![[Aggregator] Downloaded image for imported item #7649](https://echoesofthelastmind.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/wales-commits-a-billion-pounds-to-greener-farming-but-environment-groups-say-it-s-not-enough-1784899618107.webp)
The Welsh government has committed over a billion pounds to its controversial new farm subsidy scheme, which requires farmers to manage land for nature – but both farming and environment groups argue it falls short
The Welsh government has committed £340 million a year to its Sustainable Farming Scheme, giving farmers greater certainty as subsidies shift towards environmental requirements.Wales’ Sustainable Farming Scheme has had a rough ride since it launched earlier this year after nearly a decade in development. The idea behind it is that the old post-Brexit subsidies, which were based on how much land a farm had, get replaced by payments with a more “green” focus. This means farmers who sign up agree to a checklist of requirements including managing at least 10% of their land as habitat for wildlife.
About half of farmers applying for subsidies this year opted into the new scheme, according to government figures. The other half stuck with the old system for now, which means they’ll see a 40% cut in funding this year as those payments are phased out.
The Welsh government has now announced it will commit £340m a year to the SFS through to March 2030, which adds up to over a billion pounds across the current Senedd term. Of that, £238m goes to the entry-level payment and £102m to optional and collaborative layers where farms can take on more ambitious environmental work for extra money.
‘Certainty and stability’
Despite the numbers seeming rather substantial, experts are saying it still won’t cut it.
Farming
Original Record.
This archived record authored by ‘Lee Bell’ at ‘METEORED (Your Weather)’ was recovered from data set:
English