Farmers march in Cardiff to highlight threat to food security

Frustrated Welsh farmers have marched in Cardiff to highlight the growing threat to food security by Welsh government “anti-farming” policies.

The march on Tuesday (14 May) was organised by grassroots farming organisation Welsh Farmers Unite and it coincided with World Farmers Day.

Farmers are incensed by the Welsh Labour administration’s future farming policy plans under the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), which was set to launch in 2025 but has now been delayed by another year until 2026.

See also: Thousands of frustrated Welsh farmers descend on Cardiff

The plans include an obligation for all farmers to set aside at least 10% of their land to trees and an additional 10% to biodiversity measures.

Farmers have also been left frustrated by the Welsh government’s failure to tackle bovine TB, in particular the reservoir of disease in wildlife.

Finally, they are angry about water pollution regulations and a pan-Wales nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) rules, which will require all farmers to invest large amount of money in on-farm infrastructure.

“Together, all of these three concerns jeopardise our food security. That is without including the massive impact of livestock diseases, including Schmallenberg and bluetongue, and the wettest 18 months since records began more than 150 years ago,” said a spokesperson for Welsh Farmers Unite.

“When you combine all of these things, we are heading towards a crisis in domestic food production.”

Farmers travelled from as far as North Wales and West Wales to take part in the march, which started in Westgate Street, Cardiff, and took in Cardiff Castle. A cluster of the organisers ended up on the steps of the Senedd.

New campaign group No Farmers, No Food added its support to the event, but it did not get involved in its organisation.

Meeting with minister

The organisers have confirmed that representatives have secured a meeting with Welsh rural affairs secretary Huw Irranca-Davies to discuss the three policy areas – the SFS, NVZs and bovine TB – and the group’s concerns around food security. A date has yet to be confirmed.

A spokesperson for Welsh Farmers Unite welcomed the Welsh government’s decision to delay the introduction of the SFS to allow more time to devise the policy.

But the spokesperson said: “Welsh government has been developing this scheme for more than seven years, so the industry faces another 12 months in limbo with no security about the future.

“It’s important that we get the SFS policy right, but farmers who are already struggling face more uncertainty.”