Wales Field Guide for Future Generations
With no Royal Welsh Show this year, our cover photo remembers the beautiful native ponies that shape the Welsh mountain landscape Powys Moorland Partnership
Contents
Foreword 4 Preface 5 Executive Summary 6 Introduction 8 Opportunities and Challenges for Wales 10 Food Systems 14 Farming Systems 26 Land Use and Countryside 33 Questions to Consider 41 Next Steps 43 Acknowledgements 45 References 46 Foreword
It is a particular pleasure for me, as a to all the contributors, listed in the Welsh farmer in the border county of acknowledgements, and the many others Monmouthshire, to introduce the Food, we’ve met on the way. Thanks especially to Farming and Countryside Commission's the report-writing team – Sophie Reid, FFCC’s Welsh report. It summarises the work Country and County Inquiries lead, assisted we've done so far, with partners in Wales, by Isobel Shan and Jane Davidson. showcasing a small selection of the many In these unprecedented times, we finish not examples of innovative Welsh practices so much with more recommendations, but we've seen, and it sets out our plans for our with fresh questions and a call to action. As next steps. I write, Wales is cautiously edging its way Running a UK inquiry, formerly head- out of lockdown. It is too early to come to quartered in London, I am only too aware conclusions about the long-term impacts of the recurring need to remind people that that the Covid-19 crisis will have on Wales, the four nations of the UK have different but it has already had critical and far arrangements and aspirations for food reaching effects. So I’m pleased to be joining and farming, the environment, health and the Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs wellbeing, land use and rural policies, as Minister’s Green Recovery Panel, chaired by well as diverging plans to tackle the climate Sir David Henshaw, which will be focussing and nature emergencies. Our Welsh report on practical and prioritised actions. demonstrates this, with its focus on the Political parties and policy makers are progressive policy and legal framework in starting to prepare for the Senedd elections Wales, and, in particular, the Well-being of next year. This is a time for imagination, for Future Generations (Wales) Act, for which courage and unswerving commitment to the Wales is becoming justly world famous. We radical vision and practical actions we need are hugely grateful to Jane Davidson, one for a more sustainable future for Wales. of the architects of that Act, who leads the Commission’s work in Wales, for the rich And I can't imagine anywhere I’d rather live insights, experiences and leadership she has and work. contributed.
But, as we all know, policy intentions mean Sue Pritchard nothing without real and sustainable Chief Executive change on the ground, for citizens and communities. This report tells the stories of Food, Farming and Countryside Commission the people, businesses and organisations July 2020 who are already doing that hard work and who’ve contributed so generously to the Commission’s deliberations and to our recommendations. Thank you Preface
The Commission’s work is timely with The Commission’s work over the next so many challenges facing Wales at the three years aims to deliver well-researched moment. The loss of European farming evidence and proposals to deliver a subsidies post-Brexit is a huge worry system-wide and sustainable approach to many Welsh farmers and to rural to food, farming and land use policy. We communities the length and breadth of our want your help to make this happen in country. Covid-19 has highlighted both the Wales. We all have a stake in it. Let’s use the lack of resilience in the Welsh food systems opportunity in our small country to co-create – whether that is in production, supply, a system fit for purpose for current and distribution, development, import or export. future generations. Climate change is increasingly affecting our land and its management. Biodiversity loss is the greatest it has been in my lifetime. Jane Davidson Chair of the Wales Inquiry, But for each of these challenges, there are opportunities too: responding to Brexit Food, Farming and Countryside Commission could open the door to the creation of a July 2020 new integrated food system for Wales, using existing tools such as public procurement to directly drive the increase of local provision. Responses to Covid-19 from food producers have been imaginative and there are community food networks’ conversations about the way forward across the nation. Farmers are engaged in changing behaviour and practices to tackle climate change and nature degradation. Food – and the access to healthy, nutritious food – is back on the menu. Wales has a particular opportunity to respond to all these challenges in an integrated way through its unique Wales law, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 5 Executive Summary
The Food, Farming and Countryside This new report explores some of the Commission (FFCC) was launched in 2017 opportunities and challenges provided by as a two-year independent inquiry, funded this distinctive legal and policy context, as by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, to look well as highlighting just some of the leading afresh at the food and farming system, the work already underway across Wales, from countryside and rural economies, and to the structural to the hyper-local. help shape a vision of a more sustainable As political parties prepare to make their future. Our reports were published in July manifesto commitments ahead of Senedd 2019 and have been widely endorsed. elections in May 2021, we frame some of the With the continued support of Esmée questions to which we argue they should Fairbairn Foundation, FFCC is now an be responding. Principally, with the legal independent charitable organisation, and policy tools at our disposal, how can we shifting gear from generating ideas and ensure that the ambition for the production recommendations, to helping to turn them of healthy, nutritious food – that everyone into practical actions and sustainable can afford to eat – can be delivered in better change. Our work now is to help convene connected and more sustainable farming the leadership needed around the difficult systems (including agroecology) and which issues, implement the recommendations fully integrate planning and decision-making from our UK-wide report Our Future in the about our land? Specifically: Land, and direct resources and support for 1. What structures do we need in government more resilient and adaptable places and to ensure that decisions about food, communities around the UK. farming, land use and rural communities The FFCC Wales inquiry forms part of a are not taken in policy silos? network of place-based inquiries around the 2. How can we strengthen the place of healthy UK, with others in Scotland, Northern Ireland and sustainable food systems in local and in three counties and regions in England. decision making and planning? In the first phases of the Commission, the inquiry in Wales focussed on the new 3. What are the benefits of putting opportunities afforded by the distinctive agroecology centre-stage in Welsh plans for Welsh legal framework, the Well-being of the well-being of future generations? Future Generations (Wales) Act, to make 4. What duties would the Welsh Government more rapid progress towards sustainable need to put on public bodies to speed up practices. and sustain the scale of change needed?
6 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations What is clear from previous work and • Investigating the potential for from current conversations, is that there agroecology in Wales is considerable energy and momentum to Enquiring whether all public spending ensure that there is collaboration across • is aligned coherently for Welsh policy Wales, across sectors, bringing together intentions bottom-up and top-down approaches, to leverage the existing policy mechanisms at • Explaining the resources needed for a our disposal in Wales and the increasing just transition to more sustainable food momentum of change we have seen as a and farming systems and flourishing result of Covid-19. rural economies. Our inquiry in Wales will work together with a wide range of public bodies, businesses, campaign and community groups, to develop a plan. We anticipate our work will be focused around four main themes: • Ensuring that the need for fair and healthy food systems is integrated into thinking and decisions about well-being, land use and resources
Food Cardiff - Riverside
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 7 Introduction
The Food, Farming and Countryside In Wales, there is a unique legal and policy Commission (FFCC) was launched in 2017 context which could be particularly useful. as a two-year independent inquiry, funded The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, initially in Act 2015 requires the Welsh Government response to the UK’s exit from the European and its public services to put the well-being Union, but also to look afresh at the food of current and future generations at the and farming system, the countryside and heart of their delivery. Through the Act, they rural economies, and to help shape a vision are required to deliver well-being through of a more sustainable future. Our reports seven goals – a prosperous Wales, a resilient were published in July 2019 and have been Wales, a healthier Wales, a more equal widely endorsed. Wales, a Wales of cohesive communities, a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh With the continued support of Esmée language and a globally responsible Wales. Fairbairn Foundation, the Food, Farming They are also required to demonstrate and Countryside Commission is now an five ways of working: thinking long term, independent charitable organisation, fostering prevention, collaborating with shifting gear from generating ideas and others for better outcomes, integrating recommendations, to helping to turn them their response to the goals and involving into practical actions and sustainable those about whom decisions are being change. Our work now is to help convene made. At county level, the development of the leadership needed around the difficult statutory Public Services Boards recognizes issues, implement the recommendations the importance of joining up policy-making from our UK-wide report Our Future in the close to citizens and is providing some Land – and win and align resources to make early opportunities to integrate well-being this happen in places and communities objectives; but even with the best will in the around the UK. world, the corresponding shift in practice will We appreciated early on that real change take time. happens where communities and individuals The FFCC Wales inquiry forms part of a with ‘skin in the game’ see the need for network of place-based inquiries around the change and make decisions that are UK, with others in Scotland, Northern Ireland appropriate to the environmental, social, and in three counties and regions in England. economic and cultural context. That work These inquiries have been initiated and can be accelerated by joined-up policies, developed with place-based partners, and accessible and timely advice and the right have a remit to explore the issues relating networks for formal and informal learning. to food, farming and the countryside as they relate to each county, region or country.
8 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations This means that all six of the detailed Separately, a group of farmers, growers and inquiries have developed in their own ways, producers in North Wales was established responding to the questions that feel most with the support of Menter a Busnes, to relevant and urgent in each place. look at supply chain barriers. The inquiry therefore explored issues on both sides of In the first phases of the Commission, the contracting relationship. This work fed the inquiry in Wales focussed on the into the Food, Farming and Countryside opportunities afforded by the distinctive Commission’s UK-wide report Our Future in Welsh legal and policy framework to make the Land, which was published in July 2019.1 more rapid progress towards sustainable practices. With Carmarthenshire Public This new report explores some of the Services Board, and Menter a Busnes, opportunities and challenges provided by we focussed on how public procurement the unique Welsh legal and policy context, as could work more effectively to support well as highlighting just some of the leading- the seven goals outlined in the Well-being edge work being undertaken across Wales, of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. from the structural to the hyper-local. We Supported by a procurement specialist from finish by framing some of the questions Cardiff University, the Carmarthenshire we argue that political parties should Public Services Board resolved to use be responding to when they make their the collaborative purchasing power of manifesto commitments ahead of Senedd its statutory public sector partnership elections in May 2021. members to influence local food supply chains. Gwyneth Ayers outlines how Carmarthenshire County Council is approaching this through the Food Procurement Task Force later in this report.
