Welsh Government Alters Farm Tree Mandate Following Public Opposition

A proposal mandating that Welsh farmers dedicate 10% of their land to trees as a condition for receiving government funding has been withdrawn after widespread protests. This requirement was initially part of planned revisions to Welsh farming subsidies under the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), which is scheduled for implementation in 2026. It is now slated to be replaced by “a tree planting and hedgerow creation plan,” which farmers would be expected to begin working on with the aim of completing it by 2030. During a speech at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Llanelwedd, Powys, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies stated that “it was clear changes were needed – we said we would listen – and we’ve done just that.” The updated requirement is intended to help farmers access the “universal” layer of funding, with tree-planting grants available in an “optional” layer, designed to reward farms willing to exceed the entry-level criteria. An overall target will also be established for the amount of additional tree cover provided by the subsidy scheme as a whole, though this specific figure has not yet been determined. Other modifications to the original plans include reducing the checklist of actions farmers would need to commit to for access to the scheme’s universal layer, from 17 to 12. This involves moving the requirement for all farms to manage and create new ponds, and to have wash stations, to the scheme’s optional layer. A variety of tasks related to animal health, welfare, and biosecurity have been consolidated into a single requirement. Under the new proposals, farms are still requested to manage 10% of their land as habitat for wildlife. Irranca-Davies, who also holds responsibility for rural affairs, affirmed his continued “committed to listening to and working with our stakeholders to ensure the final scheme… will help support the economic resilience of farming businesses, the sustainable production of food, our climate and nature objectives and our rural communities for current and future generations.” These changes come shortly after large, separate protests in Llandudno, Conwy, and Westminster, which opposed UK government alterations to inheritance tax for farmers. Farming leaders acknowledged progress and commended Irranca-Davies’s “commitment to collaboration.” Victoria Bond, director of the County Land and Business Association (CLA) in Wales, commented that “today’s updated SFS shows a shift in the right direction.” Ian Rickman, president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, described the announcement as the culmination of “intense” work over recent months. “We must now ensure that the associated budget and payment methodology deliver real economic stability for our family farms in Wales as we face a backdrop of many other challenges,” he said. Mr Rickman noted that recent months had involved “a huge amount of work,” and the union’s ambition had been “to get to a scheme that’s accessible to all farmers.” Rachel Sharp, director of Wildlife Trusts Wales, stated that the announcement demonstrated how farmers’ concerns could be addressed. She added that it would be critical to support the many farmers “who want to go beyond this if we are to see nature restored in Wales.” Alexander Phillips, of WWF Cymru, asserted that the Welsh government needed to deliver an SFS that helped meet Wales’ 2030 targets for nature restoration and tree planting. Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Mims Davies, accused the Welsh government of confusing farmers. She remarked, “This latest saga is another example of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.” This development aligns with the hopes of Gwynedd sheep and cattle farmer Rhys Evans, director of the Nature Friendly Farming Network in Wales, who contended that such measures could enhance business productivity and resilience against the effects of climate change. His hill farm and 10 other farms have recently undertaken the planting of 7km (4.3 miles) of hedgerows, including 50,000 trees, as well as digging ponds and restoring peatland. Mr Evans expressed his hope that ministers would maintain the request for farmers to manage portions of their land as wildlife habitat, asserting that this could contribute to making businesses more productive and resilient to the impacts of climate change. He elaborated, “This isn’t about fencing off a piece of land and forgetting about it – many of the habitats we have here on the farm are still grazed by animals and are incorporated into food production.” Previously, he had advocated for greater flexibility regarding the tree cover regulation, suggesting opportunities for farms to collaborate with experts to plant “the right tree in the right place for the right reason.” Farming unions had demanded the abolition of the requirement, labeling it “unworkable” and a “barrier.” Conversely, proponents like The Woodland Trust noted that the average tree cover on Welsh farms ranged from 6% to 7%, thus deeming the original proposal “relatively modest.” An updated economic analysis and impact assessment of the revised proposals are scheduled for completion, with a definitive decision anticipated next summer. The Welsh government indicated that farmers would not be informed of payment rates until that time, whereas farmers contended that this information was essential for forward planning. They also voiced apprehension regarding the scheme’s total budget, which has not yet been disclosed. The SFS represents the Welsh government’s significant new strategy for post-Brexit farming subsidies. In contrast to the EU system, where farms primarily received funding based on land area, this new methodology emphasizes incentivizing “sustainable farming” practices. Given that approximately 90% of the Welsh landscape is managed by farmers, the assertion is that they hold a crucial responsibility in addressing climate change and the ongoing reduction in wildlife populations. On average, subsidies account for 67% of Welsh farm income, and this alteration in their distribution represents the most substantial change in a generation. Farming unions highlighted an economic impact assessment released with the proposals in December 2023, alleging it suggested the loss of thousands of jobs – an interpretation that the Welsh government subsequently challenged. This occurred during a period when the industry was experiencing considerable pressure due to various other challenges.