3. How will the Welsh Government's future farming policy help to reduce agricultural waste? OQ58278

Thank you. The proposed sustainable farming scheme will support farmers to undertake a range of actions to help them become more resource efficient. We will support farmers to take a circular approach, keeping resources and materials in use for as long as possible and avoiding waste.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. I fully recognise that the agricultural sector is improving all the time when it comes to reducing their waste, but one stubborn factor that seems to be harder to solve is the plastic produced by the sector for things such as silage, piping, irrigation, mulching, packaging and greenhouse covers. These activities create massive amounts of plastic waste that often ends up tarnishing the beautiful landscape. Silage wrap in particular will be a common sight for those who visit the countryside, but thinner plastics, such as that that's used in mulching and greenhouses, offer a different threat as they break down into microplastics.

The UN produced a report last year citing the disastrous way plastic is being used in farming across the world, which is threatening food safety and human health. Many of the worst practices are seen in other countries, but Wales and other parts of the UK are not exempt. At a time when pressures are profound on the agricultural sector, how are the Welsh Government ensuring that we support farmers and food producers to dispose of their plastic correctly, and how are we helping them to reduce their plastic use in the first place?

Thank you. So, if I can answer the second part of your question first, we absolutely remain committed to supporting our farming sector to farm in the most environmentally friendly way that they possibly can, and appropriate disposing and recycling of plastics such as silage wrap is actively monitored via farm assurance-type schemes. Certainly, as part of the sustainable farming scheme, we will be looking, as I said in my original answer to you, at those circular resources. There are services within Wales to collect farm film for recycling. Wales has two of the main UK farm film recycling plants here. We're also intending on introducing regulations to require recyclable plastic to be separated for recycling in all non-domestic premises in Wales, and that obviously would include farms.

I'd like to thank Jayne Bryant for raising this question. Your own figures suggest, Minister, around 30 per cent of waste produced on farms is of that low-grade plastic, and it can be extremely difficult for farmers to dispose of. What I'd like to know is what actions are the Welsh Government taking to set up co-operatives and work with farmers so they can actually help for that plastic to be taken away and recycled? And what research and development has been done with Welsh Government and its partners to help farming reduce its use of plastics for things like silage wrap, which are extremely difficult to recycle? Diolch, Llywydd.

Thank you. I'm not aware, off the top of my head, of any research and development, but certainly I've had discussions with farmers. I remember one farmer in particular who was very keen to see what he could do to find a way of dealing with this silage wrap particularly. We know that, predominantly in Wales, we have a grass-based livestock sector and very reliant on silage in our winter months. So, I'd be very happy if anybody wants to come forward with any solutions to this problem. I'd be very happy to work with them.