Farming

Unions say Welsh Government’s farming plan needs more work

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2023

AFTER the Senedd passed the Welsh Government’s Agriculture Bill, Wales’s Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths, gave the Senedd an outline of its new Sustainable Farming Scheme on Tuesday, July 12.
The Welsh Government devised the Agriculture Bill to guide how farming and agriculture will be managed in Wales. It will affect the food we eat, the environment, and farmers’ livelihoods.
The program encourages farmers to commit to reducing their carbon footprint, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting natural ecosystems. In exchange, farmers will qualify for financial assistance to offset the costs of implementing these practices.
By incentivizing farmers to adopt sustainable practices, the Welsh Government claims it will enable them to contribute to the long-term stability and sustainability of farms nationwide.
However, the Bill and the Scheme at its heart face challenges and dissent.
The focus on sustainable farming practices will force radical change on farmers. For example, they might need to decrease the use of certain pesticides or fertilizers. While this is likely positive for the land’s long-term health, it will decrease agricultural productivity. This could potentially impact the availability and variety of food produced in Wales.
The Bill’s social and cultural effects on farming communities could also be wide-reaching. Certain types of farming might become less economically viable. If that happens, adverse impacts on the Welsh language and harm to the rural economy and culture are all but inevitable.
The Sustainable Farming Scheme is a “carrot and stick” approach that Ministers hope will help achieve the Agriculture Bill’s broader priorities.
On its face, it aims to support farmers who prioritize sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices on their land.
A key element of the scheme is promoting tree planting. The Welsh Government wants all farmers who get payments from the SFS to use a minimum of 10% for tree planting.
On Tuesday, Lesley Griffiths acknowledged that NEWSsome flexibility would be required about the much-talked-about 10% tree cover requirement, stating that areas unsuitable for tree planting and being considered for exclusion from the total area used to calculate the 10% include existing inappropriate semi-natural habitats, including designated sites, deep peat; unplantable features such as scree and rock outcrops and tenanted land where tenants do not have the authority to plant trees.
However, the 10% tree-planting aim remains part of the scheme’s universal application.
Although farmers generally support the SFS’s aims, it regards the tree-planting element as unachievable, unsustainable, and unrealistic. The plan fails to account for the differing nature of Welsh landscapes, commercial reality and the conditions farmers experience.
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said: “NFU Cymru remains supportive of Welsh Government’s overarching framework for the SFS arranged around universal, optional and collaborative tiers. Farmers will receive a baseline payment for carrying out universal actions. We are also clear that more work is needed on the universal actions to ensure they work for all active farmers in Wales, irrespective of location, sector and land tenure.
“NFU Cymru is extremely concerned and disappointed that Welsh Government appears to have doubled down on its 10% tree cover target (on areas Welsh Government considers suitable for tree planting) within the universal tier of the proposed scheme.
“In our response to the SFS outline proposals, NFU Cymru highlighted the broad range of issues associated with the 10% tree cover and 10% habitat targets. We remain clear that the challenges around these targets present a real barrier to scheme participation.
“Farmers will be prepared to plant hedges, shelterbelts, streamside corridors and field corners on appropriate areas of their farm but will not plant trees on their productive land.
“It will also be vital that the final consultation provides more detail on what exactly farmers will need to do and crucially what they can expect to be paid.”
“Family farms are the backbone of our rural and wider communities. We must have a scheme which delivers for our economy, landscape, language and culture, whilst also underpinning the top-quality food production, which makes our farmers the cornerstone of a food supply chain which sustains a multi-billion-pound food and drink industry and hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
FUW President Ian Rickman said: “The most important thing is to ensure this scheme is accessible and works for every farm. That includes the transition into the scheme, so any action taken to make that process smoother for farmers is welcome.”
“However,” Mr Rickman continued, “the scheme is at a critical stage. Further progress must result in a practical scheme that delivers economic, environmental and social sustainability and is workable for farms without harming Welsh food production.
“Further concessions are needed to prevent agricultural land important for food production and the sustainability of individual farm businesses from being planted with trees.
“We’ve been clear from the outset that food production and economic viability have to be considered equally to the environmental aspects of this scheme.”
Local MS Sam Kurtz, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, said: “The introduction of the SFS is the single most important change to Welsh agriculture in a lifetime, so it’s important that the Welsh Government get it right.
“It must be properly funded and sufficiently attractive to get farmers to sign up for the scheme. If not, everyone loses out: Welsh Government, farmers, the environment, and the Welsh public.
“While the Welsh Government have listened to calls on some aspects, their persistence with the arbitrary 10% tree coverage will cause real concern to Wales’ farmers, especially if it requires transferring food producing land to tree planting.
Suppose the Welsh Government does not provide specific information on why the 10% figure was chosen. In that case, it must be dropped in favour of a more flexible approach. One that considers the different types of farms in Wales and the different, and often better ways, to sequester carbon while producing high quality, environmentally sustainable food.”

Business

Changes proposed at children’s care home near Haverfordwest

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to change a mixed-use therapy centre to a children’s care home classification has been submitted to Pembrokeshire planners.

Skybound Therapies Ltd, through agent Carl Bentley Architectural Services, seeks permission for the change of use of the Skybound Care Farm & Therapy Centre, Campbell Farm, Wiston, near Haverfordwest.

