Farming is a crucial issue in election campaigning

WE’RE in the thick of General Election campaigning, with all parties setting out their stall ahead of polling day on June 8. Party manifestos have been published, so it is now up to the people of Britain to make up their mind as to who they think will be able to deliver the best deal for the country in the coming years.

At NFU Cymru, we were keen to publish our manifesto and key policy asks for the next UK government ahead of the party manifestos, in the hope that we could influence the content. It is pleasing to see each party has mentioned the importance of farming, with some manifestos setting out how they will support the industry.

Our vision is for a productive, profitable and progressive farming industry in Wales. For this to happen, the next government must realise the true contribution that farming makes to the economy. Not only do farmers provide safe, affordable food, produced to the highest animal welfare standards, they also provide for the environment and the wellbeing of the whole of Wales.

Farmers manage over 80% of Wales’ land, which in turn contributes to a tourism industry worth £2.8bn. This cannot be ignored by the government. More and more emphasis is being put on social and physical wellbeing and farming provides the perfect backdrop for a healthier population.

We’ve shown in the past that farmers are the axis around which rural communities thrive. Farmers spend most of their money in their local communities, through feed merchants, mechanics, contractors, agricultural stores, electricians, builders, vets, etc, so the money circulates around those communities who are largely reliant on farmers doing well.

This has been dubbed the Brexit election. Although it’s not the only issue for Welsh farming, Brexit cannot be ignored. The current EU funding for farm holdings in Wales totals 9.6% of the full EU budget. If the UK government were to allocate any future support for agriculture according to the Barnett formula, Wales would be getting around 5.7%. We cannot allow this to happen and must maintain current levels of investment for farming in Wales.

Investing in agriculture is good value for money. I urge all those with an interest in farming, the environment and rural communities, to read each party manifesto carefully to ensure they are pledging to contribute suitable resources to the industry.