4. How will the Welsh Government's white paper on an agriculture Bill for Wales recognise the importance of the sector to the future of the Welsh language? OQ55707

Diolch. Agriculture plays a key role in supporting the Welsh language to thrive in our rural communities. By supporting farmers to manage their land's sustainability, our proposals balance the needs of the current generation with those of the next whilst supporting the resilience of Welsh-speaking communities.

Thank you very much for your response. I know that you'll be aware of the report published recently by Farming Connect, 'Language of the Land', and we know about the census figures that show that 43 per cent of agricultural workers speak Welsh, as compared to 19 per cent of the general population. Now, under the well-being of future generations Act, the Welsh language and culture are a pillar that stands side by side with economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability pillars. So, with that in mind, can you tell us whether payments for public goods should be extended to invest in the sustainability of the Welsh language in rural areas?

I am very aware of the 'Iaith y Pridd' report, which was recently published by Farming Connect, and the views expressed by participants and published in the report will add to our evidence base as we consider and develop our future proposals for supporting the sector as we leave the common agricultural policy. I thought it was really important to fund that piece of work, through Farming Connect, because I absolutely recognise the important role of the sector. You mention 43 per cent; we know the agricultural sector, probably, is the—well, absolutely is the highest sector that uses the Welsh language, so it's very important that we do that. As we bring forward our proposals under 'Sustainable Farming and our Land', obviously that will be considered, and I have to say, the Welsh language is something that we have recognised back in 'Brexit and our land', and 'Sustainable Farming and our Land' is absolutely a core underpinning principle.

Minister, under your proposals, farmers will need to make changes to their business models, producing more and thinking about different products with less, and Brexit will bring both threats and opportunities in its wake. How is your department working with colleges and universities to ensure that our young entrepreneurs—Welsh speaking—do see agriculture as an exciting, modern and ethical sector that they can enter so that they, in turn, can prevent the Welsh-speaking workforce from slipping away from our land?

It is really important that we keep our farmers on the land, because that is one way of protecting the Welsh language. I've done a significant amount of work, while I've been in portfolio, to encourage young farmers. Aberystwyth University I visited, and Harper Adams University, which, obviously, is just outside of Wales, to ensure that the courses that they're offering are certainly attracting our young Welsh farmers. And that certainly seems to be working, because we see a significant number going particularly to those two universities, I would say.

Again, I think it's really important that our 'Sustainable Farming and our Land' and, obviously, then, when we bring forward a bespoke Welsh agricultural policy, support the language in a way that keeps those communities together. You will have heard me say on previous occasions, when I went out to New Zealand, hearing how, when they had that cliff edge, when that basic payment scheme stopped back in the 1980s, they felt that loss of community. For me, it's an additional part of our agricultural sector that we need to support in the Welsh language.