The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has said that the lack of consideration for tenant farmers and proper support for new entrants are some of its main concerns relating to the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
These concerns were outlined by the presidential policy team of the FUW during a meeting held at Builth Wells.
This was the union’s final formal meeting to discuss the initial feedback received from farmers at local county meetings across Wales in recent weeks, which will formulate the FUW’s final response to the SFS consultation.
FUW president Ian Rickman said: “Whilst many of the comments and concerns raised in our local county meetings were discussed at length, union officials raised some serious concerns around the impracticalities tenant farmers may face when trying to enter the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
“Moves to annualised agreements and exemptions to the 10% tree cover requirements for tenants are of course welcomed.
“However, a number of other practical limitations for tenants must also be considered, such as the ability to obtain landlords’ permission to create new ponds and habitats or deciding who has management control of historical features or individual trees within hedgerows.”
The closing date for consultation submission on the Sustainable Farming Scheme is Thursday, March 7, 2024.
Tenanted sector
Rickman highlighted that rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths said that if the SFS does not work for the tenanted sector, then it does not work at all.
“All of these practical examples will need to be addressed if all active farmers are to have an equal opportunity to join the scheme,” he said.
FUW Younger Voice for Farming Committee chair, Gemma Haines said: “It’s clear that the concerns and questions raised during meetings of the Welsh government’s New Entrants Working Group also seem to have been dismissed here.
“New and young entrants who decide to enter the SFS from next year onwards will have to surrender thousands of pounds worth of entitlements, and those that enter the industry from next year onwards won’t be entitled to claim the stability payment at all.
“The Welsh government claims to have removed barriers for new and young entrants, but, there remains no commitment to properly support these individuals who are new to the industry with something akin to a meaningful top-up payment.”
FUW regional vice president for south Wales, Brian Bowen, highlighted what he considers a lack of detail around the extent in which common land graziers will be supported as the BPS is phased out and the Collaborative Actions are implemented.
“I would like to thank the presidential team and standing committee chairs and vice chairs for attending this meeting and contributing to such an important discussion at this busy time,” Rickman said.
“The need for every business and individual in rural Wales to respond to the consultation was clearly the take home message.”
