When it rains it pours. Looking back over the past twelve months, it has at times felt that a perfect storm has blighted the agricultural sector here in Wales - with challenge after challenge putting a further strain on hardworking Welsh farmers.
Speaking of rain, it’s hard to forget the deluge of wet weather we were forced to endure during the Winter months earlier in the year. One of the wettest winters on record saw little relief until the end of April, with the rainfall disrupting crops and making lambing season - already a stressful time for farmers’ - even more challenging.
It wasn’t just the rain that dampened the spirits, either. Across Europe, Spring saw clouds of discontent and industrial action emerge within the agricultural sector, which were soon to be replicated in Wales. On the back of continued frustration at Government inaction on bTB, the unfit for purpose NVZs regulations, and the newly introduced SFS scheme, who can forget the ‘Enough is Enough’ protests in Welshpool, Carmarthen and Cardiff - galvanising the sense of anger and frustration within our farming communities.
The latter of these sparks of discontent - the Sustainable Farming Scheme - has been an issue the FUW has become particularly familiar with over recent months. As FUW outlined at the time, so many aspects of the Scheme were unworkable - from the 10% tree cover, to the sizable number of Universal Actions, to the omission of SSSIs and common land - there’s little surprise the consultation around the proposals drew a record breaking 12,000 responses.
Since Spring, and the uproar that surrounded these SFS proposals, the FUW had the opportunity to work closely with the Welsh Government and stakeholders to revise these proposals. It’s not always been easy, but the FUW believe that through the revised Outline, launched at the Winter Fair, that we are now in a better place as a result.
Crucially however, this still only remains the end of the beginning. While there have been some significant changes to the scheme, there is still much work to be done on the detail and it must be ensured that the associated budget and payment methodology deliver real economic stability for family farms in Wales as we face a backdrop of many other significant challenges.
Beyond the SFS, there have been other important developments in the agricultural sphere in the Senedd - particularly the revised governance structures stemming from Wales TB Eradication Programme Delivery Plan.Yet another year has passed by and Wales seems as far away from eradicating TB here in Wales as it ever has. As a Union, the FUW remains determined to play its part on the Eradication Programme Board and work closely with the Technical Advisory Group. As is reminded all too often, bTB remains a huge issue for Welsh farmers both financially and emotionally. It’s all too clear that the status quo can not continue, and Wales needs to drastically change its approach in dealing with this cruel disease.
Speaking of change, July saw all change at Westminster, too - with Labour back in government for the first time in over a decade. With a significant cohort of new MP’s elected in Wales, it’s been a pleasure for the FUW travelling across the length and breadth of Wales over recent months - from Môn to Monmouth - meeting many of the new MPs, highlighting the challenges facing Welsh agriculture. And there’s a lot to do, of course, as highlighted by the recent protests and uproar following the Budget and proposed change to APR and inheritance tax - and real concern over the impact this could have on Welsh family farms. At a time of great uncertainty and frustration this move - and lack of consultation with the industry - proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back after a particularly challenging year.