A supporting statement says: “Situated in a discrete rural setting in Pembrokeshire, the Therapy Centre is at the heart of a family-owned Care Farm. It is a working beef and forestry farm, providing a unique and tranquil environment for their services,” adding: “Skybound Care Farm offers a variety of services for both children and young adults. From young adult day opportunities to week-long intensive programmes. The forestry fields provide an ideal setting for practicing walks. Visitors can interact with animals, learn about water safety near their ponds, and immerse themselves in the peaceful beauty of the working farm. Vegetable growing and harvesting is a recent addition to the Care Farm.

“Skybound welcome clients from the local area as well as those travelling from all over the UK and abroad. There is a variety of accommodation types close to the farm and centre, including a holiday village, caravan parks, holiday cottages and log cabins. Many clients like to combine visits to the care farm / therapy centre with exploring local beaches, amenities and attractions.

“The Care Farm HQ and Therapy Centre are in Southwest Wales, but they also cover many locations across the UK, including Cardiff, Newport, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Yorkshire and Norfolk. Skybound are taking on new locations all of the time.”

It says the original Therapy Centre which was constructed in 2012/13 when it “began its journey as a leading national and international therapy centre providing behaviour analysis, positive behaviour support, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy for children and young adults with special needs and behavioural issues”.

In August 2022 planning permission was granted to extend the therapy centre, completed in 2024; the business currently employs 45 staff on a full time and part time basis, a small number of staff are located at the Care Farm & Therapy Centre and at other locations across Wales and the UK.

“Whilst the centre has been running since February 2024 the applicant and business has found that the use of the centre is changing from previously planned and consented usage,” the statement says.

It says that since then discussions have taken place with council planners to clarify the centre’s current planning use class, along with “other opportunities and ideas for the expansion of the business and services to potentially use other existing buildings at the site are currently being investigated, which will no doubt take further time to consider”.

“There is a long-term plan to expand the Care Farm & Therapy Centre activities within the whole of the site and this full planning application is the third stage of the plan. The long-term plan is to provide more ‘settings’ to provide more training, utilising more of the farm setting for example with further interactions with small farm animals and to perhaps house some therapy sessions within other existing farm buildings to provide different types of training settings.”

Late last year, the site was granted permission to extend staff facilities through a temporary building.

The current application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Farming

Applications open for £1,000 Pembrokeshire agricultural bursary

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

STUDENTS in Pembrokeshire with a passion for agriculture or related fields are being invited to apply for a £1,000 bursary to support their further education or career development.

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s Student Bursary Award is now open to applicants currently studying—or about to begin studying—agriculture, veterinary science, agricultural engineering, food technology, forestry, or other related subjects.

Last year’s winner was Catrin Palferey from Llanfyrnach, who began her studies at Aberystwyth University in autumn 2024.

Mansel Raymond, Chairman of the Society’s Bursary Committee, said: “I would urge all Pembrokeshire students who are pursuing subjects clearly aligned with agriculture to apply. This bursary will not only support your studies but will also give you valuable experiences—such as taking part in an interview, which is a key employment skill. It could make a real difference to your future career in the agricultural sector.”

Applicants will be shortlisted by an independent judge, with finalists invited to attend an interview. The winning student will also be asked to give a short presentation at a future meeting of the Society’s Show Council.

Mr Raymond added: “The standard of applications is always exceptional, and it’s heartening to see so many talented young people in our community. We are really looking forward to hearing from this year’s applicants.”

To be eligible, students must not have previously won the bursary. Applicants must either be currently studying, or have been accepted to study, a relevant subject at A-level or higher at a UK college or university. They must also have their family home in Pembrokeshire.

The bursary is tax-free and will be awarded to the student who submits the best-written dissertation explaining how the funding will help them complete their course.

The closing date for applications is 12:00pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.

Further information and application forms are available at:
pembsshow.org/at-the-show/student-bursary-award/

Pictured:

The 2023 Pembrokeshire County Show bursary winner Lottie Wilson receiving her £1,000 prize from Robert James (Image: PAS)

Farming

Pembrokeshire Show elects first joint presidents

Published

4 days ago

April 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

DAIRY FARMERS TIM AND MARGARET JOHNS HONOURED BY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

HAVERFORDWEST dairy farmers Tim and Margaret Johns have been unanimously elected as the first joint Presidents of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

The couple, who farm at Pencnwc in partnership with their son Graham, represent the third generation of their family to work the land. Their 550-acre holding in Castlemorris includes dairy cattle and the cultivation of both winter and spring cereals.

Margaret and Tim have a long-standing association with the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society and the County Show. Margaret, in particular, has achieved considerable success in equestrian showing at events including Royal Windsor, the Great Yorkshire Show, and the Royal Cornwall Show. She also founded and continues to run Castlemorris Equestrian and Pet Supplies from the farm.

Speaking following their appointment, Tim said: “Margaret and I work as a partnership. The County Show is a major part of Pembrokeshire and is an integral part of farming in the county. We are looking forward to the year ahead. We have chosen RABI and the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society as our charities to support over the next 12 months.”

During the Society’s Annual General Meeting, held recently at the Pembrokeshire Showground, Mr and Mrs James Evans were voted in as Presidents Elect.

Other appointments for 2025 include Miss Alys Owens, who was named as the Society’s Ambassador. Alys, who lives in Haverfordwest and works for Castell Howell, is an active member of Llysyfran YFC. She served as Club Secretary last year, a role for which she was named Club Secretary of the Year at County level. A talented musician, Alys plays the cornet with Goodwick Brass Band.

Outgoing President Adam Thorne used the occasion to thank all those who had supported him during his term in office.