NFU Cymru, farmers and industry leaders celebrated Welsh food and farming at the Senedd yesterday with Assembly Members and stakeholders from across the supply chain.
The event in Cardiff Bay aimed to highlight to Assembly Members how important it is for Welsh Government and the food supply chain to work together to ensure the food and farming sector in Wales flourishes.
During the event NFU Cymru President, Stephen James, explained to Assembly Members how there is tremendous potential to grow the market for what is produced in Wales, both within the UK and further afield.
He said: "This event is about celebrating the fantastic food that we as a nation produce.
"It is about promoting and celebrating all the links in the food supply chain, a supply chain worth £6bn annually to Wales and employing nearly a quarter of a million people.
"While market conditions are tough at present, I am confident for the future of the industry.
"We have a climate that allows us to grow forage and a range of crops efficiently, and we have a nation of passionate, dedicated and skilled farmers who are leading the way in technological advances.
"These factors will undoubtedly stand us in good stead and enable us to meet the growing demand for high quality food."
90% of Welsh exports go to the EU
Stephen James continued: "There are significant opportunities to further promote Welsh food at home and abroad.
"Total exports from Wales are valued at just over £300m with 90% of those exports going to the EU.
"Markets in the US and China however remain largely untapped. We look to this Government to facilitate the removal of the barriers currently in place and open up these export markets."
Andy Richardson, Chairman of Food and Drink Wales Industry Board also spoke at the event and outlined his vision for achieving the Welsh Government’s growth target of 30% to £7billion annually for the food and drink sector.
He said: "Farmers play a most vital role in the food and drink industry, providing safe, reliable and high quality food produced with integrity.
"The board is working on four key work streams to help grow the food and drink sector and these are; customers and markets, business and investment, skills and engagement.
"We want to develop an ethos of positivity within the whole supply chain, I believe this is key."
'Farmers drive and underpin rural economy'
NFU Cymru Director, John Mercer, thanked Andy Richardson for speaking at the event and said: "This event has presented a fantastic opportunity to meet the newly elected members of the National Assembly of Wales and showcase all that is good about our industry.
"Welsh farmers not only produce food of the highest quality but they do so in an environmentally sustainable manner, they maintain and enhance our beautiful countryside and they drive and underpin our rural economy and communities.
"Welsh farming is a past, present and future industry that meets all the targets of the Wales Future Generations Act and we should all be extremely proud of this.
