Future of Welsh farming takes centre stage at National Eisteddfod
Earlier this week, as crowds gathered in Wrexham for the 2025 National Eisteddfod, the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) held a panel discussion focused on the future of Welsh agriculture, bringing voices from different backgrounds together to focus on the changes and challenges facing Welsh farming.
The National Eisteddfod is a week-long event, held this year on the outskirts of Wrexham. It is Europe's largest cultural festival, attracting around 150,000 visitors each year in a vibrant showcase of Welsh talent and traditions.
The panel discussion held at the FUW stand at the National Eisteddfod on Wednesday, was chaired by FUW Regional Vice President, Alun Owen. The panel was composed of FUW Policy Officer, Elin Jenkins, FUW Insurance Services Ltd’s Account Executive Gwenno Davies, together with Wyn Thomas from the mental health charity Tir Dewi, and Bedwyr Roberts from Daleside Vets.
As part of the discussion, panellists were given an opportunity to focus on particular challenges they saw facing the Welsh farming community. Both Bedwyr Roberts and Elin Jenkins focused on the evolving animal health challenges, giving particular focus to the developing Bluetounge situation, together with the continued financial and the mental health challenges bovine TB has on many Welsh farmers.
Mental health strain and wellbeing were issues also focused on by Wyn Thomas of Tir Dewi, citing that the charity had seen an influx in calls over recent months. He emphasised the particular impact bTB was continuing to have on the mental health of farmers across Wales, also drawing attention to the significant worry bTB outbreaks were having on neighbouring farmers and the wider farming community.
The discussion also provided an opportunity for panelists to focus on the findings and recommendations of the FUW’s most recent policy report, A Mandate for Future Farmers, which was launched at the recent Royal Welsh Show. The comprehensive report proposes a multi-faceted approach to support the next generation of farmers, with specific asks and recommendations for the Welsh and UK governments, and wider farming community.
The findings of the report were highlighted during the panel by Gwenno Davies, who drew particular attention to the surging price of land, and the significant barrier this was placing on many new entrants and young farmers looking to start off in the industry.
Finally, the panelists drew attention to the key role agriculture plays in supporting Wales’ heritage and Welsh language. The 2021 census showed that over 43% of the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries’ workforce speak Welsh - the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in all sectors of economic activity in Wales.
Commenting following the session, FUW Regional Vice-President Alun Owen said:
“We were delighted to host this important panel discussion at the National Eisteddfod, ensuring the challenges facing Welsh agriculture were heard at our nation's largest cultural festival.
The insights from our expert panelists were invaluable, touching on a wide range of pressing issues from Bovine TB and Bluetongue to the Sustainable Farming Scheme and Inheritance Tax changes. There was also a clear consensus on the urgent need for greater support to help new entrants and young farmers, thus ensuring the next generation of Welsh farmers.
Crucially, the discussion also provided a timely reminder of farming's vital role as the backbone of our rural communities, preserving the Welsh language and our heritage. It's clear that if we want the Welsh language to survive and thrive amidst today's pressures, greater government support for the farming sector from both Cardiff and Westminster is essential."
The panel discussion was one of many events being held at the FUW stand throughout the week, including music sessions for prominent Welsh performers, cooking demonstrations showcasing quality Welsh produce, as well as celebrations as part of the FUW’s 70th anniversary.
