PCF welcomes Welsh Affairs Committee report
April 7, 2022
The Prince’s Countryside Fund welcomes the Welsh Affairs Committee’s report on "The cultural and economic impacts of trade and environmental policy on family farms in Wales."
The PCF submitted written evidence to the report, particularly highlighting some of the barriers to entry and issues around succession being dealt with by young people and new entrants.
The PCF is pleased that the Committee has recognised the specific issues facing family farms, including the lack of profit created by their farming activities alone, which we highlighted in our 2016 report, The cash flow crisis in farming and its implications for the wider rural economy.
As the PCF continues to look at how small farm businesses can make the most of natural capital schemes, the PCF is also pleased that the committee recognises some of the potential dangers around this currently unregulated industry. The PCF is currently working with the FFCC on a project which will undertake action-research on the emerging investment markets around natural capital (ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity net gain, flood mitigation, etc) to better understand what farmers need to do to be able to access this investment as part of viable farm business plans.
The PCF is also pleased to note that the Committee recognises the need for Welsh government to work with the other UK governments so as that future agricultural policy does not disadvantage family farm businesses, and that the importance of smaller family farms to rural communities and Welsh culture and language has been noted.
The Welsh Affairs Committee report can be read here.
