Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023
| Act of Senedd Cymru | |
| Long title | An Act of Senedd Cymru to make provision about sustainable land management; to make provision for and in connection with support for agriculture; to amend the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 and the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 in connection with resolution of disputes about agricultural tenancies; to make provision about matters relating to agriculture and agricultural products; to amend the Forestry Act 1967 in connection with tree felling licences; and to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in connection with prohibitions relating to snares and traps etc. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2023 asc 4 |
| Introduced by | Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 17 August 2023 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| History of passage through the Senedd | |
| Text of the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023 (Welsh: Deddf Amaethyddiaeth (Cymru) 2023) is an act of Senedd Cymru relating to agriculture in Wales.
Provisions
The act includes measures to address climate change, restore biodiversity and promote the sustainable production of food.[1]
The act requires farmers to "maintain and enhance" the environment in order to be eligible for subsidies.[2] The scheme which administers this is the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).[1] The act includes a requirement for 10% of land to be tree cover in order for a site to be eligible for subsidies.[3]
The legislation bans the use of snares.[4]
Under amendments made during the legislative passage which had been sought by the monarch, properties owned by the monarch are exempt from the legislation.[5][6]
Reception
The ban on the use of snares was praised by the League Against Cruel Sports.[4]
The Pembrokeshire Herald criticised the Sustainable Farming Scheme as potentially decrease agricultural productivity, and therefore possibly reduce availability and variety of food produced in Wales.[3]
References
- ^ a b Furet, Marine (2024-07-22). "Restoring Biodiversity in Wales". Institute of Welsh Affairs. Archived from the original on 2024-08-03. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ Jones, Teleri Glyn (2023-02-07). "Is this co-op the future of farming in Wales?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ a b "Unions say Welsh Government's farming plan needs more work". The Pembrokeshire Herald. Archived from the original on 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ a b Gayle, Damien (2023-05-17). "Wales votes to ban 'cruel' animal snares". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ Deans, David (2024-04-11). "King Charles exempt from Wales' farming-law prosecution". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ Evans, Rob; Carrell, Severin; Pegg, David (2024-04-11). "Courtier demanded assurance king could not be prosecuted under new Welsh law". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2025-06-03.