COUNTRY & FARMING
This week, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths launched a consultation on support for land managers after Brexit. Here, she answers some questions on the scheme, how it will work and what it means for farmers
■ What are your proposals?
We are consulting on the best way to support our land and those who manage it in the future.
We are proposing a new Land Management Programme that will replace the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
It will consist of two large and flexible schemes that will replace the Basic Payment Scheme, Glastir and other parts of the Rural Development Programme.
The two schemes are the Economic Resilience Scheme and the Public Goods Scheme.
■ What is your vision for postBrexit agriculture?
For the first time in Wales, we have the opportunity to design an uniquely Welsh policy. My vision for future support is based on five principles.
My first principle is we need to keep land managers on the land.
Secondly, food production is vital for our nation.
Thirdly, we need to ensure our farming and forestry businesses can be prosperous and resilient, whatever the nature of Brexit.
My fourth principle is future support will focus on delivering additional public goods from our land.
Lastly, my fifth principle is our new schemes should be accessible to all
■ Why don’t you just replicate CAP?
There is significant uncertainty about what sort of Brexit we’ll have. But once we leave, our access to markets and how we can successfully compete may change.
This means we need to do things differently – this includes the way we support our land managers, that is our farmers, foresters and others who manage our land.
The current Common Agricultural Policy, especially the Basic Payment Scheme, does not do enough to prepare for this change. It is also not designed to realise the full value of Welsh land to the people of Wales.
■ What do you think the impact of Brexit will be?
As I said, there is uncertainty, but Brexit forces us to consider our policies afresh and there are significant opportunities to be gained from reform.
The challenge of Brexit is to ensure its impact does not undermine the true value of our land and of what our land managers provide to Wales.
The great opportunity is to put in place new Welsh policies and support our land managers adjust and thrive in a post-Brexit world.
■ How will the schemes work?
The Economic Resilience Scheme will provide targeted investment for improvements in businesses’ resilience and productivity, including high-quality food production, increasing market potential and diversification.
The Public Goods Scheme will provide a new income stream in return for delivering additional public goods. These are services from the land which we all need, but for which there is no market.
Areas we will support include reducing flood risk by planting trees or decarbonisation through restoring peat bogs.
There is no reason why the same farm cannot produce both food and public goods. Indeed, the productivity for a farm is often linked to high-quality natural resources.
■ Will you guarantee the same level of funding that Wales currently gets through CAP?
We have been clear that we expect the UK Government to maintain the current levels of financial support for Wales, not for them to use Brexit as an excuse to cut the budget.
Brexit is happening, but no-one voted for Wales to become poorer.
■ How will the funding be divided between both schemes?
It is too soon to be able determine how the funding will be divided, but this new approach is about making sure every pound invested helps the land management sector grow stronger, become more sustainable and increase the public goods that all Welsh citizens will benefit from.
■ When will the new scheme come into force?
No changes will be made to BPS 2018 or 2019. All current Glastir contracts will continue to be hounoured.
From 2020, we will begin to move to the new schemes. This will include a phased reduction in BPS as new schemes are introduced.
Our ambition is to have new schemes in place by 2025. We know making these changes will not be easy, but we’ll seek to minimise disruption and make the process as simple as possible.
■ What happens next?
The proposals are out for consultation until October 30 and we would encourage everyone to respond.
We are also holding a programme of meetings across Wales and will be at a number of events this summer to discuss the proposals and answer any questions people might have.
All the details are on the Welsh Government website www.gov. wales – I’m really looking forward to hearing everyone’s views.