Farmers get political at NFU Cymru Council

Farmers from across Wales at today’s NFU Cymru Council quizzed the rural affairs spokesmen for each of the main political parties about pressing industry issues ahead of the National Assembly for Wales elections in May.

Red Tape and the bureaucratic burden it places on farmers, the Common Agriculture Policy post 2013, Glastir, Bovine TB, investment in science and technology, support for the Welsh food sector and young farmers were just some of the issues farmers questioned the prospective candidates about.

Prospective candidates present at the Union’s ruling body today included; Andrew R T Davies representing the Conservatives; Elin Jones representing Plaid Cymru; Joyce Watson representing Labour and Kirsty Williams representing the Liberal Democrats, who all in turn outlined their future plans for agriculture in Wales.

Ed Bailey, NFU Cymru President, chaired the meeting and said he was pleased that NFU Cymru members had been given an opportunity to scrutinise and quiz the candidates on what their party’s priorities were for farming and the rural economy of Wales.

In opening the meeting Mr Bailey said, "We’ve had devolution in Wales for almost 12 years now with a number of areas, including agriculture, being devolved to the National Assembly, thus illustrating the highly important roles our Assembly Members play in representing the interests of Welsh farmers on a number of crucial issues."

Farmers present were also quick to highlight to each party spokesperson that over the last Assembly term the rural community has benefited greatly from having a dedicated Minster for Rural Affairs - responsible for farming and rural issues in Wales.

Mr Bailey said, "A Rural Affairs Minster for Wales has been invaluable not only to us as an industry but to rural Wales as a whole and we would urge whoever forms the next government to continue with the arrangement of having a separate rural affairs portfolio. Similarly, the rural development sub-committee has also served as an invaluable platform for the industry on a whole range of issues from foot and mouth disease, to the future of the uplands to the dairy industry and it is again crucial that the rural development sub-committee is retained by the fourth Assembly not only to take written and oral evidence from rural bodies but also to hold the Minister to account."

Investment in science and technology is another key issue farmers are interested in as May 5 nears. Mr Bailey said, "Scientific research and development have a key role to play if we are to increase our production to feed the ever increasing global population through impacting less on the environment. Unfortunately over recent years we have seen a running down of investment in research and development and this has come at the very time when research and development matters more than ever, so we expect the next government to reverse this trend."

In thanking the prospective candidates Ed Bailey said, "Today we’ve heard not only about the short to medium-term issues which the Welsh Assembly Government need to address, but some suggestions on practical and easily implementable policies too.

"We wish you all well in the election campaign, but rest assured that whoever is elected NFU Cymru will be knocking on your door on May 6 looking to you to help secure the future of farming and the ancillary industries that depend upon a viable agricultural industry."