Welsh farmers need government support

AS farmers, and friends of farmers in Wales, we call on the next Welsh Government to put farming at the forefront of its agenda.

Wales’ family farms are the cornerstone of the rural economy. They support thousands of livelihoods both directly and indirectly across the wider supply chain and play a vital role in sustaining the Welsh language and culture in our communities.

Welsh farmers produce the finest produce in the world to the highest environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards. Through sustainable farming practices and careful stewardship of our land, our farmers play a significant role in meeting our climate obligations so that we may leave this planet to our children in a better condition than that in which we inherited it.

And yet, far too many of our farmers are under pressure. They are:

■ Concerned that the Welsh Government is about to hang them out to dry with an unsupportive replacement of the Basic Payment System;

■ Anxious about their future livelihoods, following the imposition of a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) on Welsh farmers that will cause untold damage to Welsh farming, threatening many farms with going out of business;

■ Frustrated that not enough is being done to promote Welsh produce in public procurement policies.

We call on the next Welsh Government to:

■ Reverse the draconian Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021;

■ Consider food security as a primary reason for farm support alongside public money for public good;

■ Work with UK Government to promote Welsh produce and to capitalise on export opportunities from new and emerging markets;

■ Strengthen public-sector procurement rules to make sure that more Welsh produce is used in our schools, hospitals, and the wider public sector.

While there is much more to do, these immediate actions will place this vital sector on a more stable footing and reassure Welsh farmers that they have a government that finally understands their priorities and is on their side.

Meurig Raymond Former President, NFU

Alan Davies Former Managing Director, Farmers’ Union of Wales

Katie Davies Chairman, Young Farmers Clubs,

Wales