The future of Welsh farmland after Brexit

There is a consultation, open until 30 October, on how the Welsh Government should continue to support land managers after the UK has left the EU.

For the first time there is the opportunity to design a unique Welsh policy. The government is proposing a new Land Management Programme in the place of the Common Agricultural Policy. It will consist of two large and flexible schemes to replace the Basic Payment Sheme (BPS), Glastir and other parts of the Rural Development Programme. The two schemes will be:
• Economic Resilience scheme – investment for economic activities, in particular food and timber production.
• Public Goods scheme – direct support for public goods delivery, in particular for the environment.

There are strong links between the schemes and they will operate in parallel. Many farmers will be able to benefit from both.

The Welsh Government’s five proposals for a new Land Management Programme are stated as follows:
Principle 1 – We need to keep land managers on the land.
Principle 2 – Food production is vital for our nation.
Principle 3 – We need to ensure our farming and forestry businesses can be prosperous and resilient, whatever the nature of Brexit.
Principle 4 – Future support will focus on delivering additional public goods from our land.
Principle 5 – Our new schemes should be accessible to all.

You can submit your comments by 30 October.