The National Farmers’ Union of Wales (NFU Cymru) has said 2024 will be a “momentous year” for Welsh agriculture, with decisions set to be made that will define how farming is done in Wales for a generation or more.
In his New Year’s message, NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said the last 12 months have seen a significant legislative milestone with the Agriculture (Wales) Act becoming an act of Senedd Cymru.
Jones said:
“While the passing of this historic piece of legislation has yet to impact on a farm level, it sets the framework that allows Wales, for the first time in history, to create its own agricultural policy.
“This will take the form of the new Sustainable Farming Scheme and 2024 will see Welsh government making final policy and budgetary decisions based on the outcome of its current consultation– decisions that will be keenly felt at the farm gate by the nation’s farmers from 2025.
“The consultation is underway and NFU Cymru is in the process of engaging with its members over the proposals before the March 7 deadline.”
One key area of focus for the union, Jones said, is the need for a long-term stability mechanism to underpin the production of safe, high quality and affordable food in Wales.
“Domestic and global events over the past three years have sadly reminded us of the fragile nature of global food supply chains and the importance of domestic agricultural policies that place a priority on food production,” he said.
“We must not forget the role that farming businesses play within our rural communities.
“Government interventions that provide stability to farm businesses benefit rural communities and the wider Welsh economy, for every £1 invested in the current Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) there is a £9 return for the Welsh economy.”
Farmers need ‘certainty’
Jones said the Welsh government “must provide certainty” to Welsh farming businesses by committing that future schemes give substantive support to farming businesses not just through the transition period, but in the longer term.
This, he said, is needed to ensure that the Sustainable Farming Scheme can deliver at least the same level of stability for farm businesses, the supply chain and rural communities.
“In our lobbying, NFU Cymru has insisted that there is equal access to the Sustainable Farming Scheme for all active farmers,” he said.
“The universal actions must be practical and achievable for all farmers in Wales regardless of sector, location, or land tenure. One of the most debated areas of the plans concerns the minimum 10% tree cover scheme rule.
“NFU Cymru is concerned that this element still remains a part of the universal actions, given that farmers across Wales have stated that this stipulation is likely to prove a barrier to entry for many businesses.”
General Election
Jones said the union will be lobbying all political parties ahead of the UK General Election to ensure the views of those working in agriculture and living in rural communities are “well represented”.
“We anticipate that budget is likely to feature quite heavily in those conversations and we will be impressing upon parliamentary candidates the importance of UK government providing certain and long-term funding commitments to Wales.
“A budget that must recognise that farmers are being asked to deliver more for society than at any time previously in an extremely challenging economic landscape.
“Away from Westminster politics, First Minister Mark Drakeford’s decision to stand down will see a change at the top of the Welsh government and we are committed to working with Mr Drakeford’s successor to ensure farmers can continue to deliver on our food, nature and climate change ambitions.”
Basic Payment Scheme
Jones said the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is “crucial” to many Welsh farming businesses and that he was pleased that the Welsh government’s draft budget statement of December 19 confirmed that the BPS would be maintained at current funding levels for 2024.
“Following the strong case made by NFU Cymru for government to at least maintain the BPS, this news will provide much needed short-term stability and support to farmers at ground level at a time of significant market uncertainty and escalating costs.
“That is not to say that the sector has not been affected by budget cuts. NFU Cymru is concerned at the cuts to the overall rural affairs budget which will have implications for the delivery of programmes within the minister’s portfolio.
“We are urgently seeking more details from government about how these cuts will impact the delivery of Rural Investment Programmes and on shared ambitions for food, nature, climate, the economy and communities.”
