The Welsh cabinet secretary for climate change and rural affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, will today (Thursday, June 6) chair the first meeting of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) roundtable.
Following last month’s announcement of a new timeframe for the introduction of the SFS, the roundtable will provide the next opportunity to work collectively on the design of the SFS after the recent consultation.
The roundtable has representation from the farming industry, farmers, the wider supply chain, and veterinary, nature, forestry and food sectors.
The purpose of the roundtable will include agreeing the framework for the SFS (i.e Universal, Optional and Collaborative Layers).
It will also seeks to ensure views reflect and contribute to delivery of the Sustainable Land Management objectives from the Agriculture (Wales) Act.
The purpose of the group is to further develop the partnership approach needed to finalise the design and implementation of the SFS, building on previous phases of co-design and engagement, the Welsh government said.
Input from the roundtable will help inform options before Welsh ministers make final scheme design and implement decisions.
As part of the first meeting, the roundtable will also be asked to agree steps to convene the Carbon Sequestration Evidence Review Panel.
The review panel will share the outputs from the evidence review of any further and alternative proposals to achieve carbon sequestration with the ministerial roundtable for consideration.
SFS roundtable
Irranca Davies said working in partnership with the farming industry and other interested stakeholders is key to achieving the shared goal of ensuring that farming in Wales has a “long, successful and vibrant future”.
“Through the roundtable, I intend to work at pace to identify areas of agreement and place the emphasis on matters where more work is required.
“It is very clear that there a number of areas which we agree on. We can review these and move forward to the aspects which need a bit more work and discussion, including the more contentious issues.
“I’d like to thank all the roundtable members for their time and commitment – this is a partnership approach which I’m keen to foster as we work to deliver a Scheme that works long-term.”
Irranca Davies said he intends on moving forward to ensure the government develops a scheme that supports a sustainable and resilient agricultural industry in Wales.
Stakeholders attending the first roundtable meeting are as follows:
- Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group (AHWFG);
- British Meat Processors Association (BMPA);
- British Veterinary Association (BVA) Cymru;
- Country Land and Business Association (CLA Cymru);
- Confederation of Young Farmers Clubs (YFC);
- Confor;
- DPJ Foundation;
- Farmers Union of Wales (FUW);
- Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC);
- Independent farmer representative;
- National Farmers Union Cymru (NFU Cymru);
- Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN);
- Soil Association;
- Tenant Farmers Association (TFA);
- Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers (WLBP);
- Board member of the Wales Food & Drink Industry Board;
- Woodland Trust;
- Wildlife Trusts Wales.
