FARMERS from Flintshire are calling on the Welsh Government to rethink "bonkers" plans to make them give up 20 per cent of their land for trees and wildlife. 

The Welsh Government is currently consulting on its Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is set to be introduced from next year.

The scheme replaces EU-era subsidies which paid farmers mainly based on how much land they have.

In future, farms will have to commit to a checklist designed to reward sustainable farming practices, including - most controversially - having trees on 10 per cent of their land and setting aside 10 per cent of their land for wildlife habitats.

Mike Edwards, who runs Maes y Groes farm in Cilcain, told The Leader: "Around 70 per cent of British land isn't suitable for growing food for human consumption. However, you can have ruminant animals grazing on it to make good food. 

"We've planted over 2,000 trees in hedges on the farm - I'm not against planting trees. What I am against is taking good land out of production to plant them - because that's just bonkers.

"They're saying plant trees on that field because they're going to sequester the carbon. But the first thing you have to do is look at what the grass there is sequestering. Grassland that's grazed and managed properly can capture more carbon than the trees in this hemisphere. I don't feel like they're sticking to the science."

He added: "It seems to be being rushed in like the 20mph scheme. There doesn't seem to be a rhyme, reason or logic for it. It doesn't make sense financially, doesn't make sense scientifically - what is going on?"

"You've got a whole industry here who don't do it for the money and work very hard, creating employment, looking after the environment and want to work with you, creating money for the country, providing high quality food that's safe - why the heck aren't you supporting it?

"I really am concerned for the future of food security in this country. If you lose farmers, you lose the reliance to be able to produce your own food. It really is very worrying but people don't seem to undertstand it. This is partly why farmers are protesting, to try and raise awareness of this."

Mr Edwards also raised grave concerns over Bovine TB rates in Wales.

"It's very, very stressful for people," he said. "It's heartbreaking and there are so many horror stories of whole herds having to be killed.

"They need to control TB in the wildlife. In the badger cull areas of England, TB rates have dropped massively. It was awful when badgers nearly went extinct, but it's gone too far the other way now. There is an absolute plague of the things, and their numbers need to be brought under control. Farmers having to create a further 10 per cent of wild habitat is just going to increase the TB risk.

"Farmers work alone, and the stress caused by TB testing is huge. It's no wonder why suicide rates in farmers are so high."

Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, according to the National Rural Health Association.

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A Welsh Government commissioned report on a consultation of its own future flagship Sustainable Farming Scheme says nearly £200 million could be lost from Welsh farm business income.

The report titled 'Potential economic effects of the Sustainable Farming Scheme Phase 4Universal Actions Modelling Results' was carried out by ADAS, Pareto Consulting SRUCand University College Dublin.

It mentions about the potential economic effects of the previous 2022 outline proposals for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

The report predicts livestock numbers would fall by 11 per cent and 5,500 jobs could be lost in the sector.

The Leader: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to farmers after he delivered a speech at the Welsh Conservatives Conference 2024 in Llandudno.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to farmers after he delivered a speech at the Welsh Conservatives Conference 2024 in Llandudno. (Image: PA)

Will Thomas owns a farm in Northop, and Flintshire Farmparts - a tractor repair business.

He said: "If 20 per cent of farming land goes, that's 20 per cent of farming gone. That's 20 per cent of less income for farmers and therefore 20 per cent less income for me here, potentially. 

"They're talking about the 5,500 jobs that are going to be lost. That's just in the agricultural industry direct. If we were to lose 20 per cent of income at Flintshire Farmparts - we'd probably have to lay someone off, so there's a job gone straight away."

He added: "We've got 323 acres of farmable land, and 76 acres of ancient woodland on top. But the woodland we have doesn't count towards the Sustainable Farming Scheme - we have to plant on another 10 per cent of our land on top of that."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Farming is very important to Wales and our economy and we want a successful future for Welsh farming.

“We have been working in partnership with farmers over the last seven years to design the Sustainable Farming Scheme – a new form of made-in-Wales farming support to secure food production and the environmental improvements Wales needs to keep farmers on their land for generations to come as the climate changes.

“No decisions will be taken about any element of the Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals, including how we achieve the requirement for habitat and trees, until we have conducted a full analysis of the consultation responses. We are committed to continuing to work with farmers to develop the Scheme.

“We have been clear we expect changes to be made following the consultation, and we will continue to listen.”