NFU Cymru spells out priorities ahead of 2015 General Election

A Government that understands farm businesses, wants agriculture to grow and has the policies that send the right signals to Welsh farmers, will be the key messages from NFU Cymru President to prospective general election candidates later this month when he launches the Union’s manifesto, on a Welsh farm, ahead of May’s General Election.

Stephen James, NFU Cymru President, will launch the Union’s General Election manifesto on-farm in Ceredigion, where he’ll explain to prospective candidates that if they are elected then they must help the agricultural industry to fulfil its potential in meeting the major future challenges - to increase food production with fewer inputs and whilst continuing to maintain the environment.

Representatives from Wales’ main political parties have been invited to attend, and give a short presentation, at NFU Cymru’s manifesto launch, on Tuesday, 24 March 2015 at Ffosygrafel Uchaf, Bow Street, Aberystwyth.

Stephen James said, “Whilst the majority of farming issues are now determined by devolved Government there are still some important aspects determined by Westminster. With a General Election due and the possibility that we could be facing a very different political landscape, this is our opportunity to set out the actions we would like an incoming Westminster Government to take to allow the industry to respond and change and continue to provide solutions for the nation.”

The document highlights five key policy challenges over the short, medium and long term that the industry, along with Government, can address. These include: investing for growth; protecting animal and plant health; securing knowledge and technology; building fair, safe and secure food chains; and caring for our countryside.


NFU Cymru Director, John Mercer, said, “Welsh farmers are ideally placed to meet the challenges of a growing World population. We have the perfect mix of natural resources and World-class farmers and to help us drive Welsh agriculture forward, we now need a Government that is prepared to back Welsh farming, with a robust plan for increasing the productive potential of farming, stimulating investment and ensuring that the drive to increase Welsh food production is at the heart of every Government department.”

The launch will take place at Ffosgrafel Uchaf, a mixed dairy and sheep farm, through the kindness of Martin Griffiths and family. Ffosgrafel Uchaf is a 250 acre dairy and sheep farm with a dairy herd of 115 milking cows plus followers selling their milk to South Caernarfon Creameries and a sheep flock of 350 breeding ewes. Martin Griffiths farms in partnership with his brother Huw and his parents, Griffith and Margaret.