Farmers from across Carmarthenshire joined together to discuss the sustainable farming scheme with their local Senedd member.

Many of the farmers spoke to Samuel Kurtz, Senedd member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, about their worries around Water Resource Relations.

Hosting the event was FUW member and tenant farmer Iwan Francis, who runs a dairy farm in Carmarthenshire.

FUW Carmarthenshire County executive officer David Waters said: “Although the regulation relating to the annual nitrogen holding limit has been postponed until April 2023, and the Welsh Government is due to open a consultation on the proposed licensing scheme that would allow some farmers a higher annual holding nitrogen limit of 250kg/ha, many farmers have already made significant investments in land and infrastructure in order to comply with the regulations as they were due to be introduced on January 1, 2023.

“However, tenant farmers are being left in an impossible position when evaluating their options to ensure compliance with regulations.”

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Raising concerns about the sustainable farming scheme, FUW Deputy President Ian Rickman said: “Members have once again voiced their concerns over the 10 per cent woodland creation and management requirement. 

“It's vital the scheme recognises that not all farms will be able to reach 10 per cent and those that can need to do so with the right trees, in the right places, for the right reasons.

“If that isn't reflected in the final scheme, we risk alienating farmers from the scheme entirely and encountering a range of unintended consequences.”

Addressing the issue of bovine TB, FUW policy officer Elin Jenkins added: “In an area where TB is a constant battle for cattle keepers the frustration is clear. 

“The levels of TB in Wales remain variable and significant in-roads in eradication have yet to be made since the implementation of the TB Eradication Programme.”

“It is incredibly important to remember that behind every TB breakdown there is a farmer, and their family, that must pick up the pieces both financially and emotionally. 

“The FUW continues to call for a more holistic TB eradication policy in Wales which deals with all sources of infection.”