Panel highlights role of farming in Welsh language use

The role of agriculture in promoting the use of the Welsh language was a key focus of a discussion at the 2025 National Eisteddfod.

Hosted by the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) on Wednesday (6 August), the discussion heard speakers highlight that the role of farmers in Wales goes far beyond producing food and looking after the environment.

In addition to those vital contributions, farming plays a key role in supporting Wales’ heritage and the language.

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The 2021 census, the FUW said, showed that more than 43% of the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries’ workforce spoke Welsh – the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in all sectors of the economy. 

A 2024 report by the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities also recognised the role of family farms in sustaining the language and culture, recommending that the Welsh government should ensure that the language is a central consideration in agricultural policy.

Safeguarding the Welsh language

The decision by the Welsh government to include a “social value payment” within the revised Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) was therefore recognised by the FUW as an important step to safeguarding not just farming, but also the language.

The cultural importance of agriculture in supporting rural communities was also recognised through the payment.

FUW regional vice-president Alun Owen said the discussion was a timely reminder of farming’s vital role as the backbone of rural communities that preserve Wales’ language and heritage.

“It’s clear that if we want the Welsh language to survive and thrive amid today’s pressures, greater government support for the farming sector from both Cardiff and Westminster is essential,” he said.

Workplace language app 

Bangor University also launched a new app at the National Eisteddfod that is designed to revolutionise the use of Welsh in the workplace.

The ARFer app is one outcome of a six-year project by researchers at Canolfan Bedwyr, the University’s Centre for Welsh Language Services, Research and Technology.

Its primary purpose is to provide an easy and fun framework for groups of staff to use more Welsh in the workplace.

It caters for all abilities and has proved to be a hit among early adopters, with 79% of those who have used the app noting that it had had a significant effect on their use of Welsh in their workplaces.