Gian Marco Currado, Director of Rural Affairs at Welsh Government, addressed NFU Cymru members at the annual Brecon & Radnor County Conference speaking about a number of issues including the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), water quality regulations and animal health.

Looking ahead to the next six months, he said Welsh Government is currently working on an impact assessment and economic analysis of the SFS which will go back to the roundtable before the deputy first minister makes a final decision. He said all this will culminate in a final scheme design which will hopefully be released in the summer. He said government has always wanted to give farmers as much notice as possible to get to grips with the asks in the scheme and the deadline to join the scheme in 2026 will be the SAF deadline.

Moving on to discuss water quality regulations, Gian Marco said a four yearly review has to be concluded before the end of March when he next steps would be announced.

Finally, he discussed avian influenza and the outbreak of foot and mouth in Germany saying developments were being watched closed. He reminded members in the audience of the importance of biosecurity and keeping these diseases out.

NFU Cymru President Aled Jones also addressed the conference, providing members with an update on the union’s lobbying work across a number of areas including Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme, water quality, bovine TB and the UK Government’s family farm tax proposals.

NFU Cymru Brecon & Radnor County Chairman Rob Powell said: “We are extremely grateful that Gian Marco Currado took the time to come and speak with us at our recent county conference. It was good to receive an update on the SFS scheme and to highlight to Gian Marco the areas where we believe further changes need to be made to the Scheme before the final proposals are published this Summer.”