The Farmers’ Union of Wales recognises the importance for each and every sector - including agriculture - to play its part in tackling climate change, however it was alarming to read the latest recommendations put forward to Welsh Government for reducing Wales’ emissions between now and 2050 by the Climate Change Committee.
As required under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, the Committee has recently produced two reports; the Advice Report: The path to a Net Zero Wales and the Progress Report: reducing emissions in Wales, providing Ministers with advice on Wales’ climate targets.
These include ‘land transformation’ proposals which seek to plant 43,000 hectares of mixed woodland by 2030 and a total of 180,000 hectares by 2050. Coupling this with leaving 27,000 hectares of open ground unplanted to promote biodiversity and 56,000 hectares of agricultural land shifting to bioenergy production by 2050 would reduce the current hectarage of agricultural land by 263,000 hectares, or 17.5%. Given the number of unintended negative outcomes associated with woodland creation and the fact that the GVA (Gross Value Added) of forestry and logging is some £330 million less than that of agriculture in Wales, every care should be given to fully understand the impacts of such proposals to ensure that livelihoods, culture, food production and farm businesses are not undermined.
In addition, the CCC suggests that “the Welsh Government should implement low-cost, low-regret actions to encourage a shift away from meat and dairy”, despite the recent work of the FUW and industry representatives in promoting the numerous health benefits associated with the consumption of red meat and dairy products. Wales is uniquely placed to produce lamb, beef and dairy in some of the most sustainable systems in the World and as outlined in Hybu Cig Cymru’s recent ‘The Welsh Way’ document, red meat farmed responsible in Wales can have a minimal impact on global warming and can act as a carbon sink through careful land management. Therefore, the Committee should focus on measures for improving farming’s productive efficiency to enable the industry to produce the same quantity of food or more with fewer inputs through innovative ways, rather than proposals which would inevitably see food production being off-shored to other Countries.
Agriculture in Wales is the cornerstone of the Welsh economy with over 80% of land in Wales being farmed and employing some 52,000 people, 43% of whom speak Welsh. Just like every other industry, farmers in Wales have a responsibility to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and mitigate climate change, however simply sacrificing Wales as a carbon store to allow other sectors to thrive would be catastrophic for Wales’ economy and culture.
The FUW believes that the advice provided by the CCC is incredibly short sighted and does not take into account the bigger picture. If farmers are supported appropriately within the farming system, a thriving agricultural industry with people who understand the principles of land management can achieve positive outcomes for climate change.