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Farming and scheme information

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This section contains information for your farming business including schemes, the Common Agricultural Policy, Farm Liaison Service and Working Smarter.

The Welsh Government is encouraging a sustainable approach to agriculture and supporting farmers in adapting for the future. We aim to improve income and employment in rural areas by supporting the community; as well as protecting and improving Welsh wildlife and the environment.

Through sensitive stewardship and sustainable development of natural resources, we aim to achieve:

  • A clean, healthy and safe environment;
  • Maintenance of our land, air and water quality standards; and,
  • Improvement of people’s enjoyment of their natural surroundings.

Welsh farming covers the whole range of agricultural production

  • Sheep - A breeding flock of over 5 million ewes and ewe lambs (28% of the UK flock) within a total of some 11 million animals;
     
  • Beef - A breeding herd of approximately 233,000 cows and heifers in calf (14% of the UK herd);
     
  • Milk - We produce about 10% of the UK total. The main milk producing region is Carmarthenshire, with processors ranging from local dairies to specialist cheese-makers; 
     
  • Pigs - Only 3.7% of agricultural holdings in Wales keep pigs (1% of the UK total);
     
  • Horses - A traditional source of income on Welsh farms;
     
  • Deer, goats, alpaca, guanaco, llama, ostrich & buffalo;
     
  • Arable - potatoes, barley and wheat are the main crops grown here, although arable farming is not that common due to the geography of Wales.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Reform of the Common Agriculture Policy has meant a new basis for payment to farmers. In 2005, subsidy schemes were replaced with the Single Payment Scheme (SPS). This "decoupled" or broke the link between CAP payments and production. Now farmers can concentrate on producing what the market wants and farming in an environmentally friendly way. The Single Payment Scheme is paid once a year and is based on the amount of subsidy paid, and land used, between 2000 and 2002.

Farmers have been encouraged to manage their land in an environmentally sensitive way through the agri-environment schemes - Tir Cynnal, Tir Gofal, and Tir Mynydd. From 2012, Glastir will replace the existing agri-environment schemes, ensuring that future environmental challenges can be met.