Apples from Rhiw Las
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 9 Opportunities and Challenges for Wales
Wales has a varied topography, with upland the same budget as EU structural funds and mountainous areas, lowlands, coastal and allocates resources on the same areas and islands and a wetter climate than proportional basis as the rest of UK much of the rest of the UK. Agricultural economic affairs public expenditure, Wales land makes up over 80% of the land in could lose out by £2.3bn in public investment Wales, much of which is grassland pasture over six years3. and designated as ‘Less Favoured Areas’ Farm-gate prices have been driven down under European Union designation. Urban under pressure from large retailers and an development in Wales concentrates around agenda of ‘cheap food’, without regard to the the south and north ‘corridors’, with a large, real cost of food (in environmental clean-ups, sparsely populated, and poorly-connected and in health service spending, dealing central belt. Inequalities are writ large: with the rise in diet-related ill health, for from the vibrant City regions and university example). Farmers in Wales often earn little towns, the remote rural villages, to the post- for their work and face an uncertain future industrial landscapes – Wales is still dealing as we exit the European Union, which will with the lasting impacts of that history. necessitate the renegotiation of international We are now facing the triple threats of trade deals and the replacement of the nature, climate and health crises – to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). which we may now add Covid-19. The UN Welsh agriculture reflects some of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change negative effects of this subsidy system, (IPCC) estimates that we have just 10 years which has played a part in driving to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees, or unsustainable behaviour, including face catastrophic global effects of rising overgrazing, overstocking and the removal sea levels, droughts, and poverty. In Wales, of trees. Rachel Lewis-Davies of NFU agriculture accounted for 12% of greenhouse Cymru outlines what the future of Welsh gas emissions in 20162, while monocultures, farming might look like after CAP later in use of pesticides and removal of habitats this report. The pressure on farmers facing and wildlife corridors disrupt ecological such a variety of economic, environmental systems, reduce biodiversity and deplete and political shocks, combined with the soils on whose fertility we rely to feed us breakdown of many traditional farming in the future. The National Farmers’ Union support mechanisms, puts pressure on (NFU) Cymru has committed its sector to farmer mental health. Eirwen Williams a target of net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) from Menter a Busnes outlines the work of emissions by 2040. Farming Connect later in the report, whilst This is all happening as we negotiate an Abi Reader describes the experience of being uncertain future outside of the European part of Monmouthshire Dairy Discussion Union. Analysis from Locality shows that if Group - farmers working together to support the UK Shared Prosperity Fund maintains improvements.
10 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations The food and drink industry is Wales’ and work towards a green recovery. With largest employer, yet farm workers and Wales’ distinctive approach to education, those working in food processing are often employment and volunteering, how could in precarious and low-wage work. High this idea be developed here? quality, nutritious produce is produced in The Welsh Government declared a climate Wales, yet poor diets mean that diet-related emergency in April 2019. The Environment ill health continues to rise, causing misery (Wales) Act 2016 sets out the legally binding to our lives and compromising our health target of 80% GHG emission reduction by services. Public Health Wales estimate that 2050 with interim targets in 2020, 2030 and rates of obesity cost the health service £73 2040. The combination of the Well-being million per year; 1 in 8 children aged 4-5 are of Future Generations (Wales) Act and the obese and previous data collection suggests Environment (Wales) Act could enable Wales prevalence increases as children get older4. to have ambitious climate policy, since both The amount of fruit and vegetables in the Acts take a long-term view, prioritising the Welsh diet is falling, while Welsh horticulture needs of the environment and of citizens, produces just 3% of fruit and vegetable including those unborn. However, even with needs5. In response, initiatives like Peas this rigorous approach, the UK Committee Please (led in Wales by Food Sense Wales) on Climate Change identifies real challenges and campaigns like Sustainable Veg Cities with agricultural emissions in Wales. are trying to increase the amount of fruit and The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 also aims vegetables on our plates. to ensure that the environment in Wales is In realigning this system, activists and managed in a more ‘proactive, sustainable food citizens are organising to tackle the and joined-up way’, at a range of spatial disconnect, including Food Manifesto levels and puts a duty on public authorities Wales, Food Cardiff (part of the Sustainable to ‘promote the resilience of ecosystems’ Food Places programme) and Our Food and ‘maintain and enhance biodiversity’. Crickhowell. We hear from Jane Powell, Part of the policy framework for the Act Pearl Costello and Duncan Fisher from these includes a way forward for the management initiatives later in the report. of our natural resources, through a Natural Resources Policy and Area Statements. This disconnect from how our food is produced is reflected in a wider disconnect Natural Resources Wales has been with nature. Our UK-wide report Our Future developing these Area Statements covering in the Land recommended a National Nature seven areas of the country, which outline the Service as a way to harness the momentum challenges in each area, what we can all do amongst young people for change, providing to meet those challenges, and how we can meaningful work to restore nature. In the better manage our natural resources for the context of Covid-19, the call has been picked benefit of future generations. Key to this is up by a consortium of employers and green engagement across all land users – Natural groups led by Wildlife and Countryside Resources Wales explains the approach in Link, as a way to tackle unemployment more detail later in this report.
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 11 Farming can be at the forefront of income from it. The policy was launched at initiatives to enhance biodiversity, through the Royal Welsh Show as an encouragement, agroecological approaches. Agroecology particularly for young people, to diversify means taking into consideration the land use in their communities. Erica relationships between plants, animals, Thompson of the OPD settlement Rhiw Las people, and their environment – and in Carmarthenshire describes her experience managing agricultural land as a diverse later in this report. Access to land for new ecosystem. Agroecology can make good entrants to farming continues to be a on the duties to ‘maintain and enhance challenge, with many council farms sold biodiversity’ as required by both the off and high land prices and start-up costs Well-being of Future Generations Act and representing significant barriers to entry. the Environment Act. This includes through More opportunities for short-term tenancies practices such as: diverse polycultures are needed, alongside educational routes and mixed farming systems using varied including apprenticeships. Joint ventures animal breeds; natural pest management also offer potential to help with farm encouraging ‘natural enemies’ and succession, and Eirwen Williams of Menter a pollinators; restoring hedgerows and Busnes outlines Farming Connect’s ‘Venture’ creating ‘buffers’ for wildlife and enhancing programme later in this report. soil biota through use of crop rotation, cover Other projects are also seeking innovative crops and silvopasture. ways to engage local communities in Often, debates about how we use our land their landscape, from Powys Moorland are framed in terms of competing interests, Partnership to the Skyline project’s bold rather than how multiple benefits can be question to the communities of Caerau, drawn from the land. Projects aiming to Treherbert, and Ynysowen: what happens ‘spare’ land for nature and wildlife, through if the rights to use all publicly owned land rewilding initiatives for example, have been are transferred to the town? We hear from contentious, bringing to the fore questions Catherine Hughes and Chris Blake about about how we decide which land is used in these projects later in the report. what way. The new challenge of Covid-19 has hit In 2010, the Welsh Assembly Government the food and farming sectors hard. The launched new planning guidance: hospitality industry has been in limbo, Technical Advisory Note - TAN 6: Planning uncertain about when and how they might for Sustainable Rural Communities which be able to reopen. Producers, farmers introduced the One Planet Development and fishers who supply them lost markets (OPD) scheme. It enables people to acquire overnight, forcing some rapid reworking residential rights on agricultural land if of the supply chain to get food directly to they are prepared to live very low-carbon people’s homes instead. Some producers lifestyles and demonstrate over 5 years that have seen demand surge, having to adapt they can earn half the Welsh average income ways of working to cope with this demand, from their activity on their land. It therefore whilst remaining safe environments for their facilitates imaginative use of land and staff. We hear from Patrick Holden of Holden pioneers new sustainable ways of gaining an Farm Dairy, Carwyn Adams of Caws Cenarth
12 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Cheese, Dafydd Gruffydd of Menter Môn and the vision and levers needed to achieve Emma William of Y Felin Mill in St Dogmaels. this transformation by facilitating a more In addition, Wales’ vibrant food festivals are joined-up approach across the food system affected by Covid-19 restrictions, delivering by linking agricultural policy with health another blow for local economies. Nick policy, connecting the food we produce Miller, who has evaluated the role of food in Wales with the food we consume. The festivals for the Welsh government, reflects food sector provides an ideal opportunity on this later in the report. to demonstrate how a systems approach can re-localise our food production and Whilst Wales has a progressive enabling consumption and promote shorter supply legal and policy framework, the Future chains, generating multiple benefits for the Generations Commissioner’s recently local economy, environment, health and published Future Generations Report 2020 well-being. found that delivery on the ground does not yet reflect the policy ambition.6 In 2018, in In the final section of the report, we frame the landmark moment of the publication of some of the questions we argue that political the first Public Services Boards’ Well-being parties should be considering as they set plans, there was little consideration of food out their manifestos ahead of the Senedd issues. The Socio-Economic Duty under elections in May 2021. the Equality Act has not yet commenced in Wales, due to disruption from Covid-19, but its focus on delivering better outcomes for those who experience socio-economic disadvantage should be a key part of creating ‘a more equal Wales’ post-lockdown. FFCC's Principles for Change The recent report commissioned by WWF Cymru, and written by the University of Cardiff’s Sustainable Places Research Institute, A Welsh Food System Fit for Future Generations highlights how our food and farming systems, as well as our land use and countryside could deliver across all 7 goals in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.7 The report focuses on how to deliver healthy, nutritious food for all, in the face of shrinking resources and a growing population, while recognising that climate change and biodiversity loss are major challenges both globally and for Wales. It outlines the opportunity to design a food system that works hand-in-hand with nature. It demonstrates that the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act provides
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 13 Food Systems
