A near £100m shortfall in funding for Welsh agriculture has been described as a 'bitter blow at a critical and extremely uncertain time' for farmers.
The Chancellor’s spending review earlier this week shows a £95m black hole for Welsh food producers, just as the Brexit transition period nears its end.
The 2021-2022 budget will be £242 million instead of £337 million - a cut of around 28 percent.
The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) has already called the news a 'Brexit betrayal' for the country's farming industry.
NFU Cymru has said the prospect of such a funding cut was a 'severe blow' to the industry’s future ambitions.
The union said it was 'consistently told' that funding for Welsh agriculture would be 'maintained and protected'.
"We were told Welsh farming would not receive a penny less in funding as we move out of the CAP," NFU Cymru President John Davies said.
“We are a matter of weeks away from the ending of the Brexit transition period, with the potential for significant disruption to our markets.
“Any reduction in funding puts at risk the unparalleled contribution that Welsh farming makes to society in Wales."
The Welsh government has been urged to make a 'clear commitment' that the £242m announced in the spending review will be 'fully committed' to the 2021 Basic Payment Scheme in Wales.
“In addition, we fully expect Welsh government to spend in full the EU 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme before the end of the 2023 cut-off for drawing down funds," Mr Davies said.
“We seek urgent clarification from our elected governments as to how they will resolve this funding shortfall.
"It is simply not acceptable that Welsh farmers will be the ones left to suffer.”
