A group of farmers staged a peaceful protest in Newtown, Powys, bringing their go-slow tractors and vehicles to the location of a Welsh Labour leadership debate. Approximately 100 farmers participated in the protest, which caused a significant delay before the protest reached the town’s football club where the debate was set to take place. The rallies were designed to demonstrate the farmers’ concerns over the Welsh government’s green scheme that demands farmers plant 10% of their land with trees and earmark 10% for wildlife habitat. The farmers believe that these requirements will put stress on their business models.
According to many farmers, they remain skeptical that by planting more vegetation, the government can achieve a sustainable and healthy environment. While expressing their concerns, Mr. Ashton, a farmer from Llanbrynmair, stated that they fear their farms’ future under the Welsh government’s green schemes. He noted that although their profession involves providing food to the public, it is impossible to consume trees. Echoing national anxiety, farmers argue that tree plantation is an excessive demand from an industry heavily affected by Brexit, COVID-19 and unfavourable weather conditions. Given these challenges, farmers believe that their businesses cannot be expected to endure additional burdens imposed by the government.
Moreover, the opposition party views the scheme as endangering 5,500 jobs and rural communities in the region. Speaking on the BBC Radio Wales, James Evans, Welsh Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, emphasized that the farming population does not foresee a promising future for their industry. Though the Welsh government’s scheme is designed to address the climate crisis and promote the growth of safe food production systems, farmers claim that the initiative’s demands will be overwhelming, leading to excessive paperwork. Despite the government’s willingness to partner with the farming sector for a jointly developed sustainable farming scheme, farmers maintain that the scheme’s demands are impractical and that no one in the Labour cabinet is listening to them.
The Welsh government has solicited input from farmers about the proposed scheme but insists that there has been no final decision and acknowledges the concerns raised by farmers. It encourages everyone to express their views by 6 March, hoping that the consultation process leads to an outcome that suits all stakeholders
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More