Thank you, James Evans, Member of this Senedd, for leading on such an important debate and for securing cross-party support in opposition to the devastating Welsh Labour and Lib Dem NVZ regulations. I speak again to place on record my absolute opposition, and the adverse impact that the all-Wales nitrate vulnerable zone will have on Welsh agriculture. I also wish to call on the new Senedd committee responsible for agriculture and for water to urgently review these regulations.

As I have stated many times before, the regulatory impact assessment estimates that the upfront capital cost of this scheme could run to £360 million. That is £347 million more than the assistance being offered by the Welsh Government and is £99 million more than the latest total income from farming in Wales. Already, we are aware of some tenant farmers who are in crisis now with their landlords, and we know of banks unwilling to foot the bill, and the UK farming unions are now warning that the dairy industry is facing an extremely challenging year on the back of spiralling production costs and variable milk prices.

So, you will be unsurprised to learn that the extra costs of meeting water regulations are indeed making the situation much worse. In fact, a leading mental health farming charity warned that these regulations were likely to cause immense stress for farmers. Your own explanatory memorandum stated, and I quote:

'The potential negative impact of additional regulatory requirements on mental well-being, particularly where other economic or health challenges already exist, is also recognised.'

So, you actually do recognise the fact that this is going to cause mental ill health, and we've just had questions on mental health. It just doesn't make sense. Already I know of numerous farming families in Wales who invest every single penny back into their business, and now some of those are even contemplating closure. They are truly desperate.

This would also be devastating for our Welsh language. Forty-three per cent of agricultural workers speak Welsh, compared to 19 per cent of the general population. The 'Iaith y Pridd' report recommended that the Welsh Government operate by ensuring that policies support industries on our family farms. Questions do still have to be raised as to whether the regulations are in line with section 4 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and in particular the goal to have a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language.

We must also ask you, Minister: why are you not even acting in the best interests of our environment? Many of our suckler cow herds, which make a vital contribution to biodiversity by managing some of our most important habitats, are now set to be lost, and NRW has warned that the new rules will have the perverse outcome of making water quality worse, thereby dispelling a lot of the points that Joyce Watson made. The NVZ is being introduced at a time when even NRW's executive director for evidence, policy and permitting has spoken of a steady decline in pollution incidents in the last two years. That is a clear downward trend that has been observed over the last three years, and in fact, huge areas of Wales have seen zero incidents in the last decade.

As I have said before, the voluntary approach should and must have been given a real chance. The 'blue flag' farming approach was not backed by Welsh Government when farmers actually applied for funding through the rural development programme sustainable management scheme. Despite project results and water standards being shared in letters with the Minister and the First Minister in March 2020, including recommendations for next steps, and a response being issued by officials stating that detailed consideration would be given to the water standard, NFU Cymru have sadly not received any reply. And prior to supporting the regulations, the Minister had not responded to the progress report and the 45 separate recommendations sent by the Wales land management forum sub-group on agricultural pollution in April 2018.

It just does appear to me, and obviously some of our new Members, that Welsh Government is actually dismissing agricultural experts and is placing the future of the environment, the Welsh language, mental health and actual farming at risk in Wales. Plaid Cymru and Welsh Conservatives are putting our political differences aside to do the right thing and to back this motion. I ask: will Welsh Labour and the new Welsh Liberal Democrat elected Member do the same, or are you going to betray rural Wales once again? Thank you. Diolch.