Meetings

Soil Health in Agriculture

This page gives details of any meetings held which will, or did, discuss the matter, and includes links to the relevant Papers, Agendas and Minutes.

Note: Meeting Agenda can change at short notice. Particularly where future meeting dates are indicated more than a week in advance. Please check before planning to attend a Committee Meeting that the item you are interested in has not been moved.

 

 

Meeting: 04/02/2026 - Plenary (Item 6)

Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report: Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health

NDM9133 Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central) 

To propose that the Senedd: 

Notes the report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee ‘Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health’, which was laid in the Table Office on 18 November 2025, and on which the Welsh Government laid its response on 28 January 2026.

Minutes:

The item started at 16.18

NDM9133 Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central) 

To propose that the Senedd: 

Notes the report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee ‘Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health’, which was laid in the Table Office on 18 November 2025, and on which the Welsh Government laid its response on 28 January 2026.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Meeting: 29/01/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Banning peat compost

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 29/01/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report: Digging the Dirt: Improving Wales’ Soil Health

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 16/10/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Soil Health in Agriculture: Consideration of Draft Report

Supporting documents:

  • Draft report

Minutes:

2.1     The Committee considered and reviewed the draft report, and discussed changes to be made prior to its publication.

Meeting: 17/07/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Follow-up to 15 May Committee meeting - Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 17/07/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 10)

10 Soil Health in Agriculture: Key issues discussion

Supporting documents:

  • Key issues paper

Minutes:

10.1  The Committed discussed the key issues arising from the Soil Health in Agriculture inquiry, and agreed to move forward with drafting the Committee’s report.

Meeting: 02/07/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Soil Health in Agriculture inquiry

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 19/06/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Soil Health in Agriculture

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 19/06/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Follow-up to 15 May Committee meeting: Glastir and National Minimum Standards

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 15/05/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

4 Soil Health in Agriculture: Panel 4

Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government

James Cooke - Head of Agricultural Land Use Policy, Welsh Government

Andrew Chambers - Head of Agriculture Legislative Framework Branch, Welsh Government

Naomi Matthiessen - Deputy Director - Landscapes, Nature & Forestry, Welsh Government

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1    The Committee heard evidence from Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government.

4.2    The Committee agreed to follow-up several points raised during the session with the Cabinet Secretary in written correspondence.

Meeting: 15/05/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Soil Health in Agriculture: Panel 3

Abi Reader, Deputy President, NFU Cymru

Teleri Fielden, Policy Officer, Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW)

Fraser McAuley, Senior Policy Adviser, Country Land and Business Association (CLA)

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Abi Reader (NFU Cymru), Teleri Fielden (Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW)), and Fraser McAuley (Country Land and Business Association (CLA)).

Meeting: 15/05/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Soil Health in Agriculture: Panel 2

Andrew Tuddenham, Head of Policy, Soil Association Cymru

Rhys Evans, Wales Manager, Nature Friendly Farming Network

Ellen Fay, co-Executive Director, Sustainable Soils Alliance

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Andrew Tuddenham (Soil Association Cymru), Rhys Evans (Nature Friendly Farming Network), and Ellen Fay (Sustainable Soils Alliance).

Meeting: 30/04/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Soil Health in Agriculture: Panel 1

Professor Bridget Emmett, Principal Scientist, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Dr William Stiles, Lecturer in Soil Science - Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University

Professor Prysor Williams, Chair of Agriculture and Environment, School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Professor Bridget Emmett (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology),

Dr William Stiles (Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University), and Professor Prysor Williams, (School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University).

 

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