Farming

Farmers fuming as First Minister calls Sustainable Farming Scheme ‘a bargain’

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

First Minister ‘patronising’ rural Wales: Plaid’s Llyr Gruffydd hits out at First Minister
Welsh farmers could mirror European protests
Local MS will stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with farmers if they protest

AS ANGER at the Welsh Government rises across rural Wales, farming union leaders met with Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths this Monday (Feb 19).
The meeting came after fierce criticism of the Welsh Government’s approach to rural policy, including the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme.
With frustration and resentment at boiling point in rural communities, the talks were the best hope of achieving a compromise between the Welsh Government and Wales’s farmers – or at least calming down the febrile atmosphere in which mass protests seem inevitable.

UNIONS CALL FOR WELSH GOVERNMENT TO ‘WORK WITH THEM’

After the meeting, FUW President Ian Rickman called for cooperation and partnership.
“As farmers, we understand our members’ current strength of feeling and frustration.
“We expressed these deep concerns and the resentment felt by our members and the wider rural community to the Minister in no uncertain terms today.
“We have called for an independent assessment to take place on the socio-economic impact and bureaucratic burden of Welsh Government agricultural policies, to include the SFS, bovine TB and the Control of Agricultural Pollution ‘NVZ’ regulations.
“This time must also be used for a series of regular meetings involving the Minister for Rural Affairs and her officials with both farming unions to rethink the proposals through genuine co-design.”
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones hailed the talks as constructive but stressed the urgency of working together to stabilise the rural economy and plan for the future.
“We have asked the Welsh Government to undertake a socio-economic assessment of the SFS that assesses the impact of the current proposals on Welsh farming, rural communities and the supply chain.
“No decisions on the next steps for the SFS should be taken until that assessment is complete.
“If necessary, the SFS should be paused and delayed until we can be sure that the SFS can deliver the same level of stability to the whole agri-food supply chain and rural Wales as the current support arrangements.
“The current pressures go beyond the SFS. Therefore, I have asked the Minister to consider establishing an Independent Review Group to consider the cumulative burden of regulations and policies on Welsh farming businesses. That process must also consider the wider economic and political factors affecting the Welsh agricultural industry at this time.
“The meeting was constructive, and I was pleased that the Minister listened to our concerns and recommendations to the Government.
“I now look to her and the Welsh Government to take forward our proposals.
“I have asked the Minister to commit to a series of meetings to ensure that moving forward, the design of the SFS and the payment rates attached to it can be a genuine co-design between Welsh Farming and Welsh Government.”
Promising words. But there was no statement from the Minister on the talks.

DIRE DRAKEFORD KILLS HOPE

It didn’t matter.
Shortly afterwards, Mark Drakeford torpedoed whatever good the meeting did at addressing farmers’ concerns.
He undermined any good work by Lesley Griffiths in a rant delivered during a press conference.
The First Minister’s tin-eared approach to rural policy and desire to play to urban and suburban voters spilt over under questioning.
Mr Drakeford ludicrously suggested that farmers wanted £300m of public money to spend as they please, with no strings attached.
Nobody is suggesting that, as the First Minister knows.
It appears that in the home straight of his time in power, Mr Drakeford has ditched the “doctor’s persona” and shown his ideology-driven, partisan, and intolerant real one.
The warm words of farmers’ leaders turned to ashes in their mouths as the extent of the First Minister’s ignorance became apparent.
Why the First Minister cannot just come out and say he and his Government regard rural Wales with contempt is a matter for him. However, in a General Election year, it’s not too much to suppose that Labour candidates hoping to win rural seats on the back of UK-wide polls will be troubled by his cack-handedness.
The following day, Mr Drakeford dug in.
At First Minister’s questions, he told Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies: “There is a bargain here. That is the bargain that the sustainable farming scheme represents. It’s why we’ve had a seven-year conversation with farmers in Wales about getting that bargain right.”
Which rather begs questions about future funding and why so much of the consultation is uncosted or data-deficient.
That was not the First Minister’s biggest misstep.
Besides blaming farmers for Brexit, a trope so tired that even the most loyal party hacks must groan whenever he trots it out, Mr Drakeford further undermined Lesley Griffiths.
Since the Welsh Government published its financial analysis showing the disastrous consequences of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, the Rural Affairs Minister has backed and filled by claiming the figures are outdated and subject to revision.
Not according to the First Minister.
Mr Drakeford said the figures published would inform the consultation.
If the figures are outdated or redundant, it is hard to see the value of such data or how they can inform anything.
As things stand, and the First Minister refused to answer when pressed, Wales faces a huge hit to the nation’s economy, armageddon for the rural economy, and job losses at twice the scale of Port Talbot in areas where jobs are hardest to replace.

