The meeting followed the Minister’s Statement to the Senedd (Tuesday 11 July) on the second phase of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) co-design process. The union had previously responded to the statement with ‘extreme concern’ at Welsh Government’s ‘doubling down’ on its 10% tree cover targets.
Speaking after the meeting, NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said “It was useful to meet with the Minister and her team to discuss the recent statement in more detail.
"NFU Cymru remains supportive of Welsh Government’s overarching framework for the SFS, built around universal, optional and collaborative tiers, with farmers receiving a baseline payment for carrying out a set of universal actions, provided these universal actions are practical and achievable for farmers to deliver.
Committed to 10% tree cover
"Our members are deeply concerned to hear that Welsh Government appears more committed than ever to its 10% tree cover target on areas it deems suitable for tree planting under the universal tier of the proposed scheme.
“I’ve spoken to a good many members over the last few days and they are very concerned at what they heard in the statement. Although it is positive that Welsh Government has recognised that some types of land, or land tenure, don’t lend themselves to planting trees, farmers are understandably fearful of the fact that this will mean an even greater pressure for tree planting on the remaining land in order to reach the 10% target.
Loading of tree planting pressure
“Our fear is that this will mean loading of tree planting pressure on productive farmland at the very time when food security and agricultural productivity have never been more important.
“Whilst most farms will have areas which are suitable for tree planting, I don’t know of any farmers who will choose to reduce the productive capacity of their farm by relinquishing their productive land for tree planting. These concerns are coupled with the fact that they won’t know what the payment rates will be for the SFS until next year.
Conveyed deep concerns
“I have conveyed the industry’s deep concerns to the Minister that the 10% target, coupled with uncertainty about payment rates, has not landed well with NFU Cymru’s membership, raising genuine questions about how many farmers may eventually enter the scheme. It is clear to me that Welsh Government must look again at its 10% tree cover target.”
Funding 'cliff-edge'
The meeting also saw NFU Cymru discuss the fact that Welsh farmers are currently facing a funding ‘cliff edge’ with the Glastir agri-environment scheme due to end this year and no successor scheme in place.
Mr Jones added: “In January NFU Cymru wrote to the Minister asking Welsh Government to consider transitional measures to bridge the gap between the ending of Glastir funding in December 2023 and the Sustainable Farming Scheme which is due to start in 2025. Glastir has delivered many positive benefits, many of our members have committed to agri-environment delivery for upwards of a quarter of a century and are seeking reassurance that they will continue to be supported and rewarded for the delivery of these environmental outcomes until they have the opportunity to access the SFS.
“I’m grateful to the Minister and her officials for meeting with us. A lot of time and effort has gone into the Agriculture Bill process over the last few months, and I took the opportunity to commend them on all the hard work that has gone in to developing this all-important piece of legislation which has now completed its Senedd stages, and is set to become the framework which will allow for the design and operation of the SFS.”
Where to learn more about the scheme
NFU Cymru will be hosting a seminar on Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme – with the Minister for Rural Affairs as a key speaker – at the upcoming Royal Welsh Show. The seminar will take place in the NFU Cymru/ NFU Mutual marquee on Tuesday 25 July at 11am. Visit out Royal Welsh Show page for more details on what we have on.
