[caption id="attachment_6317" align="alignleft" width="300"]
(L-R) William Powell (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Christopher Salmon (Crime Commissioner for DPP), FUW Carmarthen County Chairman