‘Farmers must vote for industry’s future’
Farmers are being urged to make sure their voice is heard by voting in the General Election on Thursday.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has held hustings in all parts of Wales in the run-up to the election, giving voters the chance to hear from all political parties about their vision for agriculture.
“Many of us will have attended the hustings organised by the FUW, listening to the arguments from all political parties, as well as keeping a close eye on the election debates broadcast on TV,” said FUW president Glyn Roberts.
“We are a politically neutral organisation and have always worked with all political parties to ensure the best outcome for our rural communities ... and all those who derive an income from agriculture.
“This vote is very important to the future of our country. We must have the full spectrum of opinions in this election and that includes our rural and young voices. We have met with General Election candidates from all major Welsh and UK parties to outline the union’s key priorities for agriculture and outlined our manifesto demands, including our key demand that the next Government negotiates Brexit transitional arrangements with the EU which allow sufficient time to reach agreement on trade and other matters.”
Mr Roberts added that if voters don’t want to see Wales being turned into an open-air museum, agriculture has to be recognised for its role in keeping rural communities alive.
“We want to see a vibrant future for real people and agriculture is a key player in that. Therefore, I would urge everyone who has #FarmingMatters close to their heart to make the commitment to take to the polls, regardless of their political persuasions,” Mr Roberts.
Welsh livestock farmers debated what post-Brexit agricultural policies could look like and what would happen if agriculture fails at a joint meeting of the FUW livestock and hill farming committees.
The FUW president highlighted a recent study by the University of Kent that found the complete abolition of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments without compensation or countervailing measures could cost around 250,000 nonfarming jobs across the UK.
The study, Employment Effects of CAP Payments in the UK Non-Farm Economy, found a net positive effect of CAP payments on non-farm employment and in particular a strong positive relationship between direct payments and non-farm employment compared with Rural Development payments.
The study concluded the loss of CAP payments would also be likely to have implications beyond employment, such as increased rural depopulation – particularly in terms of young people seeking jobs outside farming – and reduced business efficiency due to reductions in the scale of operations for some small and medium-sized enterprises.
“This study supports and helps quantify what the FUW has been highlighting for many years, which is that farms support significantly more non-farming businesses and jobs than many sometimes appreciate,” added Mr Roberts. “With so much at stake, it is essential that we use Brexit to create better-functioning supply chains which fairly reward everyone; put in place policies which make up for market failure; and better target support in order to create a more prosperous Welsh economy.”
The FUW president said it was vital all farmers join the discussions to ensure a policy suitable for all Welsh farming sectors can be put forward.
“Following a consultation with members last year, we have begun to discuss more detailed scenarios for future post-Brexit agricultural policies with the committees today, and we will continue to gather opinions and ideas on what farming in Wales should look like.
“The FUW has a grass-roots structure and our policies are formed by members – farmers working on the ground every day. I encourage everyone to continue to feed their views in through their local offices and branch meetings,” he said.