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Select Committee · Welsh Affairs Committee

Farming in Wales in 2025: Challenges and Opportunities

Status: Open Opened: 10 Mar 2025 8 recommendations 17 conclusions 2 reports

Wales has a long tradition of farming, and the sector is integral to the Welsh economy. In 2022, agriculture, fishing and forestry accounted for 1.8% of total employment in Wales and over 90% of the land area of Wales is utilised for farming. Our predecessor Committee reported that in 2020, the gross output of agriculture …

Clear

Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
2nd Report - Farming in Wales in 2025: Challenges and Oppor… HC 785 12 Nov 2025 25 Responded
Ffermio yng Nghymru yn 2025: Heriau a Chyfleoedd HC 785 12 Nov 2025 0 —

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
8 Recommendation 2nd Report - Farming in Wales in 2025: … Rejected

Delay implementing final APR and BPR reforms pending a Wales-specific impact assessment.

We are disappointed that the Government has maintained a complacent approach to measuring the impact of these tax changes despite the scale of public disquiet in Wales. In the absence of a Wales-specific Impact Assessment, the UK Government must delay implementing its final APR and BPR reforms until one has …

Government response. The government rejects delaying implementation for a Wales-specific impact assessment, stating it has increased the APR/BPR allowance to £2.5 million after listening to feedback and that a technical note has been published for UK-wide changes.
Wales Office
12 Recommendation 2nd Report - Farming in Wales in 2025: … Rejected

Maintain ring-fencing of agricultural funding to safeguard the future of Welsh agriculture.

To help safeguard the future of agriculture, we believe there is a strong case for the Welsh Government to maintain the practice of ring-fencing agricultural funding. This would provide continuity, certainty and ensure that all allocated resources are dedicated exclusively to supporting Welsh agriculture. (Recommendation, Paragraph 68)

Government response. The government explains that agriculture and fisheries funding is no longer ringfenced, having been added to devolved governments' baseline, and that the Welsh Government is now responsible for how to spend this funding, thus not supporting the recommendation for continued …
Wales Office
16 Conclusion 2nd Report - Farming in Wales in 2025: … Rejected

Australia and New Zealand FTAs disproportionately disadvantage Welsh agricultural sector

The UK’s Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with Australia and New Zealand will disproportionately disadvantage the agricultural sector in Wales. Beef and sheep meat make up a significantly larger share of the agricultural sector in Wales compared to England. As a result, Wales is more exposed 42 to the potential impact …

Government response. The government rejects the committee's concern, stating there is no evidence that the FTAs have impacted Welsh beef or lamb production, as quotas have not been fully utilised and imports are primarily displacing other imports. They also highlight existing safeguard …
Wales Office
18 Recommendation 2nd Report - Farming in Wales in 2025: … Rejected

Publish an action plan by May 2028 supporting Welsh farms against FTA impacts

As the Tariff Rate Quotas progress towards a highly liberalised trade arrangement, the UK Government, in consultation with the Welsh Government and Welsh industry, should publish an action plan which sets out how farms in Wales will be supported to compete in the new market and how any negative economic …

Government response. The government rejects the need for an action plan, stating there is no evidence of negative impact on Welsh beef or lamb from current trade agreements, highlighting existing safeguards and its commitment to increasing export opportunities.
Wales Office

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
16 Jul 2025 Ceri Morgan CBE · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Tessa Jones · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
4 Jun 2025 Aled Jones · National Farmers Union Cymru, Dominic Hampson-Smith · Wales Young Farmers Clubs, Gareth Parry · Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) View ↗

Correspondence

11 letters
DateDirectionTitle
25 Mar 2026 — Correspondence to and from Department of Business and Trade, relating to the Go…
25 Mar 2026 — Correspondence to and from the Home Office, relating to withdrawal of the visa …
11 Mar 2026 — Correspondence to and from HM Treasury, relating to Farming in Wales in 2025, d…
7 Jan 2026 — Correspondence from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs rela…
4 Sep 2025 — Correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate…
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from the Wales Young Farmers Clubs to the Chair relating to the …
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from the Farmers’ Union of Wales to the Chair dated 26 June 202…
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from the Chair to NFU Cymru dated 9 June 2025 relating to the 4 …
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from the Chair to the Wales Young Farmers Clubs dated 9 June 202…
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from NFU Cymru to the Chair dated 26 June 2025 relating to the 4…
17 Jul 2025 — Correspondence from the Chair to the Farmers’ Union of Wales dated 9 June 2025 …