Supporting communities and and run previously under-used buildings producers in North Wales – Menter and other assets. Their programme design Môn is based on close engagement with the communities with whom they work, many of With contribution from Dafydd Gruffydd, whom have been particularly affected by the Menter Môn and Luke Prosser, KESS PhD, impacts and restrictions of Covid-19. Bangor University Dafydd Gruffydd, Managing Director at Menter Môn is a not for profit company Menter Môn says: “Menter Môn work providing solutions to the challenges facing across North Wales to provide solutions rural North Wales. Their varied programmes to the problems facing the region’s include support for businesses, the third rural population. In light of the Covid-19 sector, community groups and individuals, pandemic, we have implemented a number and they act as a key delivery partner of projects to support the region. Our Neges for many local and national government project is working with local producers, a initiatives, as well as helping to recover local restaurant and the local councils to
Menter Môn - Support Welsh Fishermen
14 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Food Systems
provide food parcels to those unable to Making healthy and sustainable food access food during this time, our Agri Bank a defining characteristic of where teams local farmers up with available local people live – Food Cardiff labour if they become ill and are unable to tend to their farms, and our FLAG project Pearl Costello, Co-ordinator - Food Cardiff has been supporting the local fishing “Food Cardiff is the city’s local food industry, to help fishermen bring their catch partnership, representing major institutions, to market throughout this period. All these local businesses, charities, grassroots projects have demonstrated that through community groups and interested collaboration we are able to reduce the individuals. The partnership was formed in impact for our region of a major global 2014 as one of the founding members of crisis.” the UK Sustainable Food Places (previously The Covid-19 crisis has had a devastating Cities) network, which aims to make impact on the fishing industry, disrupting healthy and sustainable food a defining markets into hospitality in the UK and characteristic of where people live. Europe. Menter Môn has been working “Food Cardiff operates as a hub to connect with fishermen from across North Wales people and projects; as a catalyst for change to develop new online markets (through through local policy and campaigns; and a a North Wales Fish Direct Facebook page) voice for wider change. where fishers can post information about “A flagship example is the School Holiday their catches, selling directly to local people. Enrichment Programme, which was Customers can also post their requirements developed by the partnership, including and location, matching customer and Cardiff Council, public health dietetics, supplier at a local level. The project has Healthy Schools and local businesses. The helped to mitigate the worst effects of the summer holiday programme provides crisis for local fishers, while providing local good quality meals, nutrition skills, sports people with fresh, sustainable fish. education and enrichment activities to Luke Prosser, a KESS PhD Student (funded by children living in areas of need. After a Menter Môn) at Bangor University adds: “The successful pilot in Cardiff, the programme work that Menter Môn has done throughout has secured significant investment to expand this pandemic has demonstrated the across Wales. clear effectiveness of collaboration across “Food Cardiff also helped pioneer the Veg sectors in being able to respond quickly and Cities campaign, a movement to get local effectively to major crises. Covid-19 has had areas growing, cooking, selling and saving major and long lasting impacts on the food more vegetables. Large institutions such sector in Wales, but these can be minimised as Cardiff & Vale University Health Board, now and in the future by supporting local Cardiff Metropolitan University and Cardiff producers, refocussing available resources Council have made a pledge to serve more such as closed restaurant kitchens, veg in canteens, establish veg stands and encouraging knowledge sharing within the get more veg into school meals. Social sector and by generating alternative routes enterprises are using ‘wonky’ veg to develop to market.”
Food Systems 15 Food Cardiff
innovative soups and growing veg on council have otherwise gone to waste, but Food land to supply local businesses. Schools Cardiff is also working with local businesses, have developed Veg Power teacher packs allotments and community growing sites to and Peas Please parent packs, and Flying supply fresh, sustainably grown food to the Start and community centres are supporting Pantry. people to eat more veg through cooking “The food partnership also acts as a catalyst classes, food parcels and increasing uptake to change local policy. Last year, Cardiff of Healthy Start Vouchers. Council was one of the first local authorities “As part of the partnership’s 5 Year Food to establish a holistic Food Strategy, to Security Plan, Food Cardiff worked with support Food Cardiff’s vision to enable Cardiff Business School, Action in Ely everyone in Cardiff to have access to good and Caerau, Cardiff & Vale public health quality, affordable food. The strategy focuses dietetics and Fareshare Cymru to establish on 5 key areas for action – fostering food Wales’ first Your Local Pantry. The pantry partnerships, tackling food inequalities, is a community-led food club which aims increasing local food production, eating out to improve household food security in a well, and food as a driver for prosperity. way which offers dignity and choice. The main supply is surplus food that would
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“This vision has become even more relevant makers in the public sector could align their as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Food interests to secure additional social and Cardiff has been coordinating city-wide economic benefits through smart public action to support vulnerable people and sector collaborative food procurement. The to promote the positive changes made in Carmarthenshire Food Procurement Task response to the lockdown. Food Cardiff Force was therefore formed. convened a Covid-19 Food Response Task In November 2019 the Task Force were Group to coordinate, expand and amplify the successful in their bid for £100,000 incredible response happening across the Foundational Economy Challenge Funding. local authority, businesses and grassroots The foundational economy provides those groups. This began with emergency food basic goods and services we all use every distribution, but expanded to include a day – care and health services, food, collaborative effort to get 14,000 vegetable housing, energy, construction, tourism and plants and seed kits out to households in the retailers on the high street. The funding will city. help develop the project to deliver on the “Food Cardiff demonstrates how local food outcomes of initial LEADER-funded mapping partnerships in Wales can significantly work, supporting the transformation of local influence the food landscape of a local area, public procurement towards a more citizen- by creating a social movement for change.” centred focus on a local food economy, with the aim of building more employment opportunities on the way. Ensuring public spending creates Whilst the Covid-19 crisis slowed things public value – Carmarthenshire Food down – with project development staff Procurement Task Force redeployed into immediate Covid response With contribution from Gwyneth Ayers, issues – they have been able to start creating Carmarthenshire County Council and Jane baselines and, as thoughts turn to recovery Davidson after lockdown, the project is beginning to pick up again. Initial work to map local The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) food producers has also been useful during Act 2015 treats health and well-being, social Covid-19 to show people where they can cohesion, environmental well-being and access local producers. A project officer cultural well-being on a par with economic supported by Foundational Economy funding growth. One way to realise the vision of is being appointed in July 2020. the Act is to harness the power of public The Task Force are currently engaging with procurement. the Centre for Local Economic Strategies Carmarthenshire is the fourth biggest county who are supporting a review of procurement in Wales with a population of 186,500, a arrangements. They are also exploring substantial food producer and home to a the concept of food hubs, which could link concentration of public sector partners. together different food producers; either This created an opportunity to see whether high level conversations among decision-
Food Systems 17 to gain access to new markets or to work policy makers across policy sectors, together to supply larger contracts, thereby to work collaboratively and have the reducing the barriers to smaller producers Manifesto reflected in policies. They are and distributers. especially focussing on working from the bottom up, engaging and empowering the Covid-19 has shown an appetite for public, suppliers and community groups to change in both consumers and producers. work with local authorities and influence Now is the time to ask how we can shift government. procurement approaches to support the local economy, especially as part of Covid-19 The first draft of the Manifesto has 10 recovery. points, covering everything from worker and animal welfare to food security and environmental health. Such a wide-ranging manifesto may seem ambitious but it is Finding common ground through only by acknowledging the interconnections collaboration on a Food Manifesto between the factors that real change can With contribution from Jane Powell, Food be made. Unhealthy environments affect Manifesto Wales worker health; low wages reduce spending Food Manifesto Wales is writing a Food and stall local economies; disconnect from Manifesto to help shape the food system cooking/food skills result in poor diets – the in Wales. Set up in 2015, the group aims to effects of which link back to public health find common ground through collaboration and local economies. The Food Manifesto based on shared values, acknowledging not only aims to improve public and healthy debate and recognising that environmental health, but also create happy there are some things that everyone and healthy relationships with food, and can agree on. This ‘energy for change’ point 8 aims for all children to leave school can then be harnessed to build a food able to grow, cook, choose, buy and eat movement, change perceptions, increase healthy food. engagement and work with government to Food Manifesto Wales are now developing shape policy. They align with the Well-being a second draft to include aspects of of Future Generations (Wales) Act in localism, resilience and self-sufficiency – the recognition that food is part of all seven of importance of which have been especially the well-being areas – and is also a way highlighted during Covid-19. Local producers of engaging the public as citizens in the have been adapting their supply chains to democratic process. narrow the distance between themselves The Food Manifesto highlights the and their customers, while some local disconnect between policy areas, with areas authorities have used the funding for such as farming, health and business all emergency food boxes to support local discussed and decided on independently, food businesses. Food Manifesto Wales are when the evidence is overwhelming that therefore calling for local authorities to seize these policies and functions are inextricable the opportunity to ‘reset the food system’. from one another. The Food Manifesto aims to bring together supporters and
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Realising the potential of The Well-being Saving Welsh Cheese – Caws Cenarth of Future Generations (Wales) Act involves and Holden Farm Dairy community action and collaboration, but As the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Welsh cheese this can be hard to coordinate and kick-start makers selling to the hospitality market without support. As the Manifesto is found their customers disappear overnight, developed further it will be adapted to be with their stocks of perishable cheese at more accessible to the public, written in risk of going to waste. We hear from Caws clear and straightforward language and Cenarth and Holden Farm Dairy, who have highlighting the shared values across averted disaster by finding new markets and sectors. Jane Powell, one of the team have even seen signs of increased demand at the Food Manifesto, says “it is critical and interest in their cheese. to engage the public in building a food movement, and we would like to see more With contribution from Carwyn Adams, Caws support from government to help local Cenarth action groups engage with policy.” The Food In the valley of the river Cych, Caws Cenarth, Manifesto welcomes suggestions and offers run by Carwyn Adams and his family, has 8 of support through their website. They are been selling traditionally made cheeses also closely aligned with the Wales Real Food since 1987, but the family has been making and Farming Conference. cheeses for over 100 years. Drawing on this knowledge, they have been a big part of rekindling Welsh artisan cheesemaking. However, when the Covid-19 lockdown started, their business – largely in the hospitality sector – was instantly hit hard. Months’ worth of perishable goods were at risk of sitting on shelves and being lost. Through social media, Carwyn put out a call to cheese lovers, asking if anybody could help make use of this stock and the call was
