Representatives from both major farming unions, the FUW and NFU Cymru, along with members from Young Farmers Clubs from across Mid & West Wales joined a virtual roundtable event on 18th March with George Eustice MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The roundtable was an opportunity to hear directly about the UK Government’s ambitions for the Welsh farming sector, particularly in relation to opening new export markets for Welsh producers and supporting the UK’s sustainability ambitions.
Commenting, Tomos Dafydd Davies, the Welsh Conservative Party’s lead candidate for Mid & West Wales said:
I was delighted to invite representatives from the farming community across Mid & West Wales to this important meeting with George Eustice.
It was an opportunity to hear directly about the UK Government’s ambitions for the Welsh farming sector, particularly in relation to opening new export markets for Welsh producers and supporting the UK’s sustainability ambitions.
Ahead of May’s crucial Senedd elections, it was also an opportunity to reaffirm the Conservative Party’s commitment to reverse the Welsh Labour Government’s ridiculous decision to classify the whole of Wales as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). In doing so, the Welsh Labour Government has put livelihoods at risk.
The huge upfront investment required to comply with the regulations will make many businesses simply unviable and uncompetitive, causing untold damage to the farming industry of Mid & West Wales.”
Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs said:
We need Conservative voices to shape the Welsh Government agenda so that Wales maximises the opportunities now that we have come out of the EU.
This starts with scrapping the devastating Welsh Labour and Lib Dem Wales-wide NVZ. There is no place for such a devastating outdated EU directive in post-Brexit Wales.
Now that we have left the EU we must also ensure that post-Brexit policy in Wales places food security and food production at the heart of Welsh Government decision-making.
That is why a future Welsh Conservative Government will work with the agricultural sector, back food production, and enhance the positive impact farmers already have on the environment.”
