FUW launches Senedd election manifesto
Left to right: Ian Rickman, FUW president, Anna Jones, Reform UK, Gemma Haines, FUW policy officer © FUW The Farmers’ Union of Wales has outlined what it expects from the next Welsh government after the Senedd election to be held in May 2026.
Launching its manifesto Standing Strong for Family Farms at the Usk Show on Saturday (13 September), the union called for continued collaboration to deliver a fair and fit-for-purpose Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
It also urged the next Welsh government to work closely with the industry to deliver a scheme that secures a thriving and sustainable future for family farms, and emphasised the need to strengthen Wales’ food system.
See also: FUW report tackles barriers facing new farming entrants
Continued engagement
Speaking at the launch, FUW president Ian Rickman stressed the need for continued engagement.
“Amid profound global uncertainties and an ever-evolving policy landscape, the progress we have seen on the SFS demonstrates the immense value of government speaking, listening and collaborating constructively with the industry,” said Mr Rickman.
“The next Welsh government must maintain this level of constructive engagement across all farming and rural policies in the interest of providing stability for Welsh people and Welsh businesses.”
FUW key objectives
- Increase the base-level funding of £238m for the “Universal” layer of the SFS
- Commit to an index-linked SFS budget
- Develop a cohesive Welsh food system that secures long-term investment in Welsh supply chains
- Recognise and review the bureaucratic requirements on family farms
- Support the FUW’s Mandate for Future Farmers and address the setup costs and cashflow issues faced by new entrants and young farmers
- Implement a scientifically supported and holistic approach to bovine TB eradication in Wales
- Investigate the limitations of the present Bovine TB Eradication Programme to identify reasons for the lack of progress in disease eradication and act on its findings
- Adopt a risk-based approach to water quality regulations
- Explore practical and innovative solutions to the closed periods for spreading slurry and maximum nitrogen limits from livestock manures
- Protect Welsh livestock through robust biosecurity, including checks at the country’s ports
- Balance and brace all national goals through land use policy
- Provide solid foundations for rural communities and the Welsh language