Closed petition We want farm subsidies to be extended to small scale and market gardeners.
Most farmers receive around 50% of their income from government subsidies. This means they have enough money to make a living from farming and they can continue to grow food. Most farms are large but small farms (1-5 hectare) are more productive and tend to grow fruits and vegetables for local markets. These currently are not eligible for subsidies, due to their size, which is unfair and shows a lack of support for local, seasonal food growing.
More details
This petition is inspired by OurFood1200. They want to build farming that:
Is small-scale, highly productive and commercially viable.
Helps provide food security in South Wales.
Gives the asset poor, particularly our young people, a chance to access land and start a regenerative farming enterprise.
Promotes community through local trading and shared community ownership of our landscape – a “foundational economy”.
Is regenerative: purposefully building biodiversity, fixing carbon in the soil, and avoiding harmful chemicals and pollution.
Creates short local supply chains that keep profits local and at a scale that opens new opportunities to all local farmers.
Provides communities with opportunities for education, training and mental wellbeing support
Encourages healthy eating by making fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruit and veg available to everyone in our region.
Reduces the impact of our food and drink consumption on carbon emissions and deforestation across the world.
This petition is now under consideration by the Petitions Committee
Petitions that collect more than 250 signatures are discussed by the Petitions Committee
Find out about the Petitions Committee’s discussion of this petition
Other Senedd business
Open Consultation
A consultation has been launched by the Welsh Government to hear views on the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which will be the programme to support the agricultural industry in Wales.
In the response to the petition, the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales encouraged feedback to the consultation from those working in horticultural with suggestions of how their sector could be supported within the Sustainable Farming Scheme model.
This consultation closes on 7 March 2024 and can be accessed via the following link: www.gov.wales/sustainable-farming-scheme-consultation