Bad Brexit deal ‘could set farming in Wales back by decades’
WALES’ farming leaders have issued a desperate plea to the UK Government over Brexit as Europe’s biggest agriculture celebration, the Royal Welsh Show, begins in Mid Wales.
UK Environment Minister Michael Gove is set to face intense lobbying as he makes his first visit to the Llanelwedd showground this week amid fears about the impact of tariffs on Welsh agricultural exports.
Farming union leaders and politicians warned that a bad Brexit deal could set Welsh farming back decades, that uncertainty was damaging farming and that trade with Europe was vital for Welsh farming.
Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said the UK Government’s legislative plans to pave the way for Brexit could undermine years of devolved agricultural policy.
“Devolution has allowed us to tailor our policies for Welsh farmers with an understanding of their distinct needs,” she said.
“I’m worried the Withdrawal Bill, coupled with their lack of engagement with us to understand the needs of Welsh farmers, will mean this understanding is lost and the industry in Wales will move back decades.”
The two biggest farming unions both reiterated the vital importance of Europe’s barrier-free trading area, the Single Market, to Welsh farming.
Nearly three quarters of Welsh exports were sold to the EU last
year, including 90% of Welsh red meats.
Experts have warned that outside the single market, Welsh beef exports could see a tariff of up to 70% at an extra cost of £340m a year, with a potential 36% tariff on dairy products.
They were speaking at the start of the Royal Welsh Show, which is expected to welcome up to 230,000 people and 8,000 livestock entries to the showground near Builth Wells.
NFU Cymru President Stephen James said: “A ‘no deal’ scenario with our main trading partner is not an option for Welsh agriculture.
“The implications of moving to the WTO default position of Most Favoured Nation trading status does not bear thinking about. What business could cope with a 46% tariff on lamb, a 65% tariff on beef, a 42% tariff on Cheddar cheese or a 53% tariff on wheat?
“Food is a perishable product and on top of our concerns over tariffs, we cannot afford to see delays in our produce getting on to EU markets through disruptive border checks, processes and procedures that slow down the movement of our produce. We must maintain open and frictionless trade between the EU and UK.”
And Farmers Union of Wales president Glyn Roberts said that agricultural businesses needed a clear idea of what the future will look like.
“I must declare my disappointment with the way things have been progressing,” he said
“With only 20 months to exit... there is no sign of any discussions for the creation of a framework for agriculture and nor does there appear to be any indication of when these discussions will begin.
Welsh Government minister Ms Griffiths also said concerns remained about a lack of meetings between Westminster’s Environment Minister Mr Gove and agricultural and environment ministers from devolved nations.
Plaid’s environment spokesman Simon Thomas stressed that Welsh farming stood at a “cross roads” in the wake of Brexit.
He said: “Welsh farming is at a crossroads if we leave the European Union.
“Agriculture will face the biggest impact of leaving the European Union, according to research by the NFU, for every £1 invested in farm support in the UK, farming delivers £7.40 back to the economy. This is why we need the right regulatory framework and policies to minimise as much as possible the harm caused to the sector.
“Much depends on the trade negotiations carried out by the Westminster Government and how much voice Wales will have in the dealmaking.
The warning comes as Welsh lamb exports were announced as at an alltime high, earning more than £110m last year to make up a third of Wales’ total food and drink exports.
At the Royal Welsh Show this week, visitors to the showground can look forward to entertainment from horse and sheepdog displays alongside craft exhibitions, workshops and a Welsh food fair.
Youngsters from across the country have also gathered in the Young Farmer Community’s Young People Village, with previous headliners including BBC One’s Greg James and Huw Stephens.