Welsh Cheeses - Holden Farm Dairy, Caws Cenarth, Hafod
Food Systems 19 most definitely answered. After 72 hours “Covid-19 has been very challenging for their entire stock was sold out. They were many Welsh artisan cheese makers and overwhelmed with orders, messages of Holden Farm Dairy is no exception. We are support and even offers of donations. the longest established organic dairy farm in Wales where we produce Hafod, a raw milk As the immediate danger of losing the stock cheddar style hard cheese from 80% of the and uncertainty around arrangements milk of our Ayrshire cows. for staff eased, Caws Cenarth, along with the rest of the nation, adjusted to life in “For the first month of the pandemic, our lockdown. Some hospitality custom returned cheese sales more or less completely as businesses found new ways to cater ceased; however since then we have enjoyed to their customers. After such a positive a progressive renaissance, with sales reaction to the call for help, Caws Cenarth now nearly equivalent to those we were actually had to close for orders for three experiencing before Covid struck. weeks to allow production to catch up with “We are grateful indeed to the cheese demand. This, along with a shift towards wholesaler community, notably companies smaller orders and packages (rather than like Neal’s Yard Dairy, Courtyard Dairy and whole cheese wheels) has also allowed them the Fine Cheese Company, all of whom have to bring back more of their workers after done their very best to ensure that our initially having 50% on furlough. They were cheese gets to customers during this difficult also able to tap into the crisis fund and local time. As an example, the chef Jamie Oliver government grants. has been doing what he calls ‘shout outs’ as Carwyn is passionate about keeping part of a ‘Save British Cheese’ campaign, with traditional methods of cheese making going, our Hafod cheese receiving a ‘shout out’ as building skills and knowledge which can be part of the campaign. passed on, to continue to produce delicious “There is also no doubt that local interest cheese. If these are lost, they are incredibly has increased during Covid, with local box hard to bring back, requiring a huge amount schemes showing interest in stocking our of drive and determination to restore cheese. We believe that the lasting legacy them. Carwyn believes that food festivals of Covid-19 will be an upsurge of interest play a crucial role in providing people with in local, regional and sustainably produced opportunities to understand where their food. food comes from, linking together the beauty of the Welsh countryside and the “There are several factors which are driving strong Welsh food culture of producers this change, including increased interest and restaurants. They also help to make in resilience and food security, the public producers visible, in a world where large making the connection between food quality corporations’ marketing budgets can and human health and a recognition that undermine smaller producers and shorter a widescale switch to sustainable farming supply chains. is essential if we are to avoid irreversible climate change, biodiversity loss and future Patrick Holden, Holden Farm Dairy and food security emergencies. All this should Founding Director of Sustainable Food Trust serve the interests of Welsh food producers.”
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Y Felin Mill
Showing the resilience of short supply were able to continue to supply us, as chains – Y Felin Mill long-term customers. Having long-standing Emma Williams, Y Felin Mill, St Dogmaels relationships with local and British suppliers truly proved invaluable at a time of national “Since the start of the pandemic we at Y Felin crisis. have been inundated with phone calls and emails from local customers, new customers “Despite everything being frantic, our and people from all over the UK. Suddenly ancient wheel could keep turning in its the flour from our 12th century mill was old familiar way, the water driving the mill in such demand. I spoke to my Dad who stones to slowly grind the grain into the had never known such an unprecedented delicious stoneground flour. It was evident demand for the flour in his 40 years of that the local picture was playing out at a milling. And all the time we heard the same national level, with our fellow millers in the thing “we just can’t get flour anywhere”. Traditional Cornmillers Guild facing the same demands. All the time it had taken them and “We were too busy to question too much, us to develop the personal relationships and with the added demand for our flour with our growers and suppliers meant we came the added pressure on our long- were all able to continue to respond rapidly standing suppliers of grain, hauliers, and and flexibly to help provide for our local packaging. Fortunately, we only use four communities. Across the UK, the old, time- family-run British farms who were able honoured methods were both uniquely to provide us with an almost constant beautiful, and invaluable in responding re-supply of grain to fulfil the demand. Our where the large industrial mills could not! local haulage companies and packaging
Food Systems 21 “With the upsurge in home baking, and with a system built on shorter food miles and people unable to travel or not wishing to shorter supply chains, in order to create a go to supermarkets, local producers and more sustainable food economy which uses small convenience stores found new ways our resources more efficiently.” to collaborate to meet the needs of our local community, banding together to provide home deliveries to those self-isolating. Building a local food economy – Our Providing this staple ingredient offered Food Crickhowell much more than just good nutritional value, it allowed people to explore often forgotten With contribution from Duncan Fisher, Our ways of cooking or baking with families and Food children. Suddenly the mill was no longer an Our Food is an initiative with a vision to old historic building, it was revitalised and build a local food economy. Starting in back at the heart of the community. Crickhowell, the project aims to increase “Many weeks later, the situation is calming individual and public use of local produce, down. The phone doesn’t ring quite as often, boost local production and entry of people the emails are slowing, and the customers into food production, and ensure that locally are returning to the mill, re-opened in a produced food is high quality and produced new and ‘socially-distant’ way. It would be using methods that tackle climate change. good to think that traditional mills have a The project hopes to achieve a local food place alongside larger, commercial mills economy where people buy local produce that supply the supermarkets. During the and take pride in the local food culture. It is pandemic, the smaller mills have been able then hoped that frameworks and networks to respond to the heightened demand and can be created to expand to other areas. the capacity to adapt to change more rapidly The project is inspired by the German than the large industrial-scale producers. It example of Schwäbisch Hall, where an would be a fitting reward to retain the many association of small-scale farmers in new customers who have bought our flour southern Germany created an alternative during the pandemic. Only time will tell. to supermarkets through a local food hall. “Even though our contribution has This has grown to 1,500 businesses whilst been relatively small scale, there is real still centred around local production, fair satisfaction in knowing that this has been prices throughout the production chain and possible and that our contribution has been advocating for local farmers. so well received within our local community. Our Food is responding to three crises: It confirms our belief that a slower, more diverse food system is best for us all. The • Climate Change – following the IPCC’s challenge now will be to build on the recent Climate Change and Land report lessons and with Government leadership, recommendation to enhance local and support and investment, to change towards community collective actions
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Crickhowell
• Local control – moving reliance away for the producers and sellers they create from long and distant food chains to a connection for the consumer and allow grow both supply and demand of local people to make informed choices about what products they’re buying – two things that are often lacking when buying from supermarkets and Depopulation – tackling the mass • features that more and more consumers exodus of young people from the want. Brecon Beacons due to lack of employment opportunity and rising They are now starting to invest in new, local house and land prices. Engaging young farming projects and providing resources people both in the area and outside to to help people learn how to grow their own start producing food. food as well as ‘how to start a farm’. Engaging local young people is important – many Our Food is stimulating local food demand have not been able, or wanted, to learn by promoting local producers and creating the land-based skills that could be passed resources for people to find them when down in rural areas. Our Food are providing they need to. It can often be daunting to resources and support for entrepreneurs know where to start when trying to buy and innovators who want to start food-based local, especially when people are used to the businesses and holding public meetings to immediate convenience of supermarkets. discuss how to adapt to market changes, They have therefore created a website to providing much needed assistance at showcase producers, eateries and shops in an uncertain time for food and farming and around Crickhowell, and are using social businesses. media to get the word out, ensuring a wide audience is reached. By creating profiles
Farming Systems 23 Raising awareness and driving their contribution to the economy and also demand for high quality produce in the sense of place that they can create for Wales – the role of food festivals local communities, whilst contributing to the resilience of local food systems. With contribution from Nick Miller, Miller Research Food festivals across Wales are varied in size and type, including national signature Ten years ago, Miller Research investigated events like Abergavenny and Conwy which the contributions of food festivals to the bring significant tourism, mid-tier events Welsh Economy. At the time, the network like Aberystwyth and Narberth which are of food festivals in Wales could accurately important outlets for local producers as well be described as unrivalled in the UK, with as attracting tourism, and community-based Welsh Government supporting over 50 festivals which can stimulate growth in both food festivals, championing Welsh artisan demand and supply. businesses and hosting their own Taste awards. Food festivals were incredibly Food festivals at a local scale can be valuable to the economy, with direct and drivers for demand and awareness of the indirect spending resulting from festivals high-quality produce available in Wales. equating to nearly £50 million over two years In theory this could help strengthen local and creating 2,240 additional jobs. food networks and raise demand for more frequent markets, providing outlets for direct However, since around 2014 there has been selling from producers. Food festivals could a shift in policy, prioritising turnover from play more of a role in food systems in Wales exports. This means much support for food by extending their reach beyond the days of festivals has been cut, many have struggled the festival. However, funding is a limiting to keep going and there has been a lack of factor here and it is important to remember acknowledgement of their value, both from that many food festivals are run entirely by volunteers. Maintaining relationships with the local community is therefore essential.
