The Welsh Government has issued a written statement regarding the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), setting out some potential next steps.

First Minister Mark Drakeford and Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said that they had been “working in partnership with farmers” over the course of seven years to design the Scheme, which they described as a “new form of made-in-Wales farming support to secure food production and the environmental improvements Wales needs”.

At the end of February the Welsh Government held a meeting with leaders of the country’s farming unions, following protests by farmers and calls for the implementation of its Sustainable Farming Scheme to be halted.

Within the letter, the Ministers stressed that Wales needed to keep farmers on its land for generations to come as the climate changes, and said the SFS would help Government meet the commitments it made regarding sustainability.

Drakeford and Griffiths wrote: “The SFS will help us to meet the commitments we have made to everyone in Wales, securing a stronger and greener future for us all and ensuring public benefits from sustainable farming in return for public money.”

The Ministers said that the current consultation would remain open until 7th March.

“We welcome the responses to the consultation. Every consultation response received, including the issues raised and discussed at the 10 roadshow events during the consultation period, will be analysed and properly considered,” wrote the Ministers. “We will publish that analysis and a summary of the responses.”

Potential next steps

The pair revealed a list of potential next steps that the Welsh Government would be setting out, including:

• Ensuring that where farmers are asked to gather information as part of SFS, the process will be as efficient as possible, GDPR compliant and would maximise the value of that data to farmers
• Ensuring actions within SFS will be appropriately targeted at improving the economic resilience of farms, including ensuring woodland and habitat requirements do not make farms unviable
• Ensuring farm payments are distributed fairly and are accessible to all
• Considering an evidence-based review of any further and alternative proposals to achieve carbon sequestration within the Sustainable Farming Scheme
• Establish regular review points between the Welsh Government and the farming unions and representatives, in formulating final proposals
• Carry out an updated economic analysis.

It was also highlighted that the incoming First Minister, due to take up post on 20th March, would “carefully review” the results of the consultation and “consider in detail” the pace of implementation of SFS.

They concluded the letter by saying: “The Final Budget is due to be debated and voted on by the Senedd on 5th March. It includes the Welsh Government’s intention to sustain the Basic Payment Scheme budget in full at £238 million.”