NFU Cymru president's call on Sustainable Farming Scheme

That was the key message from the union’s President Aled Jones when he opened the fourth NFU Cymru/Wynnstay Sustainable Farming Conference, taking place on the farm of Rob Lewis and his family near the Elan Valley, on September 12.

During his speech, NFU Cymru President Aled Jones highlighted it is a pivotal time for farming and rural Wales with the development of the Sustainable Farming Scheme now at a crucial stage.

Speaking to the conference audience gathered at Glan Elan Farm, Cwmddauddwr, Mr Jones said: “NFU Cymru supports the overarching framework for the SFS and the principle that farmers should receive a Universal Baseline Payment in return for the delivery of a suite of Universal Actions. However, this is on the condition that it is universally accessible to all farms – that is all systems, scales and locations.

“We believe that universal must mean universal, and provide equal access for all active farmers, including those like Glan Elan, where common land is an integral part of the business and those who farm the land but do not own it.

“We fully support the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies’ decision to maintain the BPS for 2025, the widespread and unprecedented levels of concern with Welsh Government’s SFS proposals earlier this year was impossible to ignore.

“We have always said that the transition to future agricultural policy cannot begin until we have confidence that the new schemes deliver the same level of stability to farm businesses, our rural communities and the supply chain that the Basic Payment Scheme does currently. It is vital that budget for BPS in 2025 is secured and enhanced to recognise the inflationary effects that have occurred over the past 10 years.

“Looking ahead we need a clear undertaking to provide a UK agricultural support budget for the length of the next parliament – a ring fenced multi-annual agricultural budget taking us through to the next election.”

"In conjunction, the new Westminster Government must look afresh at the budgetary allocation it provides to support UK agriculture in order to restore its real-terms value, which has been significantly eroded by very high rates of agricultural inflation," he added.

“NFU Cymru believes that Welsh farming now needs a minimum budget of £500 million annually to take account of inflation and to help ensure that our ambitions in relation to food, climate and nature can be met.

“Welsh Government has also committed to a process of ‘meaningful engagement’ on final scheme design, working in partnership with the industry, The Ministerial Roundtable and sub-groups formed by Welsh Government to deliver this are now working at pace and we are pleased to be part of this process. At NFU Cymru, we are absolutely committed to working on behalf of our members to get an SFS that works for all.”