Female perspective on farming’s future
Ahard Brexit, with no deal on access to the Single Market followed by a delay before new trade deals are agreed, could be “catastrophic” for Welsh livestock farmers, a group of women involved in farming has warned.
More than 20 women, all of whom work in agriculture, have produced the report, which also calls for continued direct support for farmers and a rationalisation of red tape as a priority following Brexit.
The report has been prepared as a result of the Farming Connect Women in Agriculture Forum.
It includes the following recommendations:
Any free trade deals should include an insistence on the standards of food and drink imports into the UK being equivalent to the standards of production here in accordance with WTO rules;
Continued direct support for farmers to ensure they are not displaced, landscapes do not suffer and land is not abandoned. Support to Welsh farms should be on the basis of “services” these units provide the rural community and beyond;
A marketing strategy should be adopted to improve the public’s perception of farming in Wales and the UK, to increase market opportunities for domestic agricultural produce within the UK;
A collaborative approach between government and farming;
A rationalisation of the red tape and administrative burden on farming businesses undertaken as a priority post-Brexit.
The report says: “We need to make sure that agriculture is not an afterthought in trade deals negotiated, and Welsh Government representatives need a strong voice and role on behalf of Welsh agriculture in those trade negotiations which are anticipated to take place at a UK level…
“Politicians must not, as they have done in the past, use agriculture as a bargaining tool to achieve better trade deals for other industries and in so doing turn a convenient blind eye to lower welfare and production standards in overseas countries.”
It points to the use of chlorine to clean chicken carcases in America as an example of the lower standards that should not be allowed to enter the UK market.
“We should maintain our high standards of animal health and welfare and insist that others wishing to trade in our market do the same,” the report adds.
The call was echoed by FUW Cymru deputy president John Davies, who told BBC Panorama last night that standards on imported food must be as high as those current for food produced here.
Mr Davies said: “I’m really scared of imports, produced to completely different standards, hormones, you know, feed-lot beef, etc... We’re based on pasture, green pleasant land, high environmental standards, [we’re] really proud of that.”
The women, who are supported through Farming Connect’s Agrisgôp management development programme, presented their report to Rural Affairs Secretary Lesley Griffiths at a meeting in Cardiff Bay.
Ms Griffith said: “As we prepare for a future outside the EU, it is vital we hear the views from as many people as possible to ensure Wales’ future agriculture policies benefit everyone within the industry.”
Agrisgôp leader and farmer Alice Lampard, a trained coach and mediator, added: “Wales now has an opportunity to lead the way in policy development and thinking in terms of the new British agricultural policy and resulting Welsh policy.
“This new report identifies the considerable challenges which inevitably lie ahead, while also setting out recommendations on what the industry can do to capitalise on the opportunities.”
Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, added: “It was useful to have an input from voices traditionally not heard when it comes to agriculture. We talked about the importance of access to the European Single Market for our producers, the potential cost of food and whether Westminster will start to listen to Wales when it comes to agriculture and the environment.
“I look forward to working with the forum in the future.”