Farm support in Wales will deliver a sustainable future for the
industry and the environment, Minister for Environment, Energy
and Rural Affairs, said today as plans for a
new post-Brexit farming scheme were unveiled.
The detailed proposals - outlined in the Sustainable
Farming and our Land consultation - aim to protect the
land and the environment for future generations whilst providing
a stable income for farmers through a new Sustainable Farming
Scheme.
Under the plans, farmers will be rewarded for environmental
outcomes such as better air quality, reducing carbon emissions
and improving soil quality, not rewarded by the market.
This will help strengthen the farmer’s business and provide
benefits for all the people of Wales.
Following last year’s consultation Brexit and our
Land and consideration of the extensive responses
received, a number of policy changes have been introduced.
The latest consultation, Sustainable Farming and our
Land, places sustainability at the heart of future farm
funding in Wales post-Brexit – bringing together the significant
economic, environmental and social contribution farmers make.
The introduction of a new single Sustainable Farming Scheme will
bring together the originally proposed economic resilience and
public goods schemes in Brexit and our Land.
The new consultation contains detailed proposals and walks
farmers through how the scheme could work in practice.
In the autumn, the proposals will be further designed directly
with farmers through a ‘co-design programme’ to ensure they work
on the ground.
Entry into the new scheme will be through a Farm Sustainability
Review, which will then be developed in close collaboration with
the farmer into a Farm Sustainability Plan.
In addition to the regular income stream, farmers will also be
able to access a wider range of business support through the
scheme, such as advice, capital investment and skills
development.
A multi-year transition period is proposed to help farmers and
the Welsh Government prepare and move from the current schemes to
new arrangements. The consultation also seeks views on a
new advisory service and a new streamline regulatory framework
for agriculture in Wales.
Minister said: “The way we support farmers post Brexit is
changing and Brexit provides an opportunity for us to design a
made in Wales scheme.
“There has never been a question about whether we continue to
support farmers – the question is how best to do it.
“Sustainable food production, responding to the climate emergency
and reversing the decline of biodiversity are just three of
today’s most significant challenges. We believe future farm
support should reflect this and reward farmers who take action to
meet these challenges.
“We want to have sustainable farms producing both food and wider
benefits to improve the well-being of farmers, rural communities
and all the people of Wales today and in the future.
“However we can not do this alone and need to work with farmers
directly to ensure our proposals work on the ground. I would
encourage anyone with an interest in ensuring farming has a
sustainable future post-Brexit to get involved and share their
views.”
The Sustainable Farming and our
Land consultation runs until 30 October 2019.
