The Minister for Rural Affairs has today thanked everyone
who has taken the time to respond to the Sustainable Farming
Scheme consultation. She has reaffirmed the government’s
commitment to supporting farming as a crucial means of addressing
the climate and nature emergency which is threatening the ability
of future generations to produce the food they need.
The Minister said: “I’d like to thank everyone who has taken part
in this consultation, or attended one of our roadshows.
“Every response to the consultation will be carefully considered.
“There are many examples of the very highest standards of farming
and food production in Wales, and we believe that we must support
more farmers to achieve those high standards to ensure a
sustainable future for our rural communities and our nation as a
whole. We will use the wealth of valuable insight gained through
the consultation to consider how best this can be achieved.
“Every consultation response received, and the issues raised and
discussed at the 10 Welsh Government Roadshow events during the
consultation period, will be analysed and properly considered. We
will publish that analysis and a summary of the responses later
in the spring. We will now take forward the work highlighted in
the Written Statement of 27 February.
“I have been clear I expect changes to be made to the proposals
as a result of the consultation so that we can most effectively
support a transition to more sustainable farming in Wales, as our
present circumstances demand. No decision will be taken on any of
the proposals, including how we achieve the requirement for
habitat and trees, until a full analysis of the responses has
been carried out.
“Our aim is to secure a successful future for Wales and for our
farmers. We want them to continue producing food sustainably into
the future, in ways that we know many farmers already practice
right across Wales. Sustainable food production delivers
additional benefits such as improvements to business efficiency,
water quality and biodiversity, which in turn ensure that food
production can continue for generations to come. These are
benefits to wider society and we continue to believe that public
funding for farming is well justified on the basis of the kind of
social value farmers provide.
“I’d like to assure everyone who has taken part in the
consultation - we are listening and we will take all views into
account. We have to get this right, the future of food
production in Wales depends on it.”
Notes to editors
Note
A Written Statement published on 27 February outlined potential
next steps:
- Ensuring that where farmers are asked to gather information
as part of SFS, this process will be as efficient as possible,
GDPR compliant and maximises the value of that data to farmers.
- Ensuring actions within SFS are appropriately targeted at
improving the economic resilience of farms. This includes
ensuring woodland and habitat requirements do not make farms
unviable.
- Ensuring farm payments are distributed fairly and accessible
to all.
- Considering an evidence-based review of any further and
alternative proposals to achieve carbon sequestration within the
Sustainable Farming Scheme.
- Establish regular review points between the Welsh Government
and the farming unions and representatives, in formulating final
proposals.
- Carry out an updated economic analysis.
The incoming First Minister, who will take up post on 20 March,
will want to carefully review the results of the consultation and
consider in detail the pace of implementation of SFS.
