2. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the environmental impact of intensive poultry units in Mid and West Wales? OQ56831

Thank you. The Welsh Government is taking a holistic approach to assessing and mitigating the environmental impact of intensive poultry units across Wales, through improved planning processes and regulation, partnership working and supporting the industry through knowledge transfer programmes and financial support.

I thank you for that answer, but according to research by Wildlife Trust Wales, Powys now has more than 150 intense poultry units, housing an estimated 10 million chickens. As a result, an extra 2,000 tonnes of phosphate a year are estimated to be spread onto land in the Wye catchment area. Last September, I asked you for an update on the intensive agriculture working group that was looking at planning guidance for new poultry developments, and you assured me that it was a matter of urgency. And I agree it is, even more so now a year later. Last month, your colleague the Minister for Climate Change wrote to me to assure me that work to understand the source of phosphate pollution in special areas of conservation rivers is under way, and I really welcome that. Given the urgency of the situation, however, can you outline the time frame for that work, please? Will you consider pressing pause on all planning permission for new or extended poultry units until the environmental and community impact of the existing units are fully assessed and understood?  

Thank you. As you recognised, that work now sits in the portfolio of the Minister for Climate Change, but I understand the apportionment work is expected to be completed by the end of this year. I know her officials and my officials have worked very closely with Natural Resources Wales to be able to monitor the progress of that project. Local planning authorities are already legally prevented from granting planning permission if they're uncertain about whether a development, either individually or alongside a combination of others, will add phosphates to the SAC waters, where targets have been exceeded.

Minister, on back British and Welsh farming day, I would just like to personally thank all the farmers across Brecon and Radnorshire for the absolutely amazing work they do in protecting our environment and also having food security. But, Minister, farm businesses have had to diversify, due to ever-changing landscapes, and many farmers have had to diversify into the poultry industry as a source of income to subsidise their businesses. Those farmers do their utmost to protect the environment for future generations while protecting our food security. However, Minister, these farming families are continuously attacked by the media, by politicians and by lobby groups who try to push the blame straight onto farmers for poor water quality. Only on the weekend, Dŵr Cymru were pumping raw sewage into the River Usk again and nothing is done to tackle that. So, Minister, can you please tell me what you're going to do to protect those farmers who are continuously being blamed by the media so that we actually start to deal in facts rather than fiction? Diolch, Llywydd.

I think it's very important we deal with facts and not fiction. I hear what you say about Dŵr Cymru. I'm not aware of the circumstances around it, but you've now put it on the record and I will certainly follow that up, because I find it very hard to believe that nothing was done in the way that you outline. I have continually worked with the agricultural sector around pollution. Obviously, you'll be aware there's legal action at the moment around our regulations, so I'm very restricted in what I can say, but I certainly agree with you that we should say a massive thank you to the majority of our farmers who certainly do not pollute our countryside and do ensure that we have food on our plates.