Farmers’ shared vision for the future revealed at regional roadshows
LAST week the NFU Cymru team travelled the length and breadth of Wales, hosting regional roadshows. The aim was to meet with members across the country, to discuss how vital it is that they respond to the Brexit and Our Land consultation and to seek their views.
Hundreds of members attended the roadshows (kindly sponsored by Barclays) and it was great to hear the views on the Welsh Government consultation. The main message to come from all the meetings was that farmers are more than just land managers. It was also put forward that the Welsh Government should put food production at the heart of a future farming policy.
There was an excellent attendance, which just goes to show the amount of concern people have for the future of the Welsh agricultural industry post-Brexit.
The NFU Cymru policy team gave presentations, explaining the consultation proposals and the current political landscape. Afterwards, intense discussions took place, with members’ views being clear and consistent throughout Wales.
I am proud to be president of a union representing such passionate and ambitious farmers, who all share a common goal – producing safe, high-quality, traceable and affordable food for the consumer. This was highlighted throughout the roadshows and the positive engagement has been second to none.
Throughout the consultation there are references to a future land management programme designed to support land managers. I cannot emphasise enough how proud each and every one of us is to be called a farmer. And we are much more than land managers – we have a wide range of skills that all contribute to making our businesses successful.
Land management doesn’t adequately describe the role we play in underpinning rural communities and the economy of Wales. Farming and food production go hand in hand and must be at the core of future policy. It is also my belief that any new policy should be targeted at those who take the financial and business risks associated with producing food.
NFU Cymru has been undertaking work on future Welsh agricultural policy since the referendum result two years ago. At that time,
NFU Cymru president
we spoke with our members and developed a vision document – and it seems our members still want to see that vision implemented today. At the regional roadshows they reiterated their support for this policy, which rests on three cornerstones – productivity, environment and stability. There were however, concerns that the current consultation proposals only seek to introduce measures to address two of these cornerstones.
Farmers need a stable foundation in order to invest in productivity and environment measures. Direct payments have been crucial in providing this and it is vital that these are part of a future agricultural policy in Wales. NFU Cymru members expressed their willingness to consider different options moving forward, on the proviso that the measures continue to deliver the much-needed stability that the industry requires.
After this week, I am more sure than ever that there is passion and ambition among farmers. The view from the ground is simple – farmers want the Welsh Government to put food production at the heart of future farming policy in Wales. We want to be able to put Wales on the world stage as a food-producing nation, but we need Welsh Government support to be able to do this.
Now more than ever we need to come together and make sure farming’s voice is heard loud and clear. I urge each and every one of you to complete a consultation response. NFU Cymru will, of course, be completing a thorough response on members’ behalf, but never has it been more important for the whole industry to be united. And we all want the future of Welsh farming to be a prosperous one.
NFU Cymru will hold county meetings throughout Wales over the next few weeks. We encourage members to come along with their iPads, laptops or tablets, and we can help you complete the application during the meeting. There will also be help available from county advisers, so please get in touch with the office on 01982 554200. If you are not able to attend the meetings, you can still respond by visiting the NFU Cymru website, where you will find help and guidance.