Does the Welsh Government consider increasing livestock numbers in the Welsh red meat sector to be a strategic priority and, if so, what specific interventions will it introduce to achieve this?
The Welsh Government is committed to a strong, sustainable and productive Welsh red meat sector. Decisions on herd and flock size are for individual farm businesses, taking account of market conditions, land capability, environmental obligations and long-term business resilience.
Our focus is on supporting farmers to improve efficiency, productivity and environmental performance while continuing to produce high-quality Welsh PGI red meat. The Sustainable Farming Scheme will provide the main platform for this support, including opportunities through Optional and Collaborative Actions to invest in sustainable production, animal health and welfare, skills, benchmarking and targeted capital investment.