OPPOSITION SLATE FIRST MINISTER

Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Labour’s plans for agriculture would be ruinous for so many farmers, and would dissolve rural businesses that have been providing food and looking after our countryside for generations, hardly a ‘bargain’.
“Labour must scrap this policy, which amounts to green blackmail, before they do irreversible damage to our farming communities.”
Local MS Sam Kurtz, the Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, added: “The start of the next First Minister’s tenure could be overshadowed by serious discontent in rural Wales, as neither candidate is willing to listen to the genuine concerns of the agricultural sector.
“That’s why I’m urging once again for the consultation to be paused. If it isn’t then it is only a matter of time before farmers are on the steps of the Senedd protesting, and I will be standing shoulder to shoulder with them.”
Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Llyr Gruffydd MS, said: “The First Minister’s comments show yet again how out of touch Labour are with our farmers and rural communities across Wales.
“Instead of patronising the sector, the First Minister and his Government should work with the community to show that their voices and concerns are being listened to.
“This kind of outburst will only deepen the despair felt by so many in the industry, adding to the mental health crisis that’s now emerging in so many farming communities.
“Nobody knows more than farmers that they have a big part to play in helping tackle the climate emergency. That’s why the industry has pledged to achieve net zero by 2040, earlier than the Welsh Government’s target.
“Farmers stand ready to meet the challenge, but that transition has to be a just transition for those working in agriculture in the same way as it has rightly been demanded for other sectors such as the steel industry.
“Plaid Cymru has argued time and time again that investing in our farming industry is an investment for Wales, with a return of £9 for every £1 that goes into the industry.
“From the economy to producing food, safeguarding our culture and language, and being a key partner in tackling climate change – Labour must realise that Welsh farmers are vital to Wales’s success.”

Business

Plans to rebuild arson hit building at farm with one of largest sheep flocks in Wales

Published

2 days ago

March 20, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to rebuild a fire-damaged Pembrokeshire farm building, as a family home to help manage one of the largest sheep flocks in Wales, has been submitted to the national park.

In the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, D B Davies and Sons through agent Harries Planning Design Management, with a supporting statement by Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd, seek permission to renovate an existing fire-damaged dwelling, together with the conversion and extension of outbuildings to form an agricultural worker’s dwelling at Mynydd Du, Rosebush.

The supporting statement through Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd says Mynydd Du is part of a wider holding which includes Eisteddfa Fawr and land around the village of Brynberian, the farms approximately six km apart, with land under control of the applicant amounting to some 1,500 acres, with a further 3,000 acres of Preseli mountain common land also used; the land accommodating a 5,000-ewe flock with 10 suckler cows and followers.

It says DB Davies & Sons Unlimited, has five partners: the two Davies brothers, Berian and Ken; their wives; and Berian’s son, Dyfed.

Berian and Ken are in their late 70s, with most of the heavy work on the farm is undertaken by Dyfed.

Dyfed and his wife Megan are first language Welsh speakers, living some 10 km away in Nevern, while Berian and Ken, and their wives, live at Eisteddfa Fawr, Brynberian.

The dwelling at Mynydd Du, where most sheep are now wintered, is structurally sound and repairable but has been unoccupied since 1990, and was subject to arson circa 2013, the statement says.

It says Dyfed works full-time on the farm, alone with increasing frequency as the older business members are above retirement age, working “long hours out of necessity to undertake all the work associated with one of the largest flocks of sheep in Wales”.

“His working hours are extended further due to the fact that he lives remote (6kms) from the main block of land at Tyllosg, where Mynydd Du is situated in the centre of the farm. Travelling back and forth several times each day during lambing and other times during poor weather, to check on flock welfare is an arduous task and can be dangerous, particularly if driving when tired during inclement conditions.”

The statement adds: “The application seeks permission to repair the fire damaged dwelling at Mynydd Du and bring it back to serve a useful purpose to enable Dyfed to closely monitor the ewes, not only at lambing, but throughout the year when the flock is grazing on the adjacent common land.

“It will also enable Dyfed to be with his partner and young child on a more regular basis than simply at the end of a long day when he is away from their current home, tending the sheep at Mynydd Du.”

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

Farming

Wales sees progress in bovine TB fight as debate over badger role continues

Published

3 days ago

March 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

New figures show decline in herd incidents, but disagreement remains over wildlife controls

WALES is making steady progress in tackling bovine tuberculosis (bTB), according to the Welsh Government, but a long-running debate over the role of badgers in spreading the disease continues to divide opinion.

In a written statement issued this week, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, HUW IRRANCA-DAVIES, outlined what he described as “clear progress” in Wales’s eradication programme.

Latest figures show a sustained long-term decrease in new TB herd incidents, which ministers say reflects the success of a science-led, cattle-focused strategy. The approach has prioritised enhanced testing, stricter movement controls, and improved biosecurity on farms.

The Welsh Government says more sensitive testing methods are helping to identify infection earlier, while efforts are also being made to reduce the number of cattle slaughtered unnecessarily.

However, the issue of whether wildlife—particularly badgers—plays a significant role in spreading the disease remains contentious.

Farmers and government under pressure

Bovine TB continues to have a major economic and emotional impact on Welsh farming communities, particularly in rural areas of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Farmers’ unions have long argued that wildlife reservoirs, including badgers, contribute to the persistence of the disease, and have called for stronger intervention measures.

