Throughout the summer months we have spent time meeting with MSs and MPs up and down the country, whether that is on farm or at county shows, which has allowed us to continue to raise a number of issues affecting farmers across Wales.

Firstly, the ripple effect of the UK Government’s damaging inheritance tax reforms, which was one of the main talking points when we engaged with a number of Welsh MPs in Westminster as part of the annual Back British Farming Day event. NFU Cymru continues to highlight that while the changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) will devastate many farming businesses, the impacts of the policy reach much further than the farm gate. Rural companies have also voiced their fears that a lack of industry confidence will hinder reinvestment, which will in turn have a knock-on effect in the wider business community among firms and organisations whose income is reliant on farmers’ custom with local businesses. NFU Cymru has vociferously fought against the UK Government’s planned changes to inheritance tax since last year’s autumn budget announcement.

The Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) has been a big part of NFU Cymru’s work for the last few years and a topic over which we have lobbied heavily with MSs. While there are many aspects of the scheme that we feel have greatly improved, there are still some aspects that remain a cause for concern. Welsh Government confirmed its intention to reduce the BPS to 60% of current payment levels in 2026, having previously reassured farmers that there would be no ‘cliff edge’ in funding through the transition to new schemes. This development is even more of a blow given significant guidance and technical detail is yet to be published which farmers need if they are to make informed decisions about whether to enter the scheme from 1st January 2026.

Another issue that remains one of the most pressing topics affecting rural Wales is bovine TB. This disease continues to place considerable stress and emotional and financial strain on farmers and their families. TB is a complex disease, which we believe must be tackled in a holistic manner, which in our view means tackling it in both cattle and wildlife. NFU Cymru continues to call for a comprehensive eradication strategy that deals with the disease wherever it exists. The NFU Cymru TB Focus Group has been in place for four years now and continues to look at ways to reduce the impact TB has on members without risking disease control.