the Welsh Government to seize the opportunity to make the SFS a ‘made in Wales' policy that really supports agriculture in the country, various iterations have so far fallen far short.

What we know so far

In November, Wales' Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced a number of changes to the framework which include:

• A reduced number of overall Universal Actions from 17 to 12 with changes made to 10 of the 12 that remain.
• The farm-level figure for tree cover was removed to be replaced by a scheme-wide target.
• The Animal Health, Welfare and Biosecurity actions have been merged into a single simplified Universal Action.
• Confirmation that additional payments for social value will be made under the universal part of the scheme. This will represent the wider benefits which come from a sustainable agricultural industry.

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Geraint Davies, a tenanted beef and sheep farmer who farms in the Eryri National Park in North Wales, said he was keen the Welsh Government did not ‘drop back on its environmental ambitions'.

He said: "We feel we are in a good place environmentally and have farmed in the ‘nature space' for some time. But farmers are concerned over budgets and payment rates, the Government must make sure these align with their ambition.

"SFS needs to make sense for us financially," he added.

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Speaking ahead of tomorrow's statement he said: "There is an opportunity here for politicians to show an understanding that farmers and livestock systems really play a vital role in the economy and environment. But you have to have that policy mechanism and the political appetite to grab it."

"My message to Mr Irranca-Davies would be, ‘Welsh farmers have a fundamental role in producing nutritious, sustainable food and in maintaining the natural environment and combating climate change. But to meet that strong ambition Welsh Government have to adequately fund that transition for farmers."

Budget

Describing the November update as the ‘end of the beginning', Farmers' Union of Wales president Ian Rickman said the associated budget and methodology need to deliver.

"We must now ensure the associated budget and payment methodology deliver real economic stability for our family farms in Wales as we face a backdrop of many other challenges."

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones added: "Securing the Welsh Government's commitment to a well-funded, multi-annual budget for the scheme that matches the scale of our ambition for sustainable growth of the food and farming sector, alongside the delivery of key environmental outcomes for society is also going to be crucial."