The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) and NFU Cymru used their joint fringe event at Plaid Cymru’s recent Spring Conference, held at the ICC Newport, to reinforce their shared manifesto priorities and urge the next Welsh Government to deliver a fair, forward-looking budget that properly supports Welsh agriculture and the rural communities it sustains.

Chaired by Llyr Gruffydd MS, Plaid Cymru’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs spokesperson, the event provided a platform for both unions to set out the sustained financial pressures facing the sector.

They pointed to what they described as more than a decade of stagnation in the agricultural budget, warning that funding has failed to keep pace with rising costs and increasing regulatory and environmental expectations.
The unions argued that had overall funding kept pace with inflation over the past 13 years, the agricultural budget would now exceed £500 million – underscoring what they see as a substantial and growing gap between current allocations and the sector’s actual needs.
Speaking at the event, NFU Cymru President Abi Reader outlined the union’s key manifesto calls for a ring-fenced, multi-annual budget to support the sustainable growth of Welsh food and farming.

She said: “Welsh farmers must not be expected to do more for less. The next government must commit to providing a ring-fenced, multi-annual budget that matches our ambitions for the sustainable growth of the sector.
“This funding must underpin the financial resilience of our family farms and rural communities, while working in harmony with our environmental and climate obligations. We are calling for a budget in excess of £500 million per annum, with the majority of funding directed towards stability, productivity and efficiency gains on farm.
“We also call on the next Welsh Government to challenge the UK Government to ensure that future uplifts to agricultural support funding fairly reflect Wales’ needs, rather than being constrained by the limitations of the Barnett formula.”
The calls were echoed during the session by the FUW’s Senedd and Parliamentary Officer, George Lewes, who stressed that the next Welsh Government must also strengthen budgetary support for the forthcoming Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
He argued that the transition to the new framework represents a significant structural shift for farm businesses and must be underpinned by adequate, long-term financial backing to ensure its success.

Commenting, he said:
“If we are to deliver on food security, climate and biodiversity goals, the scheme must be backed by a budget that matches those expectations.”
The fringe event also provided an opportunity for the unions to outline their wider shared ambitions for the sector ahead of the Senedd election. These included reducing on-farm bureaucracy, delivering a science-led and properly resourced strategy to eradicate bovine TB, and addressing ongoing concerns surrounding NVZ regulations and the unintended consequences they continue to create for family farms.
Concluding FUW President, Ian Rickman said: “Both unions have emphasised that alongside fair and sustained funding, meaningful regulatory reform and practical, evidence-based policies are essential to safeguarding the viability and long-term sustainability of Welsh agriculture.
Ahead of the Senedd election, we look forward to continuing constructive engagement with all parties to ensure these priorities are delivered for the benefit of our farmers, rural communities, and the wider Welsh economy.”

THE ROYAL WELSH Agricultural Society (RWAS) and the National Sheep Association (NSA) are collaborating to launch a new Welsh Sheep Village at this year’s Royal Welsh Show.

Located on the site of the former NSA Pavilion, the village will celebrate the Welsh sheep industry’s importance. Including trade stands and educational activities, it’s designed to showcase innovation and good practice to farmers, whilst helping the wider public understanding of sheep farming and the vital role it plays in shaping our landscape and heritage.

Called Cynefin – Welsh for “habitat” or “place of belonging” – the village will reflect the deep connection between land, sheep farming, and community in Wales.

RWAS chief executive, Aled Rhys Jones, said: “Sheep farming and the generations of farmers who have worked the land have shaped our Welsh landscape. We are delighted to be working closely with the NSA to introduce this exciting new concept which celebrates our rich farming history.

“The sheep section already covers almost four acres of our showground, so it’s evidently a major part of the Royal Welsh Show. We host one of the largest and most diverse collection of sheep breeds of any show in the world and have world-class shearing and wool handling competitions.

“The new Sheep Village, alongside the Meirion Shearing Centre, the exhibition halls and the sheep ring, will further elevate the industry’s status.”

Phil Stocker, NSA chief executive, added:“Cynefin, the sheep village, is a new concept that gives NSA and RWAS an opportunity to introduce a fresh approach on how we profile sheep farming at the Royal Welsh Show. 

“One of the most valuable things we can do for the industry is to play our part in explaining and showcasing sheep farming to the public and celebrate the great innovation and technology that we use. 

“We have a great industry which is far more progressive than many realise and our approach to producing food and fibre works well alongside managing our landscape, providing for nature and maintaining rural communities and economies. 

“If we can do more to showcase this, then our new partnership venture at the Royal Welsh Show will be worthwhile.”

The popular NSA Bar and Restaurant will also form part of the new village, together with a new open air courtyard offering a welcoming space for farmers and showgoers to meet and relax.

SCHEME DETAILS MISSING, SAYS PEMBROKESHIRE MS

FARMERS across Wales are facing continued uncertainty after the Welsh Government confirmed that full details of two key elements of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) will not be available when the application window opens on Monday (Mar 2).

Officials have acknowledged that further information on the Optional and Collaborative actions — two of the scheme’s core layers — will be published “in due course”, with applications for many of these measures not expected to open until later this year.

While some actions, including organic maintenance and woodland creation, will proceed independently of SFS participation, significant parts of the scheme remain incomplete as farmers are being asked to begin the application process.

The situation has prompted concern within the sector, with farm businesses warning that uncertainty over the scheme’s full scope makes forward planning difficult at a time when margins are already under pressure.

Commenting on the launch, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS said: “It is unacceptable that, as the Sustainable Farming Scheme application window opens, two of its core components — Optional and Collaborative — are still not fully designed. After years of consultation, farmers are being asked to commit to a scheme where significant elements remain undefined or delayed until later in the year.

“Farm businesses cannot plan on the basis of ‘further detail in due course’. Decisions about land use, investment and cashflow require clarity from day one. This last-minute uncertainty reflects a clear lack of foresight from the Welsh Labour Government.

“Farmers were promised stability and certainty. Instead, they are being given ambiguity and a rolling timetable. That is not good enough for an industry that needs confidence, not confusion.”

The Sustainable Farming Scheme is intended to replace the EU-era Basic Payment Scheme and form the backbone of agricultural support in Wales, linking public funding to environmental and land management outcomes.

The Welsh Government has been approached for comment.