Abergavenny Food Festival
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Much of the food produced in Wales themselves should not be ignored when is exported as raw materials, with less it comes to support for rebuilding – they prioritisation of adding value to these will need help to re-establish their valuable products. Linked to this drive towards economic and cultural contribution in 2021.” exports is the disconnect between what is grown, raised or caught in Wales and what is eaten. This is particularly striking in the case of fish, with much of the fish caught in Wales exported to European markets, whilst Welsh consumers buy fish which has been caught elsewhere. Food festivals can raise awareness and so boost consumption of these local supplies and strengthen shorter supply chains, which can have benefits for producers, consumers and the environment. The restrictions of Covid-19 have highlighted the fragility of longer supply chains, with these systems suffering distribution problems. People have turned to more localised supply. But there is more work to be done around awareness of and access to these local businesses and supply. Many people want to support local businesses, buying healthy and sustainable food, but don’t know where to go or struggle to afford what is available. With food festivals being cancelled due to Covid-19 this year Nick Miller (Director, Miller Research) says: “The necessary cancellation of Food Festivals in 2020 is a significant blow to an artisan food sector which is already struggling with the closure of markets, shops and hospitality businesses. Many small food producers form part of a complex economic jigsaw in rural areas and the impact will be felt across many communities. We need to urgently develop more effective, technology- based, local supply chains to give food and hospitality businesses greater resilience in their routes to market. The festivals
Farming Systems 25 Farming Systems
Reflecting on the direction for Welsh by supporting investment in the latest farming after CAP innovations; alongside stability measures Rachel Lewis-Davies, NFU Cymru that underpin the continued delivery of food in an increasingly volatile world. “In the four years since the EU Referendum, “Welsh Government has proposed, through there has been considerable debate about two successive consultations, a policy what will replace the Common Agricultural focused on environmental outcomes and Policy (CAP) in Wales. productivity. Concerns have amassed “Support delivered through this policy forms around the absence of measures to secure an important component of farm business the continued supply of food. Unintended incomes. In line with its objectives it supports consequences have also been foreseen, with the production of safe, affordable food for the polarisation of Welsh farming into areas consumers; ensures farmers can make a of production and areas of environmental reasonable living; helps to tackle climate delivery. change and the sustainable management of “But in 2020 the world has changed. Covid-19 natural resources, maintains rural areas and has touched all our lives. Empty supermarket landscapes; and keeps the rural economy shelves and ensuring food is provided to the alive. clinically vulnerable have reminded us of the “Given its significance, its replacement has need for safe, high quality, affordable food formed the basis of not one but three of the as a basic requirement for every citizen. The most comprehensive consultations with NFU overnight closure of our cafes, restaurants, Cymru members in our history. In 2016 our pubs and bars have exposed the fragility and members – farmers across Wales and from inequity in our food supply chains. every farming sector – defined the principles “Parallel to this, the concerns over the and framework of measures for future food direction of travel of UK Government trade and farming policy. talks have manifested in over a million “Paramount is a policy that secures safe, people signing our NFU food standards high quality, traceable food for our nation, petition. supporting the active farmers who take the “These events have served to highlight risks associated with food production. This that food security and ensuring a stable needs to be an integrated framework of supply of home produced, high quality sustainable agriculture founded on three food for consumers is most certainly in the cornerstones of measures that reward nation’s interest and should be a priority for and enhance environmental outcomes governments. People care about the food on agricultural land; boost productivity
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Welsh Farm
they eat, how it is produced and where it food production systems. Rather than comes from. Covid-19 calls for governments implementing policies that see food to learn lessons and reflect on the direction security and our agricultural productive of travel. capacity decline and our food requirements off-shored ‘out of sight and out of mind’, “The question NFU Cymru has posed on the ambition of Welsh farmers is to become the extent to which a policy focused on world leaders in producing the most climate- the delivery of environmental outcomes friendly food in the world from a strong and can also underpin the continued delivery improving natural asset base. of high quality, affordable food for consumers, alongside vibrant and vital rural “NFU Cymru’s vision is for a pathway to communities remains highly pertinent and a productive, profitable and progressive largely unaddressed. But it must surely be Welsh farming industry delivering the considered now. multiple objectives of ensuring a stable supply of safe, high quality food; supporting “How Wales addresses this question Wales’ economic recovery; maintaining and will define farming for a generation enhancing our environment whilst sustaining or more. It will also define our place our rural communities and culture.” in the world. Climate change impacts are set to increasingly challenge global
Farming Systems 27 Farming Connect: supporting, majority using Farming Connect’s ‘Measure informing and motivating the to Manage’ tool. In addition to this, 153 industry in changing times Farming Connect Agrisgôp groups have been formed. Agrisgôp is a locally based ‘action Eirwen Williams, Menter a Busnes learning’ project bringing together groups of “Farming Connect is a high profile and high individuals, who are supported by a trained performing advisory service, with more than facilitator to develop business ideas for new 23,000 individuals from Welsh farm and streams of income and support each other forestry businesses currently registered. It is through change, growth and development. also highly adaptable, as has become evident “Farming Connect has a network of 18 in the wake of Covid-19. The restrictions Demonstration Sites, representing all in force due to the pandemic have stalled farming sectors, united by a desire to the programme’s comprehensive range of improve performance and a willingness to face-to-face services and training provision, share their learning and experience with as well as its usual presence at agricultural others. Topics range from animal health and shows. But with over 30,000 views on welfare to soil nutrient management and the website and social media platforms grassland strategies. One recent success for a recent week-long online ‘Women in was the launch of the Prosper from Pasture Agriculture’ campaign and well over 1,000 initiative. One farmer who participated hits a month on its recently launched ‘Ear to noted that the programme had “changed his the Ground’ podcasts, Farming Connect is farming model completely” whilst another keeping in touch with its target audiences. said that he has made “critical business Webinars, one-to-one digital ‘surgeries’ decisions on stocking rate and winter feed and remote group activities are part of an budgets that has had a positive impact on expanding range of online services and farm efficiency”. by adapting to the current situation, the programme is successfully staying connected “Acknowledged as being the ‘go to’ one-stop with its beneficiaries. support organisation for farm and forestry businesses in Wales, Farming Connect’s “All services provided are either fully remit is to help its registered businesses funded or subsidised by up to 80% and to reduce outputs and increase efficiency, available in Welsh and English. Delivery is balancing the needs of environmental broadly categorised under three headings sustainability with efficient and profitable – ‘Business’, ‘Land’ and ‘Livestock’ with production. A comprehensive carbon personal development as an overarching delivery plan has been implemented theme. Since the start of the current across the whole range of activities. The programme in October 2015, Farming programme prides itself in offering support Connect has delivered over 1,000 events and for everyone – from young farmers trying meetings a year, from one-to–one clinics to get a foothold to well-established, to 1,500 attendees at the Diversification sometimes multi-generational businesses. and Innovation Show in September 2019. The Farming Connect ‘Venture’ programme To date 143 Discussion Groups have been established and they are all encouraged to benchmark their performance; the
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Farming Connect Agrisgôp Group
introduces established landowners wanting have a background in agriculture. Most are to step back or exit the industry to those bilingual. Their local knowledge and contacts trying to gain a foothold – giving many young mean they are approachable and accessible farmers a much-needed helping hand. as they signpost registered businesses to the package of services available. In 2019, “Farming Connect’s Advisory Service allows all front-facing Farming Connect staff farmers to choose an approved consultant underwent mental health training, to help to deliver advice from business planning them identify signs of stress and encourage to nutrition, infrastructure, nutrient dialogue – much needed in an industry management planning and others. As a where so many individuals work in isolation result of the advice, 93% state they have and under pressure. or will make changes to their business and 99% state that the advisor’s guidance “’Develop your personal skills, develop assisted them in preparing a clear set of your business,’ is one of Farming Connect’s recommendations. Farmers learn from often-heard claims. It is at the heart of a other farmers and to accelerate this programme which is helping transform the process, Farming Connect has established business performance of its beneficiaries. a mentoring scheme with over 70 mentors Numerous challenges lie ahead for Welsh representing a variety of sectors and farming businesses, from Covid-19, to Brexit, specialisms. Eligible mentees can access climate change, changing consumer habits 15 hours of fully funded mentoring with and rapid developments in technology. their chosen farming or forestry mentor. The aim of Farming Connect is to assist Farming Connect’s team of 18 locally farming businesses in Wales to adapt to based development officers are integral the challenges so that they are effective, to the success of its delivery model. All competitive and profitable.”
