Welsh farmers have spent time visiting Assembly Members to voice concerns over the Welsh Government's post Brexit farm funding proposals.
As part of a co-ordinated plan of political engagement, NFU Cymru farmer members have spent the past week visiting AMs or inviting them on farm to highlight the impact the ‘Brexit and Our Land’ proposals could have on farming businesses.
The Welsh Government’s ‘Brexit and Our Land’ consultation proposes a phased withdrawal of the Basic Payment Scheme to be replaced by two new schemes; an economic resilience scheme and a public goods scheme.
But there is some concern within the industry that the proposed scheme will make farmers worse off once the UK leaves the EU.
Wales’ two farming unions, Farmers’ Union of Wales and NFU Cymru, have since launched a joint paper calling for more stability in a "world of uncertainty, with Brexit looming.
"Significant changes should only be considered once we have a clearer knowledge of our future trading relationships and following a thorough assessment of the impacts of trade and policy changes on every business, sector and regions of Wales," both unions said in a statement.
'Correct facts'
NFU Cymru President, John Davies, was among those to take part in the cross-Wales AM visits, calling in to see his local representative Kirsty Williams on Friday (26 October).
He said: “As we approach the end of the ‘Brexit and Our Land’ consultation period it is encouraging to see so many of our members across Wales taking the initiative and raising their concerns about these proposals with their elected representatives.
“The feedback we have received so far is that many AMs have been overwhelmed with the strength of feeling on this subject, with a number of AMs stating that they had received hundreds of responses."
Mr Davies said farmer engagement is "crucial" so that Assembly Members are armed with the "correct facts" about the impact these plans could have on Welsh agriculture.
“We now ask our AMs to ensure that they voice members’ concerns when these plans are discussed and debated in the Senedd Chamber over the coming weeks and months," Mr Davies added.
"It is absolutely vital that the views of our rural communities are well represented in the political sphere if we are to develop a future agricultural policy that will deliver for the Welsh food industry, our environment, the economy, the tourism sector and, most importantly, our communities.”
Farmers are urged to respond to the Welsh Government’s ‘Brexit and Our Land’ consultation before the consultation draws to a close at 23:50 on Tuesday 30th October.
