EditorSenedd rejects call for final vote on farming support scheme
Senedd members have narrowly voted against a proposal to hold a final, binding vote on the Welsh Government’s controversial Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), despite widespread calls for greater scrutiny and democratic legitimacy.
The motion—tabled by Welsh Conservative MS Samuel Kurtz, shadow secretary for economy, energy and rural affairs—was defeated by 22 votes to 20 in the final session before the summer recess. It called for the Senedd to formally approve the scheme before its implementation in January 2026, citing concerns over transparency, trust, and the future of Welsh agriculture.
“A scheme of this scale, affecting over 80% of Wales’ land, must carry democratic legitimacy,” Kurtz told the chamber. “Let us vote. Let the elected members of this chamber, from every corner of Wales and from every party, have their say.”
Farming unions back scrutiny
The motion was backed by Plaid Cymru and supported by both NFU Cymru and the Farmers’ Union of Wales, who described the SFS as a “once-in-a-generation change” that demands full Senedd scrutiny.
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said Welsh farming underpins a food sector worth £9.3 billion, employs nearly 50,000 people directly, and supports 230,000 jobs across the supply chain. He warned that the transition from the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) to the SFS could have significant economic consequences.
“For every £1 of public money invested through the BPS, £9 is returned to the Welsh economy,” Jones said. “The SFS must work for all farming sectors and areas of Wales and help ensure that Welsh farming can continue to underpin our rural communities, language and culture.”
FUW President Ian Rickman echoed those concerns, calling the scheme a “generational milestone” and urging ministers to ensure it is workable for family farms across Wales.
Welsh Government defends revised plans
Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who now leads on climate change and rural affairs, defended the scheme as the product of “extensive collaboration” following years of consultation and protest. He confirmed that Senedd members will have the opportunity to vote on regulations related to payment rates later this year.
“You can have your say then,” he said. “If you want to force more delay, if you want to force more uncertainty on the farming community, good luck to you—because they will not thank you.”
The revised scheme drops the previous requirement for 10% tree cover on every farm, a proposal that sparked mass protests and led to 5,500 pairs of wellies being placed on the steps of the Senedd last year. The Welsh Government now aims to plant 17,000 hectares by 2030, with enhanced payments for early adopters and flexibility on productive land.
Former rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths said the scheme must deliver “public goods for public money,” including improved soil health, woodland management, and biodiversity outcomes.
Transparency and food security concerns
As previously reported by Swansea Bay News, the final version of the SFS was unveiled earlier this month amid calls for greater transparency and assurances around food security. Farming leaders warned that the scheme’s emphasis on environmental outcomes must not come at the expense of food production or economic viability.
The Welsh Government has argued that the SFS represents a “radical shift” away from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, tailored to Welsh needs. But critics say the scheme mirrors England’s Environmental Land Management model and risks placing “an inherent weakness at the heart of future policies.”
“We firmly believe that public goods are only a part of the picture,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts. “A more imaginative Welsh way forward should be forged.”
Plaid Cymru’s Llŷr Gruffydd has also warned that removing basic income support could push family farms “off a cliff without a safety net,” while uncertainty around trade, budget levels, and cheap imports continues to cloud the sector’s future.
Political tensions rise
The debate also exposed deepening divisions between the Welsh Government and farming unions. Labour MS Lee Waters accused some union leaders of amplifying grievance narratives and said the sector had been drawn into “culture wars.”
“I’ve stopped attending union meetings on farms,” Waters said. “The farming unions are the only groups I’ve come across who think effective engagement involves inviting a local representative to meet a group of men to be shouted at.”
Waters also warned that Brexit had left Wales with £1 billion less in funding, and that farming support must now compete with health and education within the Welsh budget.
“I’m not sure how people who voted for Wales to get less money now argue that we should spend even more on farming support. This is unserious.”
What’s next?
The Welsh Government says the SFS will be implemented in January 2026, replacing the BPS, which will be phased out by 2029. Farmers who do not join the SFS will see their BPS payments cut by 40% next year, prompting warnings of a “cliff-edge” for rural businesses.
Opposition parties say the lack of a full economic impact assessment and long-term funding clarity risks undermining confidence in the scheme. Kurtz described the current approach as a “blind leap of faith” and said trust between Labour and the agricultural sector is at an all-time low.
“Labour have simply rebranded a bad policy and hoped farmers wouldn’t notice,” he said. “By voting against our call for a binding Senedd vote, they’ve ignored an opportunity to rebuild trust.”
The next phase of the scheme will be subject to regulatory votes in the autumn, but calls for a broader debate on the future of Welsh farming are unlikely to fade.
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