Farming Systems 29 Tyddyn Teg Farming cooperatively for benefits to people and planet – Tyddyn Teg Tyddyn Teg is a 31-acre farm, nestled in between the Snowdonian mountains and the Menai Straight. A cooperatively owned and run farm, they use permaculture and organic methods to supply the local community with food. Their reputation has spread and it has become something of a pilgrimage site for those interested in learning about community-supported, sustainable, organic methods of farming, with an international team and visitors from across Europe. The farm shares the risk of production with consumers by operating a membership scheme; they keep their consumer base local (members must come to the farm to pick up their weekly share of the crop) and keep their prices accessible. Having visited them on our bike tour in 2018, we caught up with Alice Gray to see how they have been getting on and how they have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. of poly-tunnels, purchase of a new and less Alice Gray, Tyddyn Teg temperamental tractor, purchase of a power- harrow for better soil management, and “Our business is going better and better as purchase of a lot of terra-tek hand-tools for we all hone our farming skills and our co- more efficient weed management. Our team operative working systems. We have now is also expanding as we are looking to take reached 150 members on the Community on new members next year to help with all Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme and this work. Our waiting list is very long at the are turning over a substantial amount in moment so we are not afraid of not finding a our drop-in shop. We are working hard on market as it seems that interest in local food putting together a business plan for a loan is increasing all the time – particularly in light with the LEAP program to further develop of the recent crisis. our business and facilities; and we are hoping to reach 180 CSA members next “In terms of the impact of Covid-19, we are year. Planned developments include climate- lucky to have an international team and thus proofing with better irrigation systems (the we were in a way more tuned in to what drought was hard work to manage this was going on on the continent than other year – we only came through thanks to folks may have been and were able to move the dedication of our team), expansion of quickly to put in safety measures for our intensively managed no-dig beds, expansion customers – even before the lockdown was announced.
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“The business in our drop-in shop took off Learning from each other to catalyse a bit, but we were able to keep up, thanks positive change – Monmouthshire in large part to the excellent work of our Dairy Discussion Group supplier, Organic North, but also due to With contribution from Abi Reader, member of the early season we were having as a result Monmouthshire Dairy Discussion Group of all the sunny weather. We made all our decisions as a team through a consensus The Monmouthshire Dairy Discussion Group process, and the sunny weather also helped was formed in October 2014, instigated us to socially distance with ease as all by Farming Connect with funding through our meetings and meals could take place the Welsh Government Rural Communities outside.” – Rural Development Programme. The groups offer knowledge sharing but also opportunities to build targeted, individual farm plans. Members were initially recruited for having the common aim of improving herd fertility Menai Bridge performance, the most common inefficiency on dairy units. Milk records were used for benchmarking within the group, with the first meetings used to identify and quantify the fertility parameters of member farms and measure the financial impact of that performance. Regular meetings were scheduled to support the group farms in their objectives and to monitor progress. Fertility performance indicators were monitored, such as calving and inter-service interval, from which savings could be estimated. Over the lifetime of the project, the indicative saving across the group is around £203,600, equating to £94/cow. Fertility benchmarking was an excellent foundation for the group to build upon and as the trust and dynamics within the group membership naturally developed, so did the ambition to widen its remit. Driven by the members and supported by a facilitator, the group has added other topics including: antibiotic usage and antimicrobial resistance; youngstock health and heifer replacements; soil health and nutrient management planning and alternative protein crops.
Farming Systems 31 Covid-19 has significantly disrupted the managed this thanks to a stable processor group – and the dairy industry in general. relationship, drying off some cows who The group has been unable to meet, were nearing their spring peak production although Zoom and WhatsApp have allowed and feeding excess milk to calves. However, members to stay in touch and help each even with these actions, she has still lost other when necessary. The group’s proposed planned income due to reduced production. Soil Nutrient Management Planning, which Experiences between members of the requires a technician to visit the farms, group differ considerably and other factors take samples, scope out the conditions and (including existing loans, impact of (b)TB and discuss action plans, had been held up due recent technological investment) have made to the difficulty of arranging the visits across this an anxious time for all. the whole group, affecting spring grazing Abi’s hopes for the group are to have more and cutting. Covid-19 has further delayed meetings, and she is optimistic that remote this. Abi Reader, a member of the group, was ways of working will make this easier by disappointed to have her meeting with a soil reducing the time and money needed, expert postponed, especially with the rules although, she says, it’s still nice to have face- to tackle nitrate loss in Nitrate Vulnerable to-face meetings sometimes. The discussion Zones. group has become a trusted forum where Covid-19 has had a large impact on members can share day-to-day problems, production and demand for milk, with challenges and concerns with their peers. photos appearing in the media showing The importance of this for well-being cannot some dairy farms having to tip away be underestimated as the farming industry large quantities of milk. Luckily Abi has faces the challenges of a changing world.
Dairy Cows at pasture
32 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations LandLand Use Use and and Countryside Countryside
Land Use and Countryside
A new approach for our land and communicate – the farming and countryside resources unions and the Young Farmers’ Clubs being Natural Resources Wales key mechanisms for sharing information and listening to local farmer views. “As a society, we all need to work together “Recognising the importance of this, a in new ways, adopting a more joined-up national farming and woodland stakeholder approach to find solutions to a range of event was held in October 2019 involving complex challenges that we, and our natural as many farming representatives as environment, now face, including the climate possible both at national and county level. and nature emergencies. Participants felt that Area Statements offer “The Area Statements embody this new a real opportunity to do things differently: way of working, applying specific Wales involving farmers from the outset; legislation to promote the sustainable promoting cross-sectoral engagement and management of Wales’ natural resources. consensus building; developing the future Taking an evidence-based approach and Sustainable Farming Scheme; balancing local working with a wide range of stakeholders, and national issues; and piloting innovative we have developed a better understanding projects. of the key challenges facing our natural “Participants identified the need to work environment, what we can all do to meet closely with multiple stakeholders to identify those challenges, and how we can better ‘common ground’, including: manage our natural resources for the benefit of future generations. These are • ensuring stakeholders such as Public not static plans – they are a set of issues Health Wales were involved in solutions that need to be addressed collectively, and ensuring that ‘local knowledge’ is opportunities for what can be achieved if we • considered equally alongside knowledge work together. held by ‘experts’ “Natural Resources Wales (NRW) engages Improving personal relationships with farmers and land managers at the • between government partners and national scale through the Wales Land farmers Management Forum, but with nearly 35,000 land holdings in Wales, involving every • ‘Changing mindsets’ with agricultural farmer in this process is always going to colleges embedding sustainable land be a challenge. It is important for NRW management in education. to understand the ways in which farmers
Wales Field GuideLand for Use Future and Countryside Generations 33 33 “Participants also identified the importance “Covid-19 has inevitably presented a of avoiding ‘one size fits all’ approaches challenge to our current and future – developing local schemes tailored for engagement and the ongoing delivery of local issues, supporting the local economy, Area Statements. We are adapting our community and environment together. plans to the circumstances and exploring alternative virtual engagement tools such as “Participants highlighted that their core social media and virtual workshops. We are trusted networks were their own ‘close ties’ also exploring the use of external facilitators, personal networks; their trusted friends/ including Co-production Network for Wales peers, technical groups and their local to help shape dynamic relationships, farming union (NFU Cymru, FUW) reps and developing links with the business sector members. Important social aspects were and using online surveys. We are interested also provided from networks including: to know how the farming sector is adapting farmers’ markets; farm community to social distancing restrictions and the risks networks; technical groups (grassland that poses to the social networks mentioned societies); farmers’ buying groups; above. farmer-led social clubs; Young Farmers’ Clubs and smallholders collaboration “The Area Statements published on 1st April networks. Farmers were happiest in their summarise our work to date.9 They cover the own networks and generally did not feel whole of Wales and respond to the different comfortable going to the public sector for challenges presented within each spatial advice. area: the industrial legacies of the more urbanised south and north-east to rural mid-Wales and uplands of the north-west.
National Resources Wales - North West Wales Area Statement Workshop
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Common themes have emerged; sustainable Erica told us what a radical departure OPD is land management features as a key area from standard planning policy: the creation of focus in five of the Area Statements – of new residential smallholdings in the open and whilst it does not prescribe solutions, countryside, but with a long list of conditions it shows a commitment to continue to and intensive monitoring.10 Two years on, we work with the farming sector on finding caught up with Erica to see how things are sustainable solutions. unfolding. “In preparing this first iteration of Area Erica Thompson, Rhiw Las and One Planet Statements NRW has engaged extensively Council with stakeholders across sectors and at “On a personal level, things are going really both the local and national level – but we well. We’re now in the fourth of our five recognise more involvement is needed. ‘set-up’ years and well on the way to meeting Engagement will continue as we move into all the requirements of the policy. Having the delivery of opportunities identified in spent eighteen months self-building our the Area Statements. We want to focus on zero-carbon house (pictured), we’re now sharing experiences and learning from one able to focus on expanding our food growing another – acknowledging that no single and OPD enterprise. We planted apple trees, group has all the answers. This will be which are now fruiting well, and we continue Place-specific and may be different to the to increase our sales of honey and other engagement to date, as we focus on key produce. What’s also wonderful to see is the issues or themes or specific geographic way that the site now supports such a wide areas. Building on the messages coming out variety of insects, and birds (even when they of the October workshop and subsequent scoff all our redcurrants!) We’ve had a good local events, alignment to existing networks lockdown, all-in-all – we have had to cancel and approaches rather than developing courses and it has been a challenge to find additional bureaucracy is clearly essential. It will require NRW to continue the conversation with farmers at all levels.”
