TALKS between farmers and Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths calmed the row about environmental changes in exchange for farm subsidies today.
Farmers in Wales have been staging protests about a Welsh government consultation on a scheme whereby they will have to commit to planting 10 per cent of their land with trees and earmark another 10 per cent as wildlife habitat in exchange for public subsidy.
A go-slow protest of tractors took place in Newtown, Powys, on Sunday, where a Labour leadership hustings event was being held.
Mark Drakeford poured petrol on the row between farmers and his government at his last press conference as first minister.
Mr Drakeford said: “The bargain cannot be that the public puts its hand into the pocket to put millions of pounds — maybe £300 million every year on the table — for farmers to just do whatever farmers think they would like to do with it.
“Top of the bargain is sustainable food production. Of course, we want to see farmers in Wales producing food in ways that are consistent with a climate crisis.”
Following the First Minister’s comments, Ms Griffiths and her officials held emergency talks with farming unions.
Farming Union of Wales president Ian Rickman said: “As farmers, we understand the current strength of feeling and frustration of our members and expressed these deep concerns and the resentment felt to the minister in no uncertain terms.
“We welcome the constructive meeting with the minister and her officials at such a critical time for the industry.”
After the meeting the farmers’ unions, Ms Griffiths said: “I’d like to thank them for joining me today, it was good to hear the feedback they had from their events.
“I reiterated to them this is a genuine consultation. It is still open, and I would continue to urge people to take part and give us their views.
“Once the consultation is over I will receive a detailed analysis of the responses, and, as I’ve said before, I would expect to make changes to the scheme as a result.”
Plaid Cymru spokesman for rural affairs Llyr Gruffydd said: “The First Minister’s comments show yet again how out of touch Labour are with our farmers and rural communities across Wales.”
Wales Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter said; "Agriculture in Wales, alongside industry, has a crucial role to play in reducing emissions at the scale needed to meet the minimum necessary targets to tackle the climate crisis. I have had many conversations with farmers who understand the need and urgency for significant changes to ways of working across the sector, yet feel frustrated by what they see as top-down directives with little meaningful engagement and one-sizefits-all solutions for a very varied sector.
"The Welsh government is absolutely right in pushing for meaningful and urgent action to tackle the Climate and Nature Crises but this must be done in a way that includes communities and industries in delivering a truly just transition towards a cleaner, greener and fairer future.
"Wales knows only too well what happens when communities are simply abandoned. This is not the time for grandstanding, the government and the farmers' unions must engage in meaningful and proactive dialogue on the next steps in creating a sustainable food system fit for the 21st Century."
