Welsh Agriculture Bill leaves more to be desired, FUW says

FUW President Glyn Roberts was at the Senedd as the amendments were discussed.

The Bill is the first of its kind in Wales and will provide the legislative framework for future agriculture support to Welsh Farmers. Representatives of the FUW were in the gallery last week to watch members of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) debate amendments concerning economic viability, support for new entrants and energy efficiency.

Since the announcement of the Bill, the FUW has maintained that the absence of economic viability of agricultural businesses and family farms from the Sustainable Land Management objectives is a significant concern. FUW president Glyn Roberts, who was present during the Bill’s penultimate scrutiny, said:

“I thank all those members of the Senedd who have worked with us on the Bill and whose support for our industry we appreciate. There are certainly positive changes in this Bill and our policy team has been working hard to ensure that agricultural businesses get recognised for their contribution to the local economy.”

However, he added the amendments should have gone further to include economic objectives, as without viable farm businesses, wider environmental, social and cultural targets will be missed.

The Senedd also voted to include a multi-annual support plan which would set out how Welsh Ministers intend to provide financial support to farmers. This has been a key demand of the FUW and is a component that is an integral part of the UK Agriculture Act.

The inclusion of this amendment would place farmers in Wales on an equal footing to those in England and provide some clarity where future business planning is concerned, the group said. FUW officials were also disappointed that support for new and young entrants to agriculture was left out of the amendments.

“In order to have a sustainable, thriving industry we must open doors to those wishing to enter the industry,” Mr Roberts said. “There was an opportunity if some amendments had been supported to ensure that there is support available to those new entrants who all too often struggle to get their foot on the ladder.

“Since this opportunity has been missed, it is more important than ever that the Sustainable Farming Scheme is accessible for all farmers, including young farmers and new entrants,” he concluded.

The Bill is now facing its final stage of scrutiny and if passed, it will be granted Royal Assent.