Harnessing the potential of One Planet Development Erica Thompson lives at a cluster of four new One Planet Development (OPD) smallholdings in Carmarthenshire and chairs the One Planet Council, an independent voluntary organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting One Planet Development in Wales and beyond. When we met Erica on our bike tour and featured Rhiw Las in our report A Fork in the Road,
Land Use and Countryside 35 new markets for our produce, but it’s helped networks so that OPD producers can work us really kick-start our growing and there’s together cooperatively to sell produce and been a huge increase in demand for quality crafts. There’s also an opportunity for new locally-produced food. models of OPD, different from the individual- smallholding model that makes up most of “From the point of view of the policy, things the present cohort. We would like to see are more mixed. I think what we’re seeing is larger farms taking up the OPD challenge dramatic success of individual smallholdings, from a more ‘conventional’ background, with inspiring stories, but still a number of Community Supported Agriculture systematic barriers and scepticism leading groups using the scheme to create quality to low uptake rates. Potential applicants zero-carbon homes for their growers instead have a perception that OPD applications are of the usual static caravans, and local very risky, expensive and difficult; detractors councils looking to incorporate One Planet have a perception that it is extremely easy, principles into new housing developments cheap, and just a ‘loophole’ to get planning where existing settlements need to expand. permission. I think the fact that there So along with the obvious challenges, it have only been around thirty successful certainly feels like an exciting time to build applications in the ten years since the policy on the opportunities presented by the was introduced, speaks to the reality. It is reimagining of food and farming post-Brexit an intense process and not for the faint- and post-Covid.” hearted. “So how can OPD help more people get into farming and local food production? Things are currently limited by the small scale. We are looking at creating marketing
Rhiw Las
36 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Land Use and Countryside
Exploring community land “Asking a question that has never been stewardship through the Skyline asked before is a difficult challenge. The project possibility of community land stewardship had barely been considered. We started with Chris Blake, Director, Green Valleys CIC artists to engage communities, breaking bread together, writing poetry, collecting dreams – but most of all we remembered Skyline - Treherbert and celebrated memories of place and of community. And from these dreams we started to create a vision. “There were other questions we sought to answer. Are there sustainable business models that would allow communities to break free from a culture of grant dependency? Are communities able to manage the landscape in a way that enhances ecological resilience for the long-term? Can these projects be well- governed for the long-term? Going to visit community land projects in Scotland gave us knowledge and insight to start to answer “Skyline, managed by The Green Valleys some of these questions. CIC, was a year-long project to explore the “I was struck by how residents of each valley feasibility of landscape-scale, community instinctively balanced all the goals that are land stewardship in Caerau, Treherbert, so often presented as being in conflict. Yes, and Ynysowen – to create a shared vision they wanted jobs and prosperity – but they for the next 100 years. This context is a also wanted a more resilient environment. landscape created by coal and steel, where There was also scepticism, hardened over isolated valleys are home to communities four decades of repeated policy failure, that struggling to respond to the loss of industry, any changes would make any appreciable yet surrounded by publicly owned land – the difference to their lives. But Skyline sought to forests of Welsh Government Forest Estate, offer something different: control. legacy coal boards, and local authorities. “But it all takes longer than you think. Nine “The project asked: what would happen if a months and our limited budget was not community had the right to manage the land enough to develop a deep conversation with that surrounds the town, for the long-term? the community, or to reach the ‘unusual What happens if we transfer to the town the suspects’. But through asking the question, rights to use all publicly owned land – to the we learnt that the power of land stewardship skyline? We sought to answer one important is in giving control to a community to shape question – do communities want to be their own landscape and through it their stewards of their own landscape? destiny.
Land Use and Countryside 37 Skyline - Treherbert
“Covid-19 has made this work seem ever a long-term lease will be agreed and a more urgent. During Covid there has been community land trust will be established a new focus on the local. We have looked to that gives control over the landscape to the local communities for support, for care, for community for the long term. Early in 2021 food, for exercise, for green space. Skyline the journey to a more sustainable future will is about re-localisation. About finding a way have begun. The destination will be under to provide jobs, education, nature where the control of the community that wants we live. We need to seize the chance to to build a place to meet the needs of both build back better and build back locally with present and future generations.” communities in control. “As Jane Davidson says about the project in her book #futuregen: “There is something fundamentally different about Skyline. This is not about communities having a project decided by others, applied to them. This is about communities galvanised into action by their own landscape. Once the final decision is made in each case about the land that will come under community stewardship,
38 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Land Use and Countryside
Engaging communities in the The theme of storytelling in the moors was management of the moors through furthered by Powys Moorland Partnership’s Powys Moorland Partnership collaboration with Wayland Boulanger. Wayland tells the tales of Welsh histories and With contribution from Catherine Hughes legends, with a focus on the Mabinogion. Funded through the Welsh Government’s He joined the visits and walks on the moors, Sustainable Management Scheme for telling the stories as they went, engaging collaborative landscape scale projects, Powys imaginations and creating a sense of place. Moorland Partnership was set up to improve Other educational and practical trips have areas of moorland, by engaging with farm also taken place, undertaking bird counts businesses and local communities. Project and working with organisations including Manager Catherine Hughes spent much of the Wildlife Trusts. Local mental health her time speaking with the various interests charity Brecon Mind also led visits, providing from owners, keepers and graziers to eco-therapy and mobilising people who are recreational and tourism interests. Catherine not often able to get out to the moors. says “By engaging with all interested parties we can start to agree on 80% of what we Wayland Boulanger want our landscapes to look like in the future, but it takes time and commitment to get the messages across. This collaboration is a new initiative; therefore we have to keep involving all interested parties and keep up the momentum and strengthen the story as we proceed – and more importantly demonstrate what the outcomes are through restoration of the ground. Engagement and more engagement and constant communication is key. School visits are hugely positive especially when the kids are so enthusiastic and feel able to ask any question they like. By having gamekeepers The main three-year project finished at the and graziers conduct the visits, our aim end of March. Reflecting on the project, is to find solutions where our landscapes engagement from the visiting schools, have a bigger and better story to tell. The charities and the hosting farmers surpassed children clearly enjoy having gamekeepers expectations. The generosity of the farmers and graziers explain what and why they do was impressive; they went above and what they do. It really can’t be taught in the beyond what was required of them – with classroom. It also potentially inspires them both their time and knowledge. Catherine to think of what they could get involved with refers to the farmers as an ‘untapped in the countryside as a career.” resource’; they have intimate connections with the land and can educate about ecology – habitats, migrations, population
Land Use and Countryside 39 variations, interactions – even if they are not consciously thinking of it as ‘ecology’. The communities on the moors are complex, with land-owners often being different from the farmers and graziers. Land-users are often left out of conversations despite their knowledge, enthusiasm and the direct impact of initiatives on them, which represents a great loss both for education and policy making. In terms of biodiversity, three years is not a lot of time to display a drastic impact, but it is enough time to mobilise and engage communities. This aspect has been a success, with schools and charities engaged and lasting connections created.
Powys Moorlands
40 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Questions to Consider
Wales has taken some large legal steps local governance structures will lead the towards committing to an integrated implementation and test innovative practice. well-being approach to food and farming What should the interface between these systems and how we use our land. Five levels of governance look like? years on from the Well-being of Future 2. How can we strengthen the place of Generations (Wales) Act, however, it’s healthy and sustainable food systems in clear that the law alone is not enough to local decision making and planning? generate the scale and pace of change that is required; more courageous and distributed Food is an essential way in which we engage leadership is needed, to support integration, with the world. If we start from a position both in shifting mindsets and thinking, and in that all people in Wales should have access guiding the required ways of working. to nutritious food, and that this should not come at the expense of animal welfare, the Our questions for political parties thinking rights of workers, the health of the soil, the about their manifestos are, given the legal climate or biodiversity, then this needs to and policy tools at their disposal, how to be taken into consideration in all decisions ensure that the ambition for the production we make about how public money is spent of healthy, nutritious food – that everyone and how we use our land. Essential to this can afford to eat – can be delivered in better will be increasing the amount of fruit and connected and more sustainable farming vegetables grown in Wales and ensuring that systems (including agroecology) and which fruit and vegetables are an affordable part fully integrate planning and decision-making of people’s diets. WWF Cymru report that about our land? Specifically: 94% of children don’t eat the recommended 1. What structures do we need in government five portions of fruit and vegetables a day12. to ensure that decisions about food, Compounding this, we have a horticultural farming, land use and rural communities sector that provides just 3% of the country’s are not taken in policy silos? fruit and veg needs, with suggestions that much more could be grown with little extra Wales has done much already to create land needed13. Post Covid-19, we have seen less siloed institutions. What can be that the absence of a resilient and diverse learnt from this experience and what else food system has consequences. is needed? WWF Cymru has called for a Wales Food Commission tasked with Should there be a requirement for Public overseeing targets and performance of a Services Boards to consider food as an food system strategy for Wales under one essential part of their Well-being Plans? How governance framework11. In addition, whilst could food be made an essential part of national institutions will set the direction, decisions about land and resource use?
