NFU Cymru has said a report into an agriculture bill highlights how it can be strengthened to support Welsh farming.

The union says the publication of the ETRA Committee’s Agriculture (Wales) Bill Committee Stage 1 shows that more work needs to be done to ensure that the bill can establish a framework to underpin a thriving agriculture sector in Wales.

NFU Cymru has previously described the introduction of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill to the Senedd as a landmark moment for Welsh farming, providing the opportunity for the first time in history to implement a ‘made in Wales’ food and farming policy.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said: “I am pleased that the ETRA Committee has recognised the concerns of NFU Cymru over access to future support for tenants and commoners, farming families that farm the land they do not own.

“The future viability of these businesses will be dependent on access to support under the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme.

“The committee has recognised the arguments put forward by NFU Cymru for amendments to be made so that more explicit emphasis is given to the policy intent to support strong and vibrant communities.

“Whilst the report itself does reference the calls from NFU Cymru for the bill to include a mechanism for reporting on domestic production, we are disappointed that the committee has not more expressly included the need for the bill to be strengthened in relation to food production.”

“The publication of the Agriculture (Wales) Bill Committee Stage 1 Report is an important moment in the movement of the bill through the Senedd. We now await the Minister’s response to the report.

“As a union, we will continue to engage with the committee and MSs of all parties in seeking to ensure that the bill will indeed establish the framework for a thriving agricultural sector.”