The report follows an inquiry to gather evidence on:
- The role and state of soils in agricultural systems
- Monitoring of soil health
- Classification of soils for land use
- The policy and legislative mechanisms to protect soils and productive land (including the Sustainable Farming Scheme, National Minimum Standards and planning policy (amongst others))
- The potential for legal frameworks and targets for soils.
Crucial
Commenting on the report findings, NFU Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader, who also gave evidence to the inquiry, said: “Farmers recognise that good soil health is crucial to the future of Welsh food production. Healthy soils also reduce flood risk, support habitats and biodiversity and are important for the sequestration and storage of carbon. Welsh Government’s Soils Evidence Programme is clear that many soils in Wales remain in good condition and are at a low risk of degradation under current agricultural management which is dominated by permanent grassland.
Read our written evidence to the inquiry
“We question the Committee’s recommendation to create a voluntary minimum standard for soil health to measure progress with the possibility that this could become a statutory minimum if progress is not achieved and how such a standard could be developed in practice. Welsh soils are highly variable making the establishment of a baseline and target values for soil properties extremely challenging. There is also no ‘one size fits all’ approach to soil management which depends on a range of variables such as soil type and topography, the prevailing weather conditions, cropping, timing of testing which means that actions that drive measurable improvements in soil health in one year, do not in the next. In this context NFU Cymru would seriously question the feasibility of establishing frameworks and/or targets for soils.
A number of challenges
“The WG Soils Evidence Programme assessment of soils issues highlighted that there are a number of challenges associated with regulating soil, which mainly relate to the establishment of baseline and/or target values for soil properties.
“NFU Cymru does not support any further regulation of farming. NFU Cymru’s survey of farmers for the four-yearly Statutory Review of the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations brought to life the ‘on the ground’ issues relating to the implementation of the Regulations introduced in 2021. NFU Cymru is clear that an independent review of regulation is now urgently needed to consider the cumulative burden of regulation on farm businesses.
“Many farmers routinely test and assess soil fertility using professional soil testing services. We believe the Sustainable Farming Scheme which provides a Universal Payment in return for undertaking Universal Actions including UA1: Soil Health provides opportunities to enhance soil management on Welsh farms. We are pleased that the Committee has recognised concerns around data and respecting privacy and commercial confidentiality. Farmers continue to be concerned at the lack of robust safeguards in place to provide protection for any soil data supplied – more focus is needed in this area of scheme design. NFU Cymru believes the Optional Action Layer of the Scheme should provide additional opportunities for action on soil health and we are pleased that the Committee notes evidence that the scheme could be used to cover the cost of liming which is a long-held ask of NFU Cymru.”
Finite resource
“We remain clear that land is a finite resource and a decision-making framework is needed so that the long-term effect to food production and wider economic, environmental, social and cultural impacts can be properly assessed.”