Food scarcity is real concern

THE recent sustained spell of dry weather has compounded the challenges imposed on food production, further underlining the need for future farming policy to encompass a key requirement to underpin food production in Wales.

Farmers will all share a common concern over the impact that ongoing volatility is having on their farming businesses. A recent poll of over 700 farmers conducted by NFU Cymru found that 71% of those questioned intended to reduce production next year, principally as a result of rising input costs. The extremely hot weather experienced in the last six weeks has now intensified the concerns voiced in the farmer survey and highlighted why NFU Cymru believes a stability mechanism should be an essential component of Welsh Government’s future policy plans.

An already unprecedented and difficult situation has now been further exacerbated by the recent dry weather the UK has been experiencing in recent weeks. Wales is renowned for its grass growth, but the droughtlike conditions we have faced in recent weeks has meant in many cases there has not been adequate grass for animals to graze. In fact, many farmers have already had to resort to feeding livestock winter rations and this will certainly have a negative impact on farming systems and margins later in the year.

We are living in an age when food scarcity is a very real concern in countries across the world. Any geopolitical event, global catastrophe or weather phenomenon that hinders food production should be rightly viewed as a very real concern.

Given what is at stake, it is imperative that the Agriculture (Wales) Bill, to be introduced this autumn has, as a key objective, a requirement to ensure the continued stable supply of home produced, high quality food to help ensure Welsh farmers can continue feeding the nation.