Andrew Tuddenham
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andrewtuddenham.bsky.social
Andrew Tuddenham
@andrewtuddenham.bsky.social
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Head of Policy, Soil Association Cymru
Views mostly from others, sometimes mine. reposts ≠ endorsements
The SFS will need to do more than make small steps towards Sustainable Land Management and statutory targets if it is to secure its budget against competing priorities.

More words here:

www.soilassociation.org/farmers-grow...

6/6
Revised scheme outline for the Sustainable Farming Scheme in Wales | Soil Association
www.soilassociation.org
November 27, 2024 at 4:30 PM
…and seriously scale up farm advice and farmer-to-farmer working to help turn plans and farm data in Universal into actions and value in Optional and Collaborative.

In short, an SFS designed to encourage entry to these layers.

5/6
November 27, 2024 at 4:30 PM
The Universal layer has been slimmed down to encourage take up.

But it’ll need more than this to shift the dial for sustainable land management.

It’ll need commitment from Welsh Gov to properly fund the scheme, focus the payments onto nature-friendly farming actions…

4/6
November 27, 2024 at 4:30 PM
The requirement that each farm must hold at least 10% cover of trees or woodland by 2030 has gone. No surprise there.

There's an element of practical necessity in this. Scheme take up matters. Intensification would be policy failure.

3/6
November 27, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Fewer Universal layer actions, but actions for soils, hedges, habitats, woodland, animal health & welfare - still there.

These things are key to sustainable production.

Delivered well at scale they could help climate resilience and nature in Wales.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

2/6
November 27, 2024 at 4:30 PM