Plaid Cymru’s Llyr Gruffydd has called on the Labour Welsh Government to deliver a “rural reset” that goes beyond just fixing the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

Farmers in Wales protested earlier this year following concerns over Welsh Government’s own impact assessment of the SFS, as well as Labour’s failure to deal with bTB, and the introduction of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). This week, farmers across Wales and the rest of the UK protested against the UK Labour Government’s proposed changes to the Agricultural Property Relief threshold.

Plaid Cymru has raised concerns over the cumulative impact of these policies and proposals on the sector, as well as the possibility of a reduction in the agricultural budget in Wales if it were to be subject to the Barnett formula rules, and says the sector is already “under siege.”

The Labour Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS is expected to announce changes to the Sustainable Farming Scheme specifically in the Royal Welsh’s Winter Fair in Builth Wells on Monday 25th November.

Speaking as the industry comes together for the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, Llyr Gruffydd the Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs said:

“The Government mustn’t think that changes to the Sustainable Farming Scheme alone will be enough to secure a sustainable future for the industry.

“Getting the SFS right is of course critical, and that means more than just scrapping the mandatory tree cover requirement. We need a more focused scheme with a shorter list of actions and a stronger incentive for delivery.

“But the SFS is just one in a growing list of grave issues facing a sector under siege.

“Individually, the SFS, NVZ regulations, bovine TB, budget cuts and most recently the changes to Agricultural Property Relief are all taking their toll. But put together, the cumulative impact is absolutely hammering the sector.

“Rather than deal with these problems in isolation, Labour needs to wake up to the bigger picture on farming. Sorting out the SFS should just be the start of a wider rural reset. That means re-visiting other issues such as bTB and the NVZ regulations alongside the SFS.

“Family farms across Wales are under unprecedented pressure. The many thousands that took to the streets of London tells us all we need to know. That’s why the Welsh Government must take a step back and work through not just the SFS but all the other issues too. Only then will we see a more sustainable future that can deliver on society’s needs.”