‘Betrayal’ cry as Welsh farm budget slashed
THE UK government has been accused of a “Brexit betrayal” after Welsh farming’s budget was slashed by at least £95m for the coming financial year.
A key element of the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto was a pledge to maintain agricultural and rural development funding at current levels, echoing earlier promises made by Brexit campaigners.
In last week’s spending review, UK chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed Wales’ agri budget would be cut to £242m, down around 28% from the £337m that had been expected.
The announcement came two days after the devolved governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland wrote jointly to Defra Secretary George Eustice seeking assurances funding would be maintained.
There had been fears that even more – up to £160m – would be shaved off Wales’ farming and rural budgets.
Glyn Roberts, president of the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW), said many Welsh farmers had voted for Brexit, and for the Tories, on the basis of promises made.
“The decision to slash the budget is therefore a complete betrayal of the farmers who have kept producing food and feeding the nation throughout the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
Many farmers are still smarting from Westminster’s decision to oppose legal safeguards in the Agriculture Bill that would have prevented imports of sub-standard food in future trade deals.
UK ministers have insisted sufficient protections are in place, but the looming prospect of a no-deal Brexit has left many farmers aghast.
As subsidies make up around 80% of average Welsh farm incomes, hefty cuts to the agri budget, and a shift away from direct payments, will leave a huge question mark hanging over the industry, said Mr
Roberts.
He added: “Farmers, businesses and rural constituents were promised an “oven-ready deal”, minimum trade friction and that the agricultural budget would be maintained.
“What has transpired can only be described as a Brexit betrayal that will have far-reaching consequences for family farms, rural businesses and communities.”
Before yesterday’s spending review rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths had repeated her calls for the UK Government to make good on its pre-election commitments to Welsh farmers.
With her Scottish counterpart she had highlighted other payment shortcomings, including a failure by the Treasury to account for interpillar transfers made in 2020-21.
However Mr Sunak insisted that the Government had to make “tough choices” in the current climate.