NFU Cymru vows to continue fight for disease recovery package

NFU Cymru has vowed to keep up the pressure on Government for a recovery package to help the Welsh farming industry which is still reeling from the devastating effects of Foot and Mouth disease.

With the whole 60 member National Assembly due to debate Foot and Mouth reports produced by the Assembly's Finance Committee and Rural Development Sub-Committee next Wednesday (20 February 2008), NFU Cymru President Dai Davies said, "Farmers in Wales can't help feeling that they have been trapped in something of an impasse between the Welsh Assembly Government and Whitehall over recent months with neither apparently willing to take financial responsibility for a crisis which originated from a Government approved laboratory."

Mr Davies continued, "We are grateful to the Assembly Government for the steps that have been taken to try and alleviate this crisis, but the steps taken in no way reflect the true cost of the outbreak to the industry. When NFU Cymru presented evidence to the Finance Committee back in November, we put the cost incurred by farmers in Wales at £40m and rising, a figure that has been widely accepted, including by the Rural Affairs Minister herself."

The most recent UK farm income figures which came out at the end of last month also point to the dire situation faced by Wales' livestock producers. During the period 2006/07 to 2007/08 the incomes of LFA cattle and sheep farmers dropped by 44% from £10,600 to £5,900, whilst in the same period the income of lowland cattle and sheep producers fell by 34% from £13,100 to £8,700.

Mr Davies concluded, "I'm glad that these two reports are to be debated at Plenary next Wednesday, and NFU Cymru will be in touch with Assembly Members ahead of the debate. I would now urge the Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, to heed the recommendations of the reports and to make funds available to mitigate the devastating consequences of Foot and Mouth disease which continue to be felt across Wales."