Sustainable Farming Scheme Should Be a Senedd Vote

SFS should be put to a Senedd vote say Welsh Conservatives. The Welsh Farming Sector employs around 50,000 people on our farms, with around 230,000 employed across the entire food and drink supply chain. In addition to this, for every £1 of public money invested into farming, £9 is delivered back to the Welsh economy, with farming output valued at over £2.2 billion annually and the Welsh food sector worth £9.3 billion to Wales’ economy.

The Welsh Labour Government initially introduced a Sustainable Farming Scheme that would have delivered a reduction in Welsh livestock numbers by over 120,000, a loss of over 5,500 jobs on Welsh farms, and a £200 million loss to the Welsh economy, with unrealistic targets for trees and biodiversity.

Welsh Conservatives are clear, the Welsh Labour Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme must work for Welsh farmers.

In the Senedd next week, week commencing 14^th July, the Welsh Conservatives are calling on the Welsh Labour Government to bring forward a final, binding vote in the Senedd on its proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme, prior to its implementation, to ensure democratic legitimacy, and the confidence of the agricultural sector.

The Welsh Conservatives have always backed our farmers and will continue to speak up against Labour’s anti-farming agenda.

Commenting ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Secretary for Economy, Energy and Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS, said:

“Agriculture is vital to the Welsh economy, culture and language, and farmers need clear answers to plan for their future, their livelihoods, and their communities.

“It’s only right that the Welsh Labour Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme is put to a final Senedd vote, to ensure democratic legitimacy, and the confidence or the agricultural sector.”

Also commenting ahead of the Debate, NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, said:

“I am immensely proud of the unparalleled contribution that Welsh farming makes to society in Wales, feeding the nation, caring for over 80% of the land area of Wales, whilst supporting our rural communities, language, environment, and culture.

“Welsh farming employs nearly 50,000 people on our farms with around 230,000 employed across the entire food and drink supply chain, making it Wales biggest employer. Our farm output is valued at over £2.2 billion annually and we underpin a Welsh food sector worth £9.3 billion to the economy of Wales. For every £1 of public money invested through the BPS we deliver £9 back to the economy of Wales and with 43% of farmers speaking Welsh our farming families play a crucial role in underpinning our language, culture and the social fabric of rural Wales.

“The SFS has been proposed as the primary form of farm support for a generation to come, and as such it is important that there is the opportunity for the Senedd to scrutinise the scheme and to have its say on this once in a generation change.

“At NFU Cymru we are ambitious for the future of Welsh food and farming, and we firmly believe we can continue to grow our unrivalled contribution to Welsh society given the right backing, policy, regulatory framework and budget support.”

Also commenting ahead of the Debate, FUW President, Ian Rickman, said:

“The Sustainable Farming Scheme marks a generational milestone for Welsh agriculture. Over recent years the FUW has left no stone unturned in lobbying, negotiating and challenging the Welsh Government in order to secure a workable Scheme for the future of our thriving, sustainable family farms across Wales.

“We therefore welcome this debate, and are pleased that once again the floor of the Senedd is being used to scrutinise changes of real importance to Welsh farmers.”

The motion which will be debated on Wednesday reads:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the importance of agriculture to the Welsh economy, culture, language, environment, and rural communities.
2. Calls on the Welsh Government to bring forward a final, binding vote in the Senedd on its proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme, prior to its implementation, to ensure democratic legitimacy, and the confidence of the agricultural sector.

How much longer will it take the Welsh Labour Government to grasp what I have always thought of as a very simple message:

NO FARMERS – NO FOOD

I hadn’t realise just how anti-farmers Welsh Labour are and in my view this is just one more stupid decision that Welsh Labour have again got wrong. Importing food to feed us is wrong in so many ways but Welsh Labour not backing our farmers will never ever make sense. We must also remember that it is not just the farmers and their families it is all the associated trades and communities that rely on this agricultural backbone