NFU Cymru chief reflects on election win ahead of 'defining period for Welsh agriculture'
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones says the next few years will be 'a defining period for Welsh agriculture' as he spoke of his hopes following the elction of a Labour government.
Mr Jones said: “On behalf of NFU Cymru and its membership I want to congratulate the Labour Leader and our next Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer as well as all those who have just been elected to the Westminster Parliament, and those who are about to form the next UK Government.
"As a union we very much look forward to working with our politicians as we promote and seek to advance the interests of Wales’ farmers.”
As part the union’s work around the General Election, NFU Cymru published its manifesto setting out its priorities in a number of Westminster controlled policy areas, policy areas which are integral to NFU Cymru’s productive, profitable and progressive Welsh farming industry.
Mr Jones said: “Our manifesto made a number of asks of the next UK Government, and chief amongst those is an inflation adjusted, ring-fenced and multi-annual agricultural support budget which will take us through to the next election, helping give the industry the certainty it needs to plan for the future and to deal with market-place volatility.
“Alongside this we have to see food production and food security given the priority they need and deserve to ensure we support primary production in Wales.
"That’s why in our manifesto we called on the next UK Government to establish minimum standards and to promote fair and functioning supply chains, as well as increasing the amount of Welsh food which goes into the public sector and to strengthen country of origin labelling across retail, hospitality and food service with clear and accurate labelling to allow informed consumer choice.
“We also want to see future trade deals with third countries be more balanced with the needs and sensitivities of the agricultural sector taken into account, with agriculture no longer being a bargaining chip when it comes to making trade deals and we have emphasised this point once again in our manifesto.”
Mr Jones concluded: “As we know, farming is of course one of the building blocks of the Welsh economy, underpinning a food and drink sector worth £8.1bn which in turn employs 233,500 people.
"I am confident that with the support of our politicians in bringing about the right policy environment, NFU Cymru and its members can seize the opportunities that lay ahead and realise the sector’s potential."