SSSIs to be included in Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme

Management of sites of special scientific interest, known as SSSIs, will be included in the universal baseline payment for the Sustainable Farming Scheme in Wales, cabinet secretary Huw Irranca-Davies has confirmed.

This decision, made following the third meeting of the ministerial roundtable at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday (23 July), responds to overwhelming feedback from stakeholders and recognises the critical role of SSSIs in conservation efforts.

SSSIs are designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for their importance to wildlife and geology.

See also: Will Labour’s win signal better times for Welsh farming?

Mr Irranca-Davies said including SSSIs in the universal baseline payment in the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) “would recognise farmers’ efforts in managing these areas, for all our benefits”.

The intention is to balance food production with environmental conservation, aligning with the sustainable land management objectives in the Agriculture (Wales) Act, he added.

Move welcomed

Farming organisations, including NFU Cymru and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), welcomed the announcement, saying it shows the Welsh government is listening to and acting on farmers’ concerns.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones noted that many SSSIs are on farmland and that their management reflects positive agricultural practices.

“Welsh government’s revised position will bring significant benefit to those farmers with SSSI on their farms,” he said.

“The move demonstrates that the cabinet secretary is listening to the ministerial roundtable and is prepared to adopt a sensible and pragmatic approach to the final scheme design.”

However, Mr Jones stressed that further work is needed to refine other aspects of the SFS to fully meet the shared goals for food production, nature, and climate.

TFA chief executive George Dunn noted that the previous exclusion of SSSI land from payments had caused significant concern among farmers, and the government’s reversal of this decision demonstrates responsiveness to stakeholder concerns.

Mr Irranca-Davies said the announcement marks a “positive step forward” in the development of the SFS, promoting collaborative progress towards sustainable agriculture and conservation in Wales.

But important questions remain on the design of the SFS and the payment methodology, including, for example, common land, he said.

“There is a lot of work to be done in a short space of time. We must therefore continue working at pace.”

Leadership latest

Meanwhile, health secretary Eluned Morgan looks set to be named as the new leader of Welsh Labour and replacing Vaughan Gething as first minister.

She is unopposed in the contest to replace Mr Gething, which closes at 12pm today (24 July).

Mr Irranca-Davies has been tipped to keep his rural brief as well as become deputy first minister.