Farming: Backlash fear for supporting Wales' payment changes

Farmers who back overhauling subsidies to help the environment say they feel too "intimidated" to speak out because they fear a backlash from colleagues.

Plans for a greener funding scheme, branded "unworkable" by farming unions, have sparked protests across Wales.

Carmarthenshire farmer Hywel Morgan said he had even been accused of working for the Welsh government.

But the Nature Friendly Farming Network said sticking to "business as usual" would not help the industry succeed.

The Welsh government has urged people to respond to the consultation on its Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is set to be introduced from next year.

The scheme replaces EU-era subsidies which paid farmers mainly based on how much land they have.

In future, farms will have to commit to a checklist designed to reward sustainable farming practices, including - most controversially - having trees on 10% of their land.

Mr Morgan, a sheep and cattle farmer from Myddfai who is chairman of the 500-member group, said those who supported change "feel like they can't shout out and say I'm happy because there's so much anger and backlash".

He added: "We have to be careful we don't upset the public - we want their support, we want the public's taxes to fund our farms.

"Nobody really likes change but we have to adapt if we want public money."

Mr Morgan said he had been preparing his farm for the changes for years, and urged farmers to "look at trees as a benefit to your farming business".

He feels his woodland is a "priceless" asset as it provides shelter for his livestock, a source of timber and a wildlife habitat.

Many of the scheme's requirements were about deterring non-farming landowners from claiming a payment, he suggested, so funding went to actual farmers.

At a recent meeting to discuss the proposals he said a farmer stood up, pointed at him and asked if he worked for Welsh government.

While he said there are aspects of the scheme he is not 100% happy with, he urged farmers to "come up with solutions rather than just say no" and expressed concern about calls for the consultation to be paused.

"We've been talking about this since 2016 - we're in a climate and nature emergency and pausing now only makes it worse."

Father and daughter team Ifan and Rhiannon Davies farm 220 acres in a remote spot 20 miles (32km) from Newtown in Powys.

Rhiannon said: "I think it's important for all farms that do what we do to be recognised and rewarded."

While in favour of environmental payments, both sympathised with the protesters' concerns and said the Welsh government should have already set out how much farmers can expect to be paid and trialled ideas on pilot farms.

"I wholeheartedly agree with the need for more biodiversity and I think a financial incentive to improve the biodiversity on farms should work - but the devil's in the detail," Ifan explained.

As farmer protests continue, environment groups have urged the public to take part in the scheme's final consultation, which ends on 7 March.

Protest action started in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, at midday on Thursday, with more than 800 protesters and at least 200 vehicles involved.

About 50 tractors also gathered in Carmarthen and a small number of tractors gathered in Colwyn Bay for Mark Drakeford's visit to the town.

TV presenter Iolo Williams, an ambassador for Wildlife Trusts Wales, said it was "crucial that people show their support for farmers who farm in a nature-friendly way".

Alexander Phillips, policy and advocacy manager for WWF Cymru, said the old EU payments had "not been great" for the viability of many farms, saying there had been about 8,000 jobs lost from agriculture in the 2010s.

He said the Welsh government had a "responsibility to act" to tackle climate change and, while not perfect, what had been proposed "fundamentally does represent an improvement on what we've had before".

The Welsh government said it had met regularly with farmers from the Nature Friendly Farming Network, as well as other groups, throughout the design of the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

"The benefits of their approach to sustainable farming is consistent with the Sustainable Land Management Objectives and the proposed Sustainable Farming," a spokesman said.

"We would also encourage them to take part in the consultation."