Written by Rachel Martin
NFU Cymru has arranged two events for tenant farmers to consider Welsh Government Agricultural Tenancy Reform proposals.
The events will consider Welsh Government proposals on a number of specific changes to tenancy law – both the 1986 Agricultural Holdings Act and the 1995 Agricultural Tenancies Act.
The proposed changes are aimed at:
- Reforming and modernising agricultural tenancy regulations to provide an enabling environment for sustainable productivity improvements and investment;
- Facilitating structural change and supporting new entrants and the next generation; and
- Enabling tenant farmers to access new agricultural and land management schemes.
NFU Cymru president, John Davies said: “A thriving tenanted sector is vital for a productive, profitable and progressive farming industry in Wales.
“Whilst a range of routes into farming exist, access to land through Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) remains a key route for many new entrants and young farmers as well as many expanding farm businesses.
“With around a third of agricultural land in Wales rented through formal and informal agreements, this is a critical time to consider how tenancy reform proposals will enable farmers who do not own the land that they farm to access future agricultural and land management schemes post-Brexit.
NFU Cymru has long been clear future support should be targeted at the active farmer – the person who takes the business risk associated with food production.
“Equal access for farmers who do not own the land they farm to the schemes that will replace the CAP remains a key priority for NFU Cymru.
“During the Brexit and our Land consultation last autumn, we expressed concerns for the future of tenant farmers and their ability to access support through the proposed future schemes.
With the proposed phasing out of direct support by Welsh Government, the question of who – the person who owns the land or the person who farms the land (where they are different) – will receive future support payments remains in question.
“Welsh Government also proposes that long-term interventions and contracts will be needed to deliver public goods outcomes and how these can be achieved in the context of short-term tenancies which are very common in Wales is also an issue that needs to be resolved.”
Both events will take place at 7:00pm as follows:
- Monday, June 10 at Monmouthshire Livestock Market, Abergavenny Road, Raglan, NP15 2BH;
- Monday, June 17 at Holt Lodge Hotel, Holt, Wrexham, LL13 9SW.
NFU senior rural surveyor Louise Staples will be in attendance at the meetings as well as representatives of the NFU Cymru Legal and Rural Survey Panel firms.
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