WalesWales FieldField GuideGuide forfor FutureFuture Generations Generations 4141 3. What are the benefits of putting (Wales) Act. We must also consider what agroecology centre-stage in Welsh plans role the private and not for profit sectors for the well-being of future generations? play. What more could be achieved in the interface between sectors, through public Agroecology means taking into consideration procurement initiatives at local, regional the relationships between plants, animals, and national level or through the new people, and their environment. Farming Economic Contract as a mechanism to drive using agroecological approaches offers us responsible business behaviours, including a way to gain multiple benefits from the carbon footprint reduction? land. It puts producers and growers at the front of the change that is needed, allowing them to care for and improve the land, the soil and biodiversity. But the transition to farming in this way is a risk for farmers and we need structures and resources to support farmers to make this change. With Welsh government acknowledging the importance of the Foundational Economy, what could be achieved by placing agroecology at the centre of our approach to food, and what other benefits might be achieved as part of creating jobs, developing and valuing the skills of producers and growers, promoting crop diversity, biodiversity, ecological pest management and integrated mixed farming Blossom at Rhiw Las as the basis of successful food production? Agroecology is also underpinned by ideas of social and economic justice, and a fair and equitable food system, making it consistent with the values and aspirations embedded in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. 4. What duties would the Welsh Government need to put on public bodies to speed up and sustain the scale and pace of change needed? Many of the legislative mechanisms include duties which apply to public bodies, ensuring that public bodies must think about how public spending can create the most value, but where in Wales, ‘value’ is redefined under the Well-being of Future Generations
42 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Next steps
With the continued support of the Esmée where we work. As a Commission, this gives Fairbairn Foundation for the next three us the opportunity to learn from piloting years, we are continuing our programme our recommendations and support practical of work to unlock a just transition towards actions on the ground. For the network of sustainable food and farming systems, inquiries, this is an opportunity to learn from valuing our countryside, which builds on the each other and to coordinate and call for evidence and momentum the Commission change at a UK level. has already gathered. The planned programme of work includes three streams: • Convening leadership and conversations What’s next for FFCC Wales? on the difficult issues, for a just As part of the next phase of the transition - from the climate crisis to Commission’s programme, the inquiry in post-Brexit trade Wales will work to develop a three-year • Helping to implement our forward plan. We are working together recommendations, starting with a land with a range of stakeholders, to discuss this use framework, a ten-year transition report and consider our next steps. plan for sustainable, agroecological What is clear from previous work and farming, a National Agroecology from current conversations, is that there Development Bank and the National is considerable energy and momentum to Nature Service ensure that there is collaboration across • Resourcing more resilient and adaptable Wales, across sectors, bringing together communities, supporting and learning bottom-up and top-down approaches, to with our country and county inquiries. leverage the existing policy mechanisms at our disposal in Wales and the increasing Our approach has been to involve and work momentum of change we have seen as a with people and perspectives from around result of Covid-19. the country, travelling out to where they are, and appreciating the diversity of the Through the process of bringing this report UK countryside. We’ve worked closely with together, and discussing its themes with the different manifestations of leadership in others, we have identified opportunities to our country and county inquiries, bringing collaborate and align our work to ensure different perspectives into conversation that the sum of our efforts is greater than with each other and helping to develop and the individual parts. These include four main extend their work. Our work is also aiming strands of work. to create real two-way flows of information between our UK-wide and international work and initiatives supported in the devolved nations and English regions and counties
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 43 1. Ensuring that the need for fair and resourced and supported to make healthy food systems is integrated changes and we will work with them to into thinking and decisions about understand how to make this transition well-being, land use and resources. a realistic proposal, identifying and Food matters to everyone; we think channeling alternative sources of food should feature centrally as part funding and investment. of local land and resource planning. These are just some of the themes we hope Alongside Natural Resources Wales, to work on over the next three years of the we will investigate how food can be inquiry in Wales. We will support existing incorporated into Area Statements. We initiatives to map and develop a strong and will also show how food can deliver networked food, farming and countryside against the seven well-being goals, to sector. We will work with the Food Policy ensure food features centrally in local Alliance Cymru, Natural Resources Wales, Well-being Plans farming bodies, citizens action groups and 2. Investigating the potential for other partners to enhance each other’s work, agroecology in Wales – we think identify where there are gaps and help to agroecological approaches to farming find common ground. and land use allow us to gain multiple The Commission’s work is evolving, in benefits from the land, produce high turbulent, uncertain and complex national quality healthy food sustainably, and global conditions, and we will also improve farmers’ livelihoods and hold the space open for those who want to well-being, tackle the climate crisis, work together, making the most of future enhance biodiversity and improve the opportunities as we work towards national land for future generations. There is renewal after the Covid-19 crisis. a strong case for farmers to be at the front of the change that is needed Bara Menyn Bakehouse & Café 3. Enquiring whether all public spending is aligned coherently for Welsh policy intentions – from public bodies across Wales using their buying power to support local producers and improve diets, to investing and aligning all public resources for greater public value. We will work to leverage distinctive Welsh policy mechanisms to make change more widespread 4. Explaining the resources needed for a just transition to more sustainable food and farming systems and flourishing rural economies – farmers, growers and land managers must be
44 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Acknowledgements
The Food, Farming and Countryside • Professor Terry Marsden and Dr Commission would like to thank all those Angelina Sanderson Bellamy (University who contributed case studies, comments, of Cardiff’s Sustainable Places Research contacts and guidance for this report, Institute) including: • Dr Pamela Mason (Public Health Nutritionist) • Carwyn Adams (Caws Cenarth) • Nick Miller (Miller Research) • Tom Andrews (Sustainable Food Places) • Katie Palmer (Food Sense Wales) • Gwyneth Ayers (Carmarthenshire • Jane Powell (Food Manifesto Wales) County Council) • Abi Reader (Monmouthshire Dairy • Chris Blake (Green Valleys CIC) Discussion Group) • Shea Buckland-Jones (WWF Cymru) • Erica Thompson (Rhiw Las and One Planet Council) • Pearl Costello (Food Cardiff) Holly Tomlinson (Landworkers Alliance) • Jane Davidson (University of Wales • Trinity Saint David) • Jack Wild (Bara Menyn Bakehouse and Café) • Martyn Evans and Ulfa Bennett (Natural Resources Wales) • Eirwen Williams (Menter a Busnes) • Rhys Evans (RSPB Cymru) • Emma Williams (Y Felin Mill) • Duncan Fisher (Our Food, Crickhowell) • Graeme Wilson (Slade Farm) • Alice Gray (Tyddyn Teg) • Dafydd Gruffydd (Menter Môn) The report was written by Sophie Reid, with case studies by Isobel Shan, edited by Jane Davidson and Patrick Holden (Holden Farm Dairy and • Sue Pritchard, Welsh translation by Philip Higginson Sustainable Food Trust) and design by Kenny McCarthy. Catherine Hughes (Powys Moorland • Photography was provided by case study Partnership) contributors, with additional photography • Dr Eifiona Lane, Luke Prosser and credits: Cows and farmer - Jim Marsden; Menter Rebecca Jones (Bangor University) Môn - North Wales Fish Direct; Y Felin Mill flour - Mannings Grocers; Crickhowell - Johan Rachel Lewis-Davies (NFU Cymru) • A; Menai Bridge - Humphrey Maleba; Sheep grazing in Brecon Beacons - Neil Howard; Friesian cows - idleman; Menai Boats - Bente Whyatt
Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 45 References
1 Our Future in the Land can be read at https://www.ffcc.co.uk/reports 2 Welsh Government / Llywodraeth Cymru (2019) Agriculture: Sector Emission Pathway / Amaethyddiaeth: llwybr allyriadau sector. [Online] Available at: https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-06/ agriculture-sector-emission-pathway-factsheet.pdf 3 Locality; Cooperatives UK; Plunkett Foundation (2019) Communities in Charge: Give people the power to prosper after Brexit. Locality; Cooperatives UK; Plunkett Foundation. [Online] Available at: locality.org.uk/ wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Communities-in-Charge-Campaign-Report_FINAL_20190607.pdf 4 Public Health Wales (2018) The case for action on obesity in Wales, Public Health Wales NHS Trust 5 Wheeler, A. (2015) Beyond ‘5 a day’, Food Manifesto Wales [online] Available at: https://foodmanifesto. wales/2015/09/25/beyond-5-a-day/] 6 Future Generations Commissioner (2020) Future Generations Report 2020, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales [Online] Available at: https://futuregenerations.wales/public_info/the-future- generations-report-2020/] 7 Sanderson Bellamy, A. and Marsden, T. (2020) A Welsh Food System Fit for Future Generations, WWF Cymru [Online] Available at: https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/welsh-food-system-fit-future-generations] 8 Food Manifesto Wales is online at https://foodmanifesto.wales/ 9 The Area Statements can be viewed on NRW’s website https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area- statements/?lang=en 10 The story of our 2018 bike tour A Fork in the Road can be read online at https://www.ffcc.co.uk/reports 11 Sanderson Bellamy, A. and Marsden, T. (2020) A Welsh Food System Fit For Future Generations, WWF Cymru [Online] Available at: https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/welsh-food-system-fit-future-generations] 12 Sanderson Bellamy, A. and Marsden, T. (2020) A Welsh Food System Fit For Future Generations, WWF Cymru [Online] Available at: https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/welsh-food-system-fit-future-generations] 13 Wheeler, A. (2015) Beyond ‘5 a day’, Food Manifesto Wales [Online] Available at: https://foodmanifesto. wales/2015/09/25/beyond-5-a-day/]
46 Wales Field Guide for Future Generations Wales Field Guide for Future Generations 47 Supported by:
Kemp House 160 City Road London, EC1V 2NX +44 (0) 20 7118 1870 The Food, Farming and Countryside Commission focusses on food and Registered in farming, climate, nature and the public's health, for a just transition to England and Wales a greener, fairer world. With partners in governments, businesses and Company no. 12562770. communities, we generate radical ideas and practical actions to transform our countryside and our economy. We help convene collective leadership on Copyright © FFCC 2020 the difficult questions and resource communities to become more resilient www.ffcc.co.uk and adaptable for the challenges ahead.