Welsh food is part of our identity

"Wales’ food production industry defines who and what we are as a nation. When we talk about food we see it as part of our identity," said Alun Davies AM, the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Rural Development Sub Committee, to members of NFU Cymru in Pembrokeshire last night at their annual conference.

Mr Davies explained that he had recently announced that the Rural Development Sub Committee would carry out an inquiry into the production and promotion of Welsh food which should be concluded by July. The inquiry will include an examination of the challenges associated with the Welsh agri-food sector ie food production, processing and promotion.

"The sub-committee will take a long hard look at how the Welsh Assembly Government works with the industry to sustain Welsh food production, processing and promotion," said Mr Davies who added, "At the end of this enquiry I want to see a food industry that works for Wales and creates a profit. I think we need to be active in Wales in creating opportunities for Welsh products through public procurement."

NFU Cymru President, Dai Davies, told the packed meeting held on the Pembrokeshire County Showground that NFU Cymru was looking forward to working with the Assembly to develop a strategy that would add value to Wales’ primary production. He said the final strategy should recognise and promote the Welsh brand and needs to be supported by a local procurement policy.

Glyn Jones, the new County Chairman for NFU Cymru in Pembrokeshire thanked Alun Davies AM for speaking at the conference and said, "We welcome your inquiry into food production. Obviously we are in a time of recession at the moment and it comes as no great surprise to hear that shoppers are heading for the value end of the food spectrum as a result. It was heartening to hear recently however that consumers are not turning their backs on buying local and sales of local products are not currently suffering."

Alun Davies AM also used last night’s meeting to tell farmers that the Rural Development Sub Committee has agreed to do an initial enquiry into the Electronic Identification (EID) and individual recording of sheep. He said the inquiry would begin in March and would be done very very quickly, with a proposed completion date of the Easter break in April.

Dai Davies concluded by welcoming this announcement and told the sheep farmers present at the meeting that the Union would not give up its fight against this regulation and encouraged all those present to complete the NFU questionnaire on how the new sheep EID and individual recording regulation would affect their farm business decisions.