Farmer Focus: Welsh challenges felt in town and country
© Richard Stanton February 2024 will go down in history as the month Welsh farmers came together and said, “Digon yw digon,” “Enough is enough.”
Temperatures have been rising for many years. Matters came to a head following the final consultation on the Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme, and several farm union roadshows that came after, explaining its catastrophic consequences.
There was also a very distressing episode of Welsh farming programme Ffermio, which amplified the devastating effect TB had on a young farming family in West Wales, as their cattle were slaughtered on farm.
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See also: Last chance to have your say on Welsh SFS consultation
Many farmers were sceptical of protesting as they worried about disrupting the lives of the public and losing their support by doing so.
Also, the possibility of some turning their anger into violence and vandalism was a concern. The organisers stressed that these would have to be law-abiding, peaceful protests.
Many were also concerned that driving large tractors – some of them the equivalent price of a house in the towns they drove through – would disconnect the farmers’ concerns from those of the wider public while they are trying to survive the cost-of-living crisis.
It is true to say, however, that many members of the public have given positive feedback on social media and are out on the streets showing their support for farmers in their efforts to bring about change.
We must remember that it is not only farmers who are discontented with the Welsh government.
The recent 20mph rule, the possible changes to school term consultation, and proposals to further increase the number of members in the Senedd are bones of contention.
Following the gargantuan efforts by Welsh farmers, everyone is hoping for positive outcomes, and that union and protest leaders will have more negotiating powers as politicians hopefully appreciate depths of feeling out there in the industry.
I will leave you with a message written by a member of the public on social media: “I class all farmers as dragons. The dragons have been asleep, pushed and shoved to a corner.
“Now the dragons awake with steam coming out of their nose, and if the Welsh government doesn’t listen, they will feel the fire as the dragons roar.”