Farm paperwork mountain under spotlight at Royal Welsh

NFU Cymru has issued a fresh call for a review of agricultural regulation, using this year’s Royal Welsh Show to spotlight the volume of paperwork facing Welsh farmers.

To illustrate the point, it has recreated a traditional farmhouse kitchen table covered with guidance documents, record books and policy papers that many farmers must complete to remain compliant.

See also: Review to tackle regulatory burden on Welsh farms

According to NFU Cymru, paperwork linked to the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), livestock and pesticide records, animal health rules, water quality requirements and waste exemptions exceeds 4,000 pages.

Heavy burden

Laid end to end, the documents would stretch around the Royal Welsh Show’s main ring two-and-a-half times and would take more than 100 hours to read.

The display follows the Welsh government’s appointment of Brecon farmer John Davies to lead an independent review into the regulatory burden on Welsh farm businesses.

NFU Cymru president Abi Reader said the farmhouse kitchen table had become the centre of farm administration as well as family life.

“The burden of regulation weighs heavily on that kitchen table,” she said.

Ms Reader said the SFS guidance alone runs to about 1,000 pages, excluding paperwork linked to the scheme’s “optional” and “collaborative” layers, farm assurance, supply chain requirements, HMRC obligations and wider business administration.

Maintaining standards

While recognising the importance of regulation in maintaining standards and consumer confidence, she said the current system had become too complex.

“We accept that in return for receiving government support our businesses must adhere to certain conditions and be subject to audit,” she said.

“But these rules must also be proportionate, workable and joined-up.”

She added that farmers were expected to understand thousands of pages of guidance while continuing to care for livestock, grow crops and manage the environment, with minor administrative errors potentially leading to financial penalties.

Simplifying requirements

Speaking at the show, cabinet secretary for rural resilience and sustainability Llyr Gruffydd said Mr Davies had already “rolled up his sleeves” and that reducing bureaucracy for family farms was a central objective.

Mr Gruffydd also signalled changes to agricultural pollution rules, saying ministers wanted to move away from “rigid rules around farming by calendar” towards a science-led, risk-based approach.

He added that a task and finish group had also been asked to simplify the current workbook requirements as part of the review.