Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones' hand should have been strengthened today in pursuing finance for a recovery package to help Wales' ailing livestock sectors to cope with the devastating consequences of Foot and Mouth Disease according to NFU Cymru.
NFU Cymru members said today, at a meeting of Welsh Council, that the findings of the two cross-party reports distributed this morning by the Finance committee and the Rural Development sub-committee should both help to strengthen the Minister for Rural Affairs' hand in persuading her cabinet colleagues to stump up an aid package.
Dai Davies, NFU Cymru President told Welsh Council, "The industry has felt like a football being kicked between Central Government and the Welsh Assembly Government in terms of whose responsibility it is to help dig us out of this hole. I am pleased, however, that the Rural Development Sub-Committee has recognised that this impasse cannot continue and that it has recommended that the Assembly Government fund an interim support package from its reserve and that it redeploys the underspend on the light lamb scheme to pump prime a recovery programme. This is precisely what NFU Cymru has robustly and consistently advocated."
Mr Davies said, "The financial pain and hardship in the industry is now acute and I urge the Welsh Assembly Government to heed the recommendations to act and to act swiftly, we need help now."
The Finance Committee report 'supported the view put forward by NFU Cymru that when consequential costs arising from movement restrictions were taken into account, the industry was likely to face a bill in excess of £40m' it went on to recommend that 'significant additional funding from reserves should be offered.'
The Rural Development Sub Committee report shared the Finance Committee's view that financial support is needed and that 'the Assembly Government (should) continue its efforts to seek funding of compensation payments to Welsh farmers from the UK Government and that the matter (should be) resolved as soon as possible'. This report further recommended that 'the Assembly Government investigates providing an interim support package to ensure that the objective of minimising the economic impact on farming and associated industries is met' and that 'an interim support package could be funded through reserves and any short fall in spending for the light lambs' relief'.
Dai Davies, concluded, "I am very pleased that both Committee reports have accepted the considered and substantiated case NFU Cymru presented on the £40million and rising cost of FMD that has been inflicted on the Welsh livestock industry and that both cross party committees have listened and taken on board the written and oral evidence we presented. The extent of our problem arising as a direct consequence of FMD has been acknowledged and accepted and both committees recommend that significant additional funding should be found."