Farmer in tears as he accuses Welsh government of 'trying to kill off family farms'

Ioan Humphreys

A farmer has accused the Welsh Government of trying to “kill off” family farms with their planned reforms. Ioan Humphreys, a fifth-generation farmer, was brought to tears in an emotional video where he pledges to “do anything to fight back” against the sustainable farming scheme, set to start in 2025.

The scheme will replace funds received when Wales was part of the EU and aims to reward farmers for sustainable food production and climate-friendly practices, WalesOnline reports.

However, unions have warned that the new subsidy scheme is unworkable, with farmers worried it will reduce food production. The Welsh Government has said the proposals could change and it will “listen carefully to all views” before making a final decision.

In the video, Mr Humphreys, visibly upset, said: “This is take six, seven, eight, I think, of this video that I’ve tried, and I just keep getting riled, I keep getting upset. It’s really just taking a toll. What the Welsh Government are trying to do to us here, I really don’t know. It’s horrendous, it’s absolutely horrendous.”

He continues: “All I want to do is continue farming the land that we have done since 1903 and be able to pass that on to future generations. I get we need to change some farming practices.

“I get that. You always have to change, you always have to evolve. But what the Welsh Government are trying to do is just kill us off – just completely wipe us out – just to fill their quotas, to fill their net-zero quotas, to tick a box. I will do anything to fight back against the government, but it’s not really a fight-back, I’m just fighting for my right to continue to farm.”

This comes after about 3,000 farmers and supporters rallied at Carmarthen showground in Nantyci last Thursday in protest. NFU Cymru has voiced “extreme concern” over the Welsh Government’s firm stance on its 10 percent tree cover targets.

An economic impact assessment published with the consultation suggests that if every farm participated, it could result in a 10.8 percent reduction in livestock numbers and an 11 percent cut in labour on Welsh farms. According to NFU Cymru, this would equate to losing 5,500 jobs.

NFU Cymru deputy president Abi Reader told BBC Wales: “This is such a different model to what’s been there in the past, it’s going to have catastrophic impacts on farming businesses. I was in a meeting last night and somebody said they went home and just cried.”

Ex-rugby referee and now farmer Nigel Owens, who runs a 90-acre farm near Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, stated on Thursday that plans to tackle climate change must be “fair and achievable”.

“If we are not careful and bringing things that are not workable and not fair, it will reduce the amount of food production,” he warned. “We need to plant trees and there is room for it, but it has to be sensible. Farmers are on the breadline as it is, 10% is a huge amount. It is going to reduce the food production. When we don’t produce enough food from here, where is the food going to come from? There is a lot of anger at the moment…Without farmers, you won’t have the food on the table. It is as simple as that.”

Lesley Griffiths, minister for rural affairs, has encouraged farmers to participate in a consultation. She previously said: “I understand that people don’t like change so it is natural that people who are frightened get together. What is important is that it is a consultation. Some of the proposals will undoubtedly have to change.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: “The sustainable farming scheme aims to secure food production systems, keep farmers farming the land, safeguard the environment, and address the urgent call of the climate and nature emergency.

“We have run an extensive co-design exercise in developing the scheme and we thank the hundreds of farmers who have been involved. The final consultation on the scheme is still open and we encourage everyone to reply with their views by March 7. No final decision will be taken on the scheme until after the consultation has taken place, and we will listen carefully to all views.”