Welsh Conservatives call for SFS to be scrapped

The Welsh Conservatives have called for the upcoming Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) to be scrapped, citing last week’s economic impact assessment published by the Welsh government.

According to the economic impact assessment, agriculture in Wales could face losses of 56,000 Welsh livestock, 1,163 jobs on Welsh farms, and £76.3m in farm business income.

Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for rural affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS, called this unacceptable and urged scrapping the scheme for one prioritising food security and helping farmers.

See also: Wales SFS rollout to cost jobs and livestock numbers

“We’re not looking to return to the BPS [Basic Payment Scheme] or completely undo the SFS, but to replace what’s wrong with it,” Mr Kurtz told Farmers Weekly ahead of the Senedd debate on Wednesday, 8 October.

“For a government to promote a scheme that results in job losses is not acceptable, and farmers are fed up with the keep talking approach,” he added.

Union reaction

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) rejected the motion to scrap the scheme, but noted the latest analysis highlights a negative impact on family farms across Wales that must be addressed.

FUW president Ian Rickman said: “Welsh farmers must not be placed at a disadvantage when transitioning to a new support system that demands greater societal and environmental contributions from their businesses.”  

He said the union called for increasing the scheme’s Universal budget to fully mitigate negative economic impacts, supported by a multi-annual financial settlement for sector certainty.

NFU Cymru added that the scheme should be further developed. 

“In a meeting with the deputy first minister next week, we will be reiterating our key asks on the SFS, to ensure that this scheme provides economic stability to Welsh farming,” said NFU Cymru president Aled Jones.

‘Disastrous move’ – NFFN Cymru

However, the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) Cymru rejected the idea that the SFS should be scrapped, saying it would be a disastrous move.

NFFN Cymru manager Rhys Evans said: “Farmers are on the front line of climate change, struggling with floods, heatwaves and droughts, and they simply cannot afford to wait while the Welsh government develops another plan for future funding from scratch.”

Opposition party Plaid Cymru amended the motion, urging the government and sector to continue developing and improving the scheme instead of abandoning it altogether.

“After years of turmoil and uncertainty, ripping the scheme up and starting again will only cause further upheaval,” said Llyr Gruffydd MS, Plaid Cymru’s rural affairs spokesman.