Plaid Cymru has accused the Conservatives of trying to hide its role in denying Welsh farmers millions of pounds of EU support.
Responding to a Conservative debate on the rural economy in the National Assembly for Wales Shadow Agriculture Minister Llyr Gruffydd AM said: “This Conservative debate on the rural economy is tinged with irony. 80% of Welsh farms would become unviable without their CAP payments, yet the Tory and Lib Dem Government in Westminster supported cutting the EU budget and Tory MEPs voted to cut the CAP budget despite it being a direct attack on the interests of Welsh farmers.
“The FUW described the outcome of the CAP reform as an ‘own goal’ and criticised the Tory Minister for succeeding in negotiating a net financial loss for Welsh farmers. Arguing for other countries to have more but only on the condition that we receive less, as the Tories did in relation to Pillar 2 payments, is a ridiculous negotiating position.
“Plaid Cymru opposed the Welsh Government’s 15% transfer of funds out of direct payments to farmers into the broader Rural Development Programme which took over £280m out of the pockets of Welsh farmers – more money lost to our rural economy.
“Barely a week before the election the Tories are keen to express their concern for agriculture and the challenges facing our rural economy. This brazen effort to varnish over their poor record will not fool Welsh farmers. Action speaks louder than words and their actions have undermined the interests of Welsh agriculture.”
