Each year NFU Cymru has a presence at all the major county shows across Wales. This is to ensure NFU Cymru's voice is heard not only at a national level but also locally too.
This year was no different and NFU Cymru took the opportunity to engage with politicians, stakeholders and members to discuss key farming issues and relay the concerns of our members.
Glastir cliff-edge
Farmers attending the county shows had fears that a ‘cliff edge’ drop in funding will have a negative impact on their businesses. The lack of information around budget and payment rates for the incoming interim scheme is undermining confidence and means farmers cannot make future plans.
NFU Cymru recently wrote to Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths MS, echoing members’ concerns that the Glastir Agri-Environment Scheme (including Advanced, Commons and Organic area-based contracts) will end in December 2023 to be replaced by an interim habitat scheme in 2024.
Deep concern
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said: “With the budget and payment rates for the interim scheme yet to be announced, existing Glastir contract holders – many of whom have been agri-environment scheme participants for numerous years and have amended their business practices accordingly – are deeply worried about whether this new, interim scheme can provide them with the same level of income currently received through Glastir.
“In many instances, alongside direct payments, Glastir area-based payments form an integral component of farm business income underpinning farm business viability, as well as supporting the maintenance of organic farming in Wales. The concerns of farmers are being compounded by the very significant inflationary pressures and escalating costs on farming at this time.
"It is concerning to us that the decision not to extend Glastir area-based contracts through the transition to the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) which is proposed to commence in 2025 has been made without consultation or comprehensive impact analysis to understand the effect on the businesses involved.”
Accessibility
Accessibility to the scheme for existing contract-holders is also in question, for example, some Glastir Organic contract holders may have limited habitat land suitable for the interim agri-environment scheme.
NFU Cymru has long highlighted the need to maintain the confidence of the industry through the transition to the SFS and we are seeking urgent reassurances from Welsh Government that those farming businesses with Glastir area-based contracts who have made long term commitments to the delivery of environmental outcomes will not be financially worse off as a result of the introduction of the interim agri-environment scheme.
Concluding, Mr Jones said: “In the absence of economic modelling to understand the extent of the funding ‘cliff edge’ faced by Glastir area-based contract holders, we believe that Welsh Government should consider offering Glastir extensions for 2024 with the new interim agri-environment scheme offered to non Glastir contract holders. The provision of adequate funding for farming through the Basic Payment Scheme and agri-environment in 2024 is also going to be essential to maintaining the confidence of the industry in Welsh Government’s proposed policy approach of providing fair reward for the delivery of environmental outcomes going forward.”
Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals
During the county shows we also raised our concerns over the Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals where farmers would be required to have 10% tree cover on farm if they want to enter the scheme.
During the Royal Welsh Show, NFU Cymru’s leading officeholders announced that they will be unable to join Welsh Government’s new Sustainable Farming Scheme based on the current proposals for the support scheme.
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones and NFU Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader made the announcement on the eve of the Royal Welsh Show, saying the standpoint echoed the viewpoint of many farmers in a variety of sectors across Wales.
Earlier in July, Welsh Government published an update on the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) proposals in its co-design response. That update reaffirmed that participation in the universal tier of the SFS remains dependant on farmers having 10% tree cover and 10% habitat cover on their holdings, a stipulation designed to help Welsh Government reach its target of planting 43,000 hectares of new woodland by 2030.
We've had a good first day at Pembrokeshire Show today, engaging with a number of politicians and discussing key areas affecting the farming industry.
— NFU Cymru 🚜 (@NFUCymru) August 16, 2023
Thanks to everyone who visited our stand. pic.twitter.com/cvc186f8vA
NFU Cymru had previously warned that many farmers simply would not be able to meet this threshold, alienating them from the new support scheme, while others could not justify giving 10% of their land over to tree planting given the impact this would have on their productive capacity and business viability.
We raised these concerns with local politicians to ensure our members' views were heard.
Read more about the Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals.
Who we met with
Rt. Hon Mark Drakeford, First Minister, Lesley Griffiths MS, Rural Affairs Minister, Llyr Gruffydd MS, Ben Lake MP, Sam Rowlands MS, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, Liz Saville-Roberts MP, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Virginia Crosbie MP, Samuel Kurtz MS, Stephen Crabb MP, Eluned Morgan MS, Andrew RT Davies MS, Anthony Slaughter, Wales Green Party Leader, Alun Cairns MP, Mark Spencer MP Defra Minister, Carolyn Thomas MS
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