9. What measures has the Government put into place to ensure that agricultural supply chains are eco-friendly and sustainable? OQ57369

The Welsh Government is working towards a net-zero agricultural supply chain that will benefit the rural and circular economy. Through both existing agricultural support schemes and the planned sustainable farming scheme, we are supporting the change to more eco-friendly and sustainable farming.

Thank you, Minister. As you'll be aware, agricultural greenhouse gases that emanate from soil, manure and fertiliser, along with methane produced by cattle, have added considerably to climate change and are considered as bad, if not worse, than carbon dioxide. There is an urgent need to encourage everyone within land management, in particular those who grow food and manage livestock, to develop eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices to mitigate these effects and to increase the potential for carbon sequestration, or at the very least to retain existing soil carbon.

There are, of course, going to be huge costs to the farming industry for them to adapt to this and to adapt at the speed we need, and this will require significant funding and robust legal regulations that can aid them in maintaining the highest environmental standards that can eventually lead to sustainable farming practices. What assessments has this Government made of the climate finances needed to help farmers in Wales to meet an acceptable level of eco-friendly and sustainable farming? And in your mind, Minister, what additional legislation is needed to ensure that farmers and other industrial food producers in Wales can adopt eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices? Thank you.

Thank you. You're quite right, agriculture and food production will always produce some greenhouse gases as a result of relying on natural processes, but we are continuing to meet the challenge of reducing those greenhouse gases from farming whilst maintaining high-quality food production. 

There's been a significant amount of Government support already for the sector in relation to this; that's including the Glastir schemes, for instance, for improving the biodiversity of land in Wales. We've also had the co-operation and supply chain development scheme. And those schemes have really allowed our farmers to invest in new equipment and new technology, and they've improved the resilience and sustainability of the agricultural supply chains. Joel James mentioned the sustainable farming scheme that we're proposing, and that certainly will help our farmers in relation to that, so this is obviously a scheme that we're just about to enter. I'm looking for farmers to sign up for the second part now of engagement, which will take place in the summer, because it's really important that the farmers co-design the scheme with us.

Finally, question 10, Sioned Williams.