Liberal Democrats Outline Key Demands for Welsh Agriculture Bill

Responding to the statement from the Minster of Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths on the introduction of the Welsh Agriculture Bill. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has outlined the key demands from her party for the future development and passing of the Bill.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have outlined three key changes in the current proposals that they want to see changed, namely:

1)      For food production to be classed as a ‘public good’ for which farmers will be rewarded with funding.

2)      For hedgerows to be included in the 10% target for tree cover.

3)      Welsh Government should listen to, and adopt, the recommendations of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’ in relation to NVZs including derogation.

Commenting Jane Dodds MS said:

“In Wales, farming represents much more than just a sector of the economy, farming underpins entire communities. Farming is integral to our culture, to the Welsh language, and to rural areas like the one I represent in Mid & West Wales.  

“We have a golden opportunity with the passing of this new legislation to ensure a stable, sustainable, and profitable future for our agricultural sector that is designed in Wales and works for Wales.

“We commend the public goods that the Welsh Government have identified and recent changes made to include food production in the draft legislation under the proposed purposes of Bill. However, I would like to seek clarity on what we saw in the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme and what now appears in this draft legislation. It is unclear if this now means that food production will be redefined as a ‘public good’ for which farmers will receive a basic payment.  

“We are living through a global food crisis, worsened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the food security of our nation, where people are still growing up in food poverty has never been more important.

“For centuries farmers have supplied food for an urbanized population who can’t produce it themselves, this has not changed. Farmers are at their core food producers, as such, we should be supporting food production as a public good in payment schemes without question.

“On the question of the Welsh Government’s blanket 10% tree cover requirement, I share concerns in the agricultural sector that this target, if not carefully considered could result in food productive land having to be used for tree planting.

“I would like to see the Welsh Government move to include hedgerows within this 10% target. Our farmers are the custodians of millions of hedgerows across the country. These hedgerows support insects, birds and a range of biodiversity also acting as a corridor between habitats for many species. Studies have also shown that many hedgerows are on average comparable in carbon sequestration to estimates for forests.

“Lastly, on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), the Agriculture Bill changes the landscape of farming here in Wales, and I am concerned that there is a real risk that farmers could pack up if the regulations that govern their industry become even more restrictive and burdensome.  

“Whilst water companies are guilty of far more instances of river pollution, and have been given more time and money to tackle the problem, farmers are being asked to shoulder an unfair portion of the blame.  

“I would once again urge the Welsh Government to reconsider its stance and consider derogation.”