'Shocking' report predicts 5,500 job losses in the Welsh farming sector

  • ITV Cymru Wales' rural affairs correspondent Hannah Thomas spoke to National Farmers' Union (NFU) Cymru President Aled Jones

A 'shocking' report commissioned by the Welsh government on the consultation of a future farming scheme says it could mean 5,500 job losses.

It also says the Sustainable Farming Scheme could losing £200million from the sector.

The Welsh government says the report is not an assessment of the current consultation, while NFU Cymru calls it a "shocking scenario".

The report predicts that livestock numbers would be cut by 11% and 5,500 jobs could be lost in the sector. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said he is "shocked and horrified" after looking at the report.

He said: "It's the most current assessment that we have. It was part of the consultation and Welsh government put in to the consultation.

"When I opened the consultation and clicked to it, and it was absolutely devastating.

"The current assessment that they have and they are asking us to respond to this consultation. The potential impacts of this are horrifying to be honest with you.

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"They tell us, this is a consultation, fair enough.

"But I fear if we carry on in the same way, the economic and social impact in Wales are going to be enormous."

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% and 5,500 jobs could be lost in the sector.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “The economic assessment is an important piece of work which helped inform our consultation so those issues could be addressed. 

"It is not an assessment of the current consultation. Full details of our proposals are in the consultation and we would urge people to take part and give us their views."

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