Farmers in Wales are warning that protests are "inevitable" over planned Welsh government reforms. Former rugby referee-turned-farmer Nigel Owens is set to be one of hundreds of people attending a meeting in Carmarthenshire on Thursday (February 8).

It follows a meeting in Welshpool last week that was attended by more than 1,000. Unions are warning that a new subsidy scheme for farms, set to come in from 2025, is "unworkable".

The aim is to reward "sustainable" food production and practices that help tackle climate change and nature loss. To be eligible for the new payments farms must ensure 10% of land is planted with trees and 10% is treated as wildlife habitat.

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NFU Cymru has raised "extreme concern" at Welsh Government’s ‘doubling down’ on its 10% tree cover targets. They have said the proposals were too complicated and "did not make business sense". The plans are one of the Welsh government's flagship policies to fight climate change and nature loss.

NFU Cymru deputy president Abi Reader told BBC Wales: "This is such a different model to what's been there in the past, it's going to have catastrophic impacts on farming businesses. I was in a meeting last night and somebody said they went home and just cried."

A consultation has suggested if every farm took part it could result in a 10.8% reduction in livestock numbers and an 11% cut in labour on Welsh farms. NFU Cymru said this would be the equivalent of losing 5,500 jobs.

Action by farmers has been spreading across Europe, fuelled by environmental reforms and rising costs.

Nigel Owens, who now runs a 90-acre farm near Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, said on Thursday: "We all have to play our part in tackling climate change, but it has to be fair as well and achievable. It is where your food on the table comes from every day but if we are not careful and bringing things that are not workable and not fair, it will reduce the amount of food production.

"We need to plant trees and there is room for it, but it has to be sensible. We are turning good quality land and if you reduce the amount we have then you produce the amount farmers can produce. Farmers are on the breadline as it is, 10% is a huge amount. It is going to reduce the food production. When we don't produce enough food from here, where is the food going to come from? We need to produce sustainable food in this country. There is a place for planting trees, but it has to be fair and sensible."

He added: "There is a lot of anger at the moment. Farmers are playing their part. I hope they will see the scheme the way it is is not being fair and hopefully we can come to an agreement together for the good of everybody. Without farmers, you won't have the food on the table. It is as simple as that."

The former referee said that he would join a "peaceful protest" if they went ahead.

Lesley Griffiths has urged farmers to take part in a consultation. She said: "I understand that people don't like change so it is natural that people who are frightened get together. What is important that it is a consultation. Some of the proposals will have undoubtedly have to change."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The Sustainable Farming Scheme aims to secure food production systems, keep farmers farming the land, safeguard the environment, and address the urgent call of the climate and nature emergency. We have run an extensive co-design exercise in developing the SFS and we thank the hundreds of farmers who have been involved. The final consultation on the scheme is still open and we encourage everyone to reply with their views by 7 March. No final decision will be taken on the scheme until after the consultation has taken place, and we will listen carefully to all views. ”