James Evans MS has warned that the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme risks creating a system where the big landowning organisations with large areas of habitat land gain most, while farmers producing food struggle to access the same level of support. Raising the issue in the Senedd, James said early indications from the scheme’s opening and the ready reckoner suggest habitat-related payments could heavily reward those with large areas of habitat land, while food-producing farms do not receive the same benefit. James Evans MS, Member of the Senedd for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, said: “Public money should support working farms and rural communities, not create a system that rewards organisations with large areas of habitat land. If the incentives are skewed towards habitat payments that only the biggest players can maximise, family food producing farms will be the ones who lose out. The Welsh Government must publish clear, transparent impacts of the scheme and ensure it is fair, so farmers producing food aren’t penalised for doing exactly what the country needs them to do.”
James Evans MS has called on the new Plaid Cymru Welsh Government to deliver on the promises it made to people in his constituency as First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth is set to chair the first meeting of his newly appointed Cabinet this week. The new First Minister is expected to make a statement to the Senedd tomorrow setting out his Government’s priorities. James says that must include action on the issues Plaid Cymru promised to address during the election, including stopping the industrialisation of rural Wales with pylons and turbines, improving cross-border healthcare, tackling TB in the wildlife population, and delivering a new Rapid Diagnostic Centre for Powys. James warned that local priorities must not be pushed aside if any public money is spent pursuing Welsh independence. James Evans MS, Member of the Senedd for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, said: “I hope the promises Plaid made to people in my constituency are on the agenda at the new First Minister’s first Cabinet meeting. During the election, they promised action on stopping the industrialisation of rural Wales with pylons and turbines, addressing cross-border healthcare, tackling TB in the wildlife population, and delivering a new Rapid Diagnostic Centre for Powys. I will work with anyone, from any party, to deliver real benefits for the communities I represent. But I fear we will see millions wasted looking at independence while the real priorities of our community are pushed aside.”
James Evans MS has voiced concerns following the announcement of the new Welsh Government Cabinet , after the traditional “Rural Affairs” title has disappeared from the ministerial line-up. Farming and Rural Affairs now sits under “Rural Resilience and Sustainability”, a change James says will worry many across rural Wales who already fear agriculture is being viewed too heavily through the lens of net zero and sustainability, rather than food production, rural jobs, and farming families. James Evans MS, Member of the Senedd for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, said: “The disappearance of the ‘Rural Affairs Minister’ title will concern many people across rural Wales. Farming is not just about resilience and sustainability. It is about food production, rural jobs, family farms and the future of our Welsh agricultural communities. Many farmers already feel they are being treated as a problem to be managed, rather than as an essential part of our economy and national life. Time will tell whether this new Plaid Cymru Government truly understands rural Wales, but I will be watching closely and holding them to account every step of the way.”