UK Welsh Government | Source | Outline Proposals | Summary of Responses |
With the UK's exit from the EU ending the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Welsh Government has sought to redefine its support for farmers through a new framework. This transition involves shifting from direct payments and agri-environment schemes to a comprehensive Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS). The consultation process, including key reports such as Brexit and our Land (2018), Sustainable Farming and our Land (2019-21), and The Agriculture (Wales) White Paper (2020-21), has guided this development.
Co-Design Process: A significant aspect of this transition is the co-design process, which involves stakeholders in shaping the SFS. This participatory approach aims to ensure the scheme meets the needs of farmers and other stakeholders by emphasizing transparency, inclusivity, and shared responsibility. The first phase of co-design (March – October 2020) gathered input on topics such as soil management, habitat management, and farm development opportunities. Feedback from this phase influenced the Sustainable Farming Scheme: Outline Proposals for 2025, which were published in July 2022.
Outline Proposals
The outline proposals categorize actions into Universal (UA), Optional (OA), and Collaborative (CA) types, focusing on:
- Resilient and Productive Farms
- Resource Efficiency
- Emission Reduction and Carbon Sequestration
- Ecosystem Protection
- Community and Animal Well-being
- Second Phase of Co-Design: The second phase of co-design investigates the feasibility of proposed actions and identifies necessary adjustments to facilitate farmer participation. Key questions addressed include: Are farmers able to implement the proposed actions? What changes are needed to enable their participation?
Public Consultation Findings
The Welsh Government's consultation on the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) aimed to gather feedback on how farmers will be rewarded for aligning with Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Objectives. This third formal consultation received 12,108 responses, primarily from farmers, addressing various aspects of the proposed scheme.
- Public Engagement: The consultation saw significant participation, with a majority of responses coming from farmers. The feedback highlighted both support and opposition to different elements of the scheme.
- Areas of Concern
- Complexity: Many respondents felt the scheme was overly complex, with too many Universal Actions and stringent reporting requirements.
- Focus on Food Production: Farmers expressed frustration that the scheme's emphasis was on environmental goals rather than food production.
- Woodland Requirement: There was notable opposition to the woodland requirement, with concerns about the potential loss of productive land and unclear interpretations of how existing woodland and habitat would be counted.
- Support and Criticism: The Stability Payment proposal received positive feedback, while the use of a single carbon calculator and some other aspects received mixed esponses.Environmental and third-sector groups generally supported the proposals but called for sensitive implementation.
Next Steps
- Revised Timeline: The SFS will now be introduced in 2026, allowing more time for design refinement and stakeholder engagement.
- Preparatory Phase: Continuation of the Basic Payment Scheme in 2025, data confirmation exercises, and ongoing support for sustainable farming practices.
- Collaborative Approach: The Ministerial Roundtable, supported by various subgroups, will address concerns and refine the scheme based on feedback.