Farmers "hugely important" to a robust future Welsh economy
Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Agriculture Alun Davies has urged farmers to have their say in shaping the future of Welsh farming.
Mr Davies was addressing the annual county meeting of NFU Cymru in Montgomeryshire at Welshpool yesterday where farmers have deep concerns about how current proposals regarding the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will impact on the future of farming post 2013.
Mr Davies said, "The significant debate will be for us to agree over the next few years on how to shape the future of the rural economy, to create a robust economy here in rural Wales. It’s hugely important. I look forward to finding new ways of managing and developing supply chains to deliver excellence in Welsh food production and processing and ultimately delivering to the customer. This will bring more prosperity to local communities. It is an exciting agenda in which farming and government have a key role to play.
"I’m anxious to have a very real conversation with you on the direction of travel you want to see the CAP reform taking. It needs to be a two-way dialogue, and this will kick off shortly with the Welsh Government issuing a consultation".
Montgomery NFU Cymru County Chairman Edward Chapman welcomed the Deputy Minister’s commitment to a food policy that will deliver for Wales. "A strong emphasis on food production makes for a vibrant rural economy. If farming is profitable, then this cascades down into the rural economy and helps keep ancillary businesses going. Abattoirs, food processing facilities and agricultural merchants employ a significant proportion of the workforce in this county. Their future is intrinsically linked to ours and highlights to me the importance of ensuring that a reformed CAP continues to have food production as its core priority," Mr Chapman said.
Responding to concerns from farmers about the CAP greening proposals, the Deputy Minister said, "Many points have been made about greening element and the interaction with the Glastir scheme but we have to face the fact that greening is part of the future. I accept that the current proposals won’t work well for Wales but we are actively working on our own proposals to ensure Wales can put forward options in upcoming negotiations with the European Commission".
In concluding the annual meeting, NFU Cymru President Ed Bailey said, "I am pleased that the Deputy Minister shares our concerns about ’greening’. The current proposals are complicated, confusing, overly-bureaucratic and take no account of the environmental gains made in Wales through participation in agri-environment schemes. We need to ensure that, through our respective lobbying channels, we strive to reduce their impact on Welsh farmers".
