As the consultation on the Sustainable Farming Scheme enters its
final two weeks the Minister for Rural Affairs is urging people to take
part in the consultation and make sure their views are
heard.
The consultation, Keeping Farmers Farming, was launched in
December and outlines proposals which aim to secure food
production systems, keep farmers farming the land, safeguard the
environment, and address the urgent call of the climate and
nature emergency.
Every individual response to the consultation will be
considered. No final decision on the scheme will be taken
until the consultation is completed and responses
considered.
The proposals have been shaped by feedback received from farmers
and the wider industry over three consultations and two phases of
co-design.
Changes in the Scheme in response to this feedback include making
the scheme accessible to all farmers in Wales from 2025, phasing
the introduction of the Collaborative and Optional actions and
ensuring actions are proportionate and appropriate to farming in
Wales.
Changes also include adjustments to the proposal for a
requirement for minimum 10 per cent tree cover, which includes
existing trees and newly planted areas. Changes have been
made to meet the needs of tenant farmers and the requirement
would not be introduced until 2030, giving farmers time to adjust
with support from the Welsh Government. There would be no
retrospective penalty if farmers had not reached the 10 per cent
target.
The Minister said: “The title of this consultation is Keeping
Farmers Farming, and that is exactly our aim. I know this
is a period of uncertainty for farming as we design future
support.
“We have to get this right. I want our farmers to continue
to produce food sustainably. That’s why we’ve involved the
industry every step of the way, and it’s vitally important people
take part in the consultation. We have never engaged so
thoroughly with our farmers and stakeholders.
“I meet with the farming unions regularly, and met them earlier
this week specifically to discuss feedback from our Sustainable
Farming Scheme consultation roadshows and theirs.
“This is a genuine consultation and I fully expect to make some
changes to the proposals as a result of the responses. We
are listening and we will consider all responses.”
10 Roadshows (30 presentation sessions) have been held
across Wales since January, speaking to over 3,200
farmers about the consultation.
The consultation is open until March 7 and is available here
Sustainable Farming Scheme
- Keeping farmers farming (gov.wales)
