Management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest will be
included in the Universal Baseline Payment for the Sustainable
Farming Scheme, Cabinet Secretary has confirmed today.
The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs made
the announcement after a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) round
table at the Royal Welsh Show.
He said: “While final decisions on Scheme design will not be
taken until the current work with stakeholders has concluded, the
overwhelming feedback we have had, including through the
consultation, is that SSSIs should be included in the Universal
Baseline Payment.
“Having further determined that habitat maintenance actions are
additional to the regulatory baseline, I can therefore confirm
that this will be our intention.
“SSSIs represent our best wildlife and geological sites and are
legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In
order to help tackle the climate and nature emergencies, we need
to improve the condition and connectivity of our terrestrial,
freshwater and marine protected sites, creating resilient
ecological networks which will allow our most endangered habitats
and species to thrive.
“Including SSSIs in the Universal Baseline Payment would
recognise farmers' efforts in managing these areas, for all our
benefits. It would help ensure these sites are integrated within
wider farm management, balancing food production and actions that
improve the prospects of nature and freshwater habitats. It would
also contribute to meeting the Sustainable Land Management
objectives included in the Agriculture (Wales) Act.
“I was pleased that, following discussion at the third meeting of
the Ministerial Roundtable which was held at the Royal Welsh Show
this week [Tuesday 23 July], a consensus was reached on this
issue.
“While there remain important questions to answer on the design
of the Scheme and the payment methodology, including for example
common land, this is a positive step in moving forward
collaboratively on a key area of Scheme design.
“We are only able to make this progress through the time,
commitment and positive engagement of all of the organisations
who are on the SFS Ministerial Roundtable and Officials Group.
“I am grateful for their continued support. There is a lot of
work to be done in a short space of time. We must therefore
continue working at pace.”
