Huw Irranca-Davies has been appointed Wales' new Rural Affairs Secretary, replacing Lesley Griffiths who was in the role for eight years.
New First Minister Vaughan Gething has announced his cabinet at a time when Welsh farmers have taken to the streets in anger over government policy.
Mr Irranca-Davies, from South Glamorgan, brings experience to the portfolio, having previously presided as Defra Parliamentary Under Secretary and Shadow Defra Minister.
NFU Cymru said it looked forward to meeting with Mr Irranca-Davies "at the earliest opportunity given the numerous and well-documented challenges currently facing Welsh farmers."
One of the top policy priorities will be for the Cabinet Secretary to address the industry's growing concerns around the current Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) proposals.
The union's president Aled Jones said: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to Huw Irranca-Davies MS on his appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs.
“We anticipate an early meeting with the Cabinet Secretary to talk through the very pressing challenges the sector faces and the ongoing unrest in the industry.
"We will also be asking the Cabinet Secretary to recognise the emotional and financial impact of current Welsh Government bovine TB policy.
"In addition to this, NFU Cymru will impress upon the Cabinet Secretary the need to review the unworkable water quality regulations that Welsh farmers are subject to."
The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) said Mr Irranca-Davies' appointment comes "at one of the most critical times for the future of our industry.”
"The depth of feeling and frustration demonstrated only weeks ago in Cardiff and across Wales has by no means gone away," it said.
"Not only does this include the urgent need to rethink the SFS proposals in genuine co-design with the farming unions, it also includes wider and longstanding issues.
"The Welsh government’s approach to bovine TB management and eradication and the pan-Wales ‘NVZ’ regulations are topics causing the industry grave issues."
