A multi-million pound package of support to help the Welsh food industry prepare for Brexit has been announced today.
First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced an investment of £2.15m into the red meat sector in Wales.
The investment will support farmers to identify improvements to their businesses to help them become more competitive and in a better position to trade profitably following Brexit.
Funding will also be given to an import substitution project to help identify and secure supply chains within the UK and encourage companies based in the EU to set up operations in Wales.
NFU Cymru President, John Davies said: “We hope Welsh Government will now work with the industry to develop the detail of the scheme to ensure that the information that will be required from producers is easily obtainable and that the support can make a meaningful difference on farm.
“We’re also pleased to see support for an import substitution project to help maximise the opportunity for Welsh produce to be used in domestic supply chains.”
'Great uncertainty'
Mr Davies said there is "great uncertainty" over the UK's future trading relationship with the EU. He said the Welsh red meat sector is dependent on these EU markets.
The sector is currently in a major drive to grow new markets outside the EU as the Brexit uncertainty continues.
Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is aiming to grow markets outside Europe which could be important to Welsh farming’s post-Brexit future.
A third of Welsh Lamb is exported; of those exports the EU is the destination of over 90% of the lamb and beef going from Wales overseas.
The £2.15m fund has been announced as part of the Welsh Government’s £50 million EU Transition Fund.
