As the EU Referendum debate hots up and the country prepares to go to the polls next week, NFU Cymru has today urged both sides of the debate to articulate a clear vision of the direct impact on Welsh Agriculture that would arise from a leave or remain scenario.
Earlier this year following extensive consultation with our membership, NFU Cymru’s governing body, Welsh Council, concluded that on the basis of the available evidence that the interests of Welsh agriculture are best served by the UK remaining within the European Union.
However, NFU Cymru respects that voting on an issue as important as this is a deeply personal matter and it is for each member to vote how they see fit.
For this reason NFU Cymru has published a factual document setting out the UK farming’s relationship with the EU1 and commissioned and published a wide ranging study looking at the implications of a UK exit from the EU2.
Best served by remaining - but EU is far from perfect
NFU Cymru President, Stephen James said: "Access to European markets is vital to the Welsh food and drink industry, and the fact that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a critical component of Welsh agriculture.
"NFU Cymru believes that Welsh agriculture’s interests are best served by remaining within the EU.
"However, we recognise that the EU is far from perfect.
"The complexity and bureaucracy associated with the new CAP; decisions often based on the lack of sound science and the tendency to over regulate, are all areas that concern our members.
"The Stronger In campaign needs to show exactly how they propose to secure positive changes whilst remaining a part of the EU.
"This week, the Vote Leave campaign has promised that all current funding coming to the UK from the EU, including payments to farmers, would be guaranteed until 2020.
"Welsh farmers need to know, on what authority can the Vote Leave campaign make these promises?
"What agreement has been made with Welsh Government on the future administration of the funds they say are guaranteed for the next four years?
"There are questions to be asked as to how this stacks up with promises made to increase funding in other areas.
Conditions of post-Brexit scenario
"Welsh farmers also need to be fully informed as to the conditions under which our food and drink exports would have access to European markets in a post-Brexit scenario.
"These are questions that must be answered in order for Welsh farmers to make an informed decision on 23 June."
Stephen James continued: "Welsh farmers will be going to the polling station next week to vote on a decision that I believe is the most important in my career in agriculture.
"Each and every one of us is quite rightly weighing up the pros and cons of leaving, or remaining and the impact on our own businesses.
"As we make decisions we look to the Stronger In campaign to be clear on what a reformed EU would mean to us and the Vote Leave campaign must give as much detail as possible and add greater clarity on their proposals so voters can make an informed decision.
"This vote has the potential to shape the future direction of Welsh and UK agriculture for years to come and everyone needs to go into the polling station with a clear understanding of what the implications are.
"The industry needs this clarification and we all need to go to the polls with as much information available to us as possible."
