The Welsh Government’s planned Sustainable Farming Scheme is “nothing short of unworkable”, says Fay Jones.
The views of Brecon and Radnorshire farmers were raised in Parliament twice in the space on 24 hours.
(Video from Parliament.tv)
The views of Brecon and Radnorshire farmers were raised in Parliament twice in the space on 24 hours.
(Video from Parliament.tv)
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Boosting and strengthening our food security is paramount.
00:05 I'm going to make some progress if I may.
00:07 This action stands in stark contrast to those of the party opposite.
00:11 Now, farmers in Wales have become used to an uneasy relationship with Welsh Labour over the last 25 years.
00:18 But as Members may have seen, frustration is turning to anger following the publication of the Welsh Government's sustainable farming scheme.
00:26 This scheme is nothing short of unworkable.
00:29 Instead of freeing farmers from the burden of red tape, farmers are forced into an atrocious set of data gathering and reporting on a yearly basis.
00:38 Farmers will be forced to submit data on the amount of medicines they give their animals,
00:43 or the rates of lamb loss in their flock, soil samples and even data on worm numbers and seed receipts.
00:50 It will require every farmer to do six online training courses each and every year.
00:57 And most controversially of all, it forces farmers to take 10% of their land out of production to plant trees, harming our ability to feed ourselves.
01:07 Mr Deputy Speaker, last week a number of farmers travelled to Cardiff Bay to protest against these changes.
01:13 These protesters were not extremists or conspiracy theorists, as Labour MPs last week labelled them.
01:20 They were raising legitimate grievances about the viability of their businesses under the Welsh Government's plans.