5. What is the Welsh Government doing to support Welsh farming for the next twelve months? OQ55480

Thank you. Last week, I announced over £106 million of investment in our rural economy over the next three years. This will cover a range of schemes, including supporting farm businesses to enhance their technical and environmental performance and improve their sustainability. Welsh Government policies include the recent Welsh dairy support scheme, where over £983,000 has been paid to 160 farmers who were hardest hit by exceptional market conditions due to COVID-19, and my recent announcement of a 2020 BPS payment scheme.

Minister, like other industries, as you've just said, Welsh farming has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and so it's crucial that the Welsh Government ensures the sustainability of the farming industry in its post-COVID recovery strategies. You have confirmed that you'll be laying the draft water resources regulations this year, which will simply add more burden and financial costs when the industry is going to need significant time to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. As you already know, there's evidence of some very good voluntary approaches across Wales. For example, the Wales catchment-sensitive farming demonstration project, which is a very successful scheme that was well received by farmers. Given the very serious impact that these regulations will have on farmers, will you now commit to dropping these regulations and instead committing to working with farmers to look at some of the alternative solutions, especially at a time when the industry will have to recover from COVID-19?

No, I won't drop them. I laid the draft regulations, as you know, earlier this year, around Easter time. What I have committed to is not bringing them forward whilst we're in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic. However, I can inform Members that, up until I think it was something like 27 August, NRW had told me of over 100 substantiated agricultural pollution incidents. So, you can see they're still occurring. I am aware there's a lot of good voluntary work going on, and I continue to receive information about it and officials are working certainly with the farming unions to listen to what they come forward with in relation to voluntary measures. I had a meeting on Monday, I think it was, with the National Farmers Union, and I did express my concern over the continuing number of substantiated cases that we have seen this year of agricultural pollution—and I mention the word 'substantiated' because, of course, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NRW officers weren't able to get out there as much as they would normally. 

Former NFU chief economist, Séan Rickard, estimates that one in three farms could be driven out of business within five years in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit. So, the best way that Paul Davies can support Welsh farming is by steering his party away from that disastrous destination. Another way is by supporting sustainable farming that delivers public good for public money. Minister, in June, I asked you about planning applications for chicken farms, particularly those in Powys, and you said that the town and county planning intensive agricultural working group was looking at considerations for new poultry developments. I'm sure that you're aware that another 120,000 broiler chicken farm near Llangadfan has just been approved, and that of the 96 applications for chicken farms received by Powys County Council between April 2017 and April 2020, 75 have been approved, with only three being refused. So, can I ask for an update on the working group's activities, please? 

Thank you. And just to reiterate what you said about a 'no deal' Brexit, I don't think anybody is under any illusions about how much damage that would inflict on our agricultural sector here in Wales. And in relation to your point about sustainable farming, certainly the steps we're taking to bring forward the White Paper, to which I referred to in an earlier answer to Llyr Huws Gruffydd, absolutely has that at its core.

In relation to your substantive point, we are looking at how local planning authorities plan for new poultry developments, as you know, and we've convened the town and country planning intensive agricultural working group. The group has met three times to date. It was due to meet back in March and, obviously, work has been slightly delayed, but I can assure you that, following the current emergency-related responses, dialogue with advisers on this issue will recommence as a matter of urgency.