Keeping farmers farming...

"Cawsom wlad i'w chadw, darn o dir yn dyst ein bod wedi mynnu byw"
"We were given a country to keep, a piece of land as proof that we insisted on living"

I've been hesitant whether or not I should write about this topic. But, from everything I have learnt over the past six months, the importance of using our voices, especially now, could potentially make the difference we need.

The Welsh Government's (WG) final consultation on the 'Sustainable Farming Scheme - Keeping farmers farming' is out at the moment. You may have seen a large increase in videos online from angry and concerned Welsh farmers attending large meetings in livestock markets or community halls. It's understandable why. The consultation contains so much uncertainty. Uncertainty for the future of agriculture in Wales but, on a scarier note for me personally, the future of our food production and food security within the UK.

The new scheme which has been proposed to start from 2025 over a transition phase of five years will eventually replace the previous Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). A support system for Welsh agriculture. You may question why this support payment is needed? But as recent years have shown from the extreme dry summers where grass hasn't grown for several weeks to the fertiliser increases due to the war in Ukraine amongst many other issues, British agriculture can encounter a number of obstacles which are completely out of their control yet, have a huge impact on how they manage their enterprises. However, these businesses are still required to produce food for their supply chain contracts and for you and your family in order for you to eat up to three times a day.

The new Sustainable Farming Scheme proposal states that the Welsh farming businesses will have up to 17 universal actions which they will need to meet in order to receive the payment. I'm not going to list them all for you here, you can read the delightful 90 page document to find that out for yourself if you wish. Grab a coffee, maybe even get yourself a slice of cake, because that may be the only bit of enjoyment you will get out of the experience!

From the events I have attended, and discussions I have heard, there are however a few areas which concern me for the future of my own farming journey. I admit I am only small in scale compared to a large number of agricultural businesses throughout Wales, nevertheless, some of these universal actions stated will have a great impact on the way the farm is managed in the future if these proposals are to go ahead.

I can only look at my own farming landscape, my own plot of land to make decisions as to whether this will or won't work for us. I'm not feeling positive about it and I can't imagine what the larger scale farmers are thinking. Some of the universal actions stated are work we are already doing. We have already been required to do this work for a large number of years. Therefore, it makes me question why there needs to be so much duplication, and yet again time spent away from the practical work and in their (WG) minds, preferring the time to be spent sat at a computer screen filling in yet more paperwork for someone else at the other end to tick a box if they think it has been carried out correctly.

The duplication of record keeping also links to the continued personal development action they wish farmers to complete. Six modules online each year. For me, I have no issues with using a computer, but I am very aware of the average age of farmers within Wales. An age group that aren't used to sitting in front of a screen to carry out a test. That's not a skill you require in order to physically produce food whether that's dairy, red meat or horticultural produce. Lets not mention the fact that we, as a country, in some of our rural areas of Wales, still have issues with internet access. 

My education journey through school and university involved me having to take, alongside my class peers, screening test to find out our preferred learning styles. I always remember the test I took whilst starting my second degree. The screening process had developed a lot since my comprehensive school days. It was called a 'VARK' test. My results came in that I was classed, based on my results as a Kinaesthetic learner. A little surprised as I thought I was going to be a Visual one. A result nevertheless, that is very common with agricultural workers. However, looking back over my creative and agricultural careers it makes a lot more sense to me now. I always learn best whilst carrying out practical, hands on work and learning whilst on the job. It just doesn't make any sense to me why the government think farmers will learn by putting them all in front of a screen rather than in a practical setting such as a farm tour or topic specific discussion group meeting for example.

Unfortunately, the one area of the consultation which is of the greatest concern for me is with regard to the 10% habitat and the 10% tree cover actions.

The habitat aspect, maybe not so much. Undoubtedly there is wildlife and biodiversity within our landscapes which as farmers we get to see on a daily basis. From the crack of dawn right through to the end of our working day, we are fortunate to witness the precious way in which nature and the environment work alongside us throughout the different seasons. When we are experiencing a challenging winter, with the wet weather and high winds fighting against us and the dark nights feeling like they are never ending, its the nature within our hedgerows, our fields, and our barn roofs that remind us why we keep going into the spring and summer seasons. I've been lucky over my lifetime on the family farm to observe hares fighting in the meadow fields, buzzards swooping into catch their lunch whilst turning hay and harvest mice rustling through the long grass on a summers evening. Memories I know I am privileged to have seen compared to my urban neighbours.

My greatest area of concern however, is with regard to the 10% tree cover action. Combined with the 10% habitat universal action, this would mean a fifth of our farm would be expected to be taken out of production for our farming business. A fifth! We're small enough as it is, but reducing our productive land further makes you really question if there is any point in actually continuing?

Part of our farm already has broad leaf trees dotted throughout its layout. Over the last few summers when we have had spells of extreme hot weather, I have realised the importance of having these trees providing cooler shelter areas for our livestock. Yet, our farm borders a large woodland which is managed by a well known woodland conservation charity. Over the past several years there have been clear signs of ash dieback within this woodland and a number of occasions where these trees have fallen in the high winter storms upon our fence lines. However, these charities have not replaced the mass of trees fallen due to the fact they don't have the funding to be able to manage the problem. Annoying right! We are being expected to plant trees where as they can not appear to manage theirs.

In the last few months I have read Steven Bartlett's 'Diary of a CEO' book. Within that book he talks about business individuals professional potential through the five buckets theory. These five buckets are knowledge, skillset, network, resources and reputation in that order. Steven explains how you can not succeed in business unless you have the first two buckets - knowledge and skillset. The remaining three always follow once you have developed the first two.

As farmers we have the knowledge of the landscape we farm and the skillset in which to farm it. We have worked hundreds of seasons all of which have been different resulting in us having to adapt and enhance both our knowledge and skillset in order to continue. I question why the government feels they can make the decisions of the Welsh agricultural industries future from the top down rather than the ground up. Surely the first place you go when you want to hear how the industry can be supported and ideally improved, therefore strengthening their knowledge to write a new scheme is to the farmers on the ground who are farming it? From reading the consultation document it is clear of the lack of observation and awareness from the policy writers about what our industry is already doing and the areas in which the support is needed moving forward.

To the individual who may be reading this, be that a farmer, rural worker or a consumer of food, your rural community which has provided you with treasured memories from your childhood holidays to your adult breaks away needs you now to show your support. To show that you care and love the landscape you remember which has been looked after by the farmers for a number of generations.

From what I have heard, Welsh Government have made it quite clear that there is only one place they will look to read the feedback and suggestions about their proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme consultation. The passion I have seen, and mass of comments, status statements and videos viewed on the social media platforms whether that's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or X is fantastic, however, this is not where the government will look or consider. Some people have question if the responses to the consultation will actually be read let alone considered, and my answer to you is I don't know, it's not guaranteed but if we don't try will it be our own fault? There are nineteen questions in total but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to answer them all. Just respond to those that will have a greater impact on your business if you prefer.

Answer as your own farm. Answer as your local rural community. Answer as part of our farming team! We admit not everything we do is perfect but, we can promise you we love this landscape and soil that we have farmed for many generations as if it were our own. I am the sixth generation to farm our family farm, and I am not ready to let it go just yet!

You have a duty to you’re industry, to the next generation of agricultural employees and the consumers of years to come, which as far as I am aware, will still need to be fed ideally three times a day.

Until next time.

Hx

P.S - Link to the consultation if you wish to read and respond.
Consultation link

*Disclaimer - these opinions are my own and not the views of my employer, neighbours or community.