The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed the provision of support schemes to help bridge the gap until the Sustainable Farming Scheme is implemented, in addition to the much needed continuation of the Basic Payment Scheme as lobbied for by the Union to ensure stability for Wales’ family farms.

The Habitat Wales Scheme (HWS) will once again be open for applications from farmers with identified habitat on their land. Habitat Wales Scheme Commons agreements can be extended, Farming Connect provisions are extended, and the Organic Support Payment will be maintained for 2025. A new Integrated Natural Resources Scheme will support partnerships to deliver ‘nature-based’ catchment scale solutions over the next three years.

A voluntary data confirmation exercise will be launched next week and run until 6 December 2024. The aim is to allow farmers to confirm the correct habitat type, area and tree canopy cover on their farms.

Local FUW offices will be supporting members with this process, and members are encouraged to undertake the data confirmation exercise this autumn as a precursor for the Single Application Form and HWS in 2025. The Welsh Government has emphasised that confirming (or amending) the habitat cover on farms is not a scheme declaration nor a commitment to manage the habitat in line with scheme prescriptions at this point.

Commenting on the announcement, FUW President Ian Rickman said: “While we were robust in our criticism of the HWS mapping issues and significantly reduced payment rates, we do welcome the continued use of RPW Online for this mapping exercise.

“This is due to concerns around the potential costs of having to physically survey individual farms, which would have vastly reduced the financial support available to farmers in future. However, it remains vital that farmers managing their land for environmental improvements are paid fairly for their commitments, over and above income foregone and costs incurred, and the budget allocations for these schemes must reflect this.

“We continue to work through elements of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in turn as a member of the Welsh Government Roundtable, Carbon Sequestration and Officials groups. We share the Cabinet Secretary’s vision of delivering a sustainable farming industry - sustainable in every sense of the word - that continues to produce food to the highest standards and supports thriving rural communities and the Welsh language.”