In England, controversial badger culling programmes have been rolled out over the past decade, with UK Government figures suggesting significant reductions in TB rates in some areas.

But those claims remain disputed, with critics arguing that the evidence is far from clear-cut.

Badger Trust backs Welsh approach

Responding to the Welsh Government’s latest statement, the Badger Trust welcomed the direction of policy in Wales and urged ministers to maintain a focus on cattle-based controls.

The charity said the latest statistics demonstrated that Wales’s approach was delivering “real results” and represented a clear improvement on policy seen elsewhere.

Chief Executive NIGEL PALMER said: “The latest TB statistics show sustained long-term decreases in new TB herd incidents, demonstrating that Wales’s science-led, cattle-focused approach is delivering real results.”

The Trust also questioned the effectiveness of culling, arguing that reductions in England cannot be attributed solely to killing badgers.

It said: “The analysis behind this figure cannot separate the effects of culling from other measures such as enhanced cattle testing, stricter movement controls, and improved biosecurity.”

The organisation maintains that bovine TB is primarily a cattle disease, with most transmission occurring between cattle rather than from wildlife.

Scientific disagreement remains

The role of badgers in spreading bTB has been the subject of decades of scientific study, with no universal consensus.

Some studies have suggested that badgers can act as a reservoir for the disease, potentially infecting cattle through environmental contamination.

Others, including research cited by animal welfare groups, argue that the impact of badgers on overall transmission rates is limited compared to cattle-to-cattle spread.

The Welsh Government’s own Technical Advisory Group has previously stated that a combination of measures may be needed, including consideration of wildlife alongside cattle controls.

However, Wales has so far resisted introducing widespread badger culling, instead focusing on vaccination trials and tighter cattle measures.

Calls for clarity and consistency

The Badger Trust also raised concerns about international standards, arguing that requirements for Officially TB Free status focus primarily on bovine species rather than wildlife.

It warned that policies targeting badgers risk diverting attention and resources away from more effective cattle-based interventions.

At the same time, farming representatives continue to press for stronger action, arguing that without addressing all potential sources of infection, eradication efforts could stall.

A long road ahead

While the latest figures suggest progress, the Welsh Government has acknowledged that completely eradicating bovine TB remains a long-term challenge.

For now, Wales appears set to continue its cautious, evidence-led approach—balancing animal health, farming livelihoods, and wildlife protection.

But with pressure mounting from both sides of the debate, the question of how far to go in tackling the disease is unlikely to be settled any time soon.

Farming

£3 million secured to continue Welsh sheep genetics programme

Published

3 days ago

March 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has confirmed £3 million in funding over the next three financial years to continue the Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme (WSGP), helping Welsh sheep farmers improve efficiency, productivity and environmental performance.

From April 2026, Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) will lead Phase 2 of the programme, marking a significant next step in supporting farmers to make smarter, evidence-based breeding decisions.

The new phase will provide transition support for existing participants while also opening the programme to new flocks. Farmers will receive practical, technical and financial support to make use of Genomic Estimated Breeding Values, advanced genetic tools designed to help them make better-informed decisions at farm level. The data collected will also strengthen industry benchmarking and support longer-term business planning.

Phase 2 will also include the development of robust key performance indicators, tailored farm-level action plans, and an ambitious portfolio of research projects aimed at driving innovation across the sector.

The programme’s objectives are closely aligned with the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which launched on January 1, 2026, as well as HCC’s Vision 2030, reflecting a shared commitment to a productive, sustainable and competitive Welsh red meat industry.

Phase 1 of the WSGP, delivered by Farming Connect, comes to an end on March 31, 2026. Since launching in 2023, the programme has achieved significant progress, including introducing genomics into the sheep sector for the first time anywhere in the world.

It has also generated 70,000 genotypes across Tier 1 and Tier 2 flocks on the AHDB-Signet database since 2023, the highest number recorded there, while developing two major research strands focused on breeding for worm resistance and reduced methane emissions.

The programme has worked in close partnership with leading specialists, including Innovis and AHDB-Signet, and has delivered measurable genetic gains and improvements in key performance traits across participating flocks.

The investment underlines the Welsh Government’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while supporting the production of high-quality, sustainable PGI Welsh Lamb.

Deputy First Minister for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “This funding demonstrates our commitment to supporting farmers to build profitable, resilient businesses while delivering on our climate ambitions. The Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme shows what is possible when cutting-edge science meets the proud tradition of Welsh livestock farming. By helping farmers breed healthier, more productive flocks with a lower environmental footprint, we are strengthening food security and safeguarding our rural economy for the long term.”

José Peralta, Chief Executive of Hybu Cig Cymru, said: “The progress achieved to date reflects the commitment of farmers across Wales, the work of the Farming Connect team, and the continued financial support of the Welsh Government. Together, these provide a strong platform for the next phase.

“This next step directly supports a core priority in our new strategic plan: to develop and lead the implementation of initiatives that improve economic and environmental sustainability. We look forward to working closely with farmers to ensure they have the tools, insights and support needed to thrive in the years ahead.”