Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:59 pm on 13 November 2019.
We know that the goods produced by mid Wales farmers go way beyond the excellent food produce that they do produce off their land. Also, the successful management of the Pumlumon hills has a direct effect, whether it's good or bad, on downstream flooding, both in parts of Wales and parts of England. I feel very strongly that they ought to be rewarded for good, effective land management.
Also, I have to say that they are a resource not only for visitors from within Wales, but also for tourists from far afield. Recently, we launched with Cicerone, the publisher—and I declare my interest as one of the vice-presidents of Ramblers Cymru—Walking the Cambrian Way, the official Cicerone publication for people like myself who like long-distance trails and stay in bed and breakfasts, and like a good restaurant meal in the evening and so on, as we go along. The Cambrian mountains initiative—the Dyfodol Cambrian Futures project—has launched 11 community routes, and I think, as ramblers are putting forward, that, in the consultation, we should be considering whether some of the public goods that are produced through that access—we should be able to explicitly reward farmers for maintaining those routes. So, would she confirm, in taking this forward, that she will engage, definitely with farmers and land managers, but also those other members of the wider Welsh public who see the public goods that are delivered by good, effective land management?