Thousands of Welsh farmers to protest in Cardiff over SFS
Thousands of Welsh farmers will take part in a protest in Cardiff this afternoon over heightening concerns at the Welsh government’s vision for the industry.
Up to 10,000 farmers are expected to make their way to the Welsh capital in a show of anger centred on a series of issues they say are threatening their industry.
One of them is the Welsh government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) proposals, which has received huge backlash from farmers in recent weeks.
South Wales Police said it was aware of a planned protest being held in Cardiff Bay from 12:30pm today (28 February), but it urged farmers not to bring tractors to it due to safety concerns.
In its current, the SFS, Wales’ post-Brexit system of support, stipulates that farmers must have at least 10% tree cover on their land.
However, a recent impact assessment commissioned by the government found that the SFS risked reducing 122,000 livestock units, representing a ‘shocking’ 11% fall.
In response, farmers have conducted go-slow tractor protests across Wales, and unions and organisations have held dozens of events and discussions, with some attracting thousands of participants.
Earlier this month, dozens of farmers protested outside Lesley Griffiths’ – Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister – own office in Wrexham.
Today’s protest, which will begin at 12.30pm, is expected to attract thousands of farmers and may also involve slow-moving traffic on routes to Cardiff Bay and across the wider South Wales road network.
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