A fleet of farm vehicles turned up to protest outside a Welsh minister’s office this week amid an ongoing row with the Welsh government over a controversial environment policy.
20 tractors and 15 pick-up trucks arrived at then blockaded the office of Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths after staging a ‘go-slow’ protest on roads in Wrexham.
One man was arrested after police were called to the scene outside Griffiths’ constituency office on Rhosddu Road.
Video of the blockade which showed the impressive convoy rolling into town and setting up shop next to the minister’s building was soon circulated on social media – with some users calling for the farmers to try the same stunt in Cardiff and Westminster.
Griffiths condemned criminal damage, calling arrest was “unacceptable”
X/Gareth Wyn Jones/Welsh Government
Griffiths acknowledged that peaceful protests were legal, but condemned criminal damage and said the arrest was “unacceptable”.
The protests are over a range of sustainability policies the Welsh government is attempting to implement in Wales by 2025, particularly the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
The SFS includes a controversial tree-planting target for farmers, who must divert 10 per cent of agricultural land to trees and 10 per cent to wildlife habitats to qualify for government subsidies.
Many farms depend on the subsidies to stay afloat, and unions have warned the planting targets are unachievable and put businesses at risk.
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The line of farm vehicles could be seen stretching down Rhosddu Road in Wrexham
X/Gareth Wyn Jones
Consultations between officials and farmers over details of the scheme have been rumbling on for months – with a third, final, meeting on the scheme still in progress.
And a damning Welsh government report said the proposed plans could see 5,500 rural jobs disappear and farm incomes drop by a staggering £199 million.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: “The Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) aims to secure food production systems, keep farmers farming the land, safeguard the environment and address the urgent call of the climate and nature emergency.
“We have run an extensive co-design exercise in developing the SFS and we thank the hundreds of farmers who have been involved.
The Welsh government said no final decision would be taken until after the consultation
Wikimedia Commons
“The final consultation on the scheme is still open and we encourage everyone to reply with their views by March 7 – no final decision will be taken on the scheme until after the consultation has taken place and we will listen carefully to all views.”
The besieged Griffiths told Farmers Guardian: “I am sure there will be changes – I have never participated in a consultation where there has not been changes come forward. Nothing is going to happen until we have seen all the responses to consultation.
“Farmers know I have always been a minister that listens. If anybody wants to contact me, I am readily available on emails. I am meeting with unions, stakeholders and individual farmers on a regular basis.”
She said she was “concerned” by reports that a lowly six out of 76 farmers expressed support for the scheme at a recent Farmers’ Union of Wales, and said she wanted every farmer to be able to take part.
The protestors are not alone in Wales – or indeed, in Europe; thousands gathered in Carmarthen and Welshpool earlier this month and threatened “huge unrest” in response to the SFS, while protests unfolded outside the European Parliament’s front door in Brussels, forcing the EU’s hand.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen admitted: “Farmers need a worthwhile business case for nature-enhancing measures. Perhaps we have not made that case convincingly.”