Samuel Kurtz MS, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, has today issued a warning over the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), calling for the Welsh Labour Government to scrap the SFS following the publication of economic modelling forecasting significant harm to Welsh farming businesses.
The modelling of the SFS Universal actions layer predicts that across 15,555 full-time and part-time farms in Wales, the estimated potential economic effects of the Universal Actions report predict a 5% reduction in Grazing Livestock Units, a reduction in 1,163 Standard Labour Requirements and a reduction in Farm Business Income of £76.3 million - around £4,900 per farm. These figures highlight serious concerns about the viability of Welsh family farms and the wider rural economy. The data indicates that the current scheme risks undermining agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of those who depend on farming, including thousands of jobs and vital rural communities.
While Kurtz has welcomed some of the improvements, such as the removal of the 10% tree cover requirement and the introduction of a Social Value Payment, the scheme’s overall design remains deeply flawed. There is a growing perception that the Welsh Government is prioritising environmental targets at the expense of food production, focusing more on the Collaborative and Optional layers rather than properly resourcing the Universal layer that supports the core farm businesses.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS said:
“These figures are unacceptable and the Sustainable Farming Scheme risks causing devastating damage to Welsh farming and rural communities.
“Farmers are already under huge pressure from rising costs, Labour’s family farm tax, and the threat of overbearing red tape. The last thing they need is a scheme that makes it even harder for them to make a living.
“The Welsh Conservatives propose replacing the SFS with a scheme that genuinely works for farmers, placing food security and production at its core. We would also provide an additional £100 million over the next Senedd term to support farmers in delivering it. Farming needs a friend, and The Welsh Conservatives remain committed to being that friend, to standing up for farmers and ensuring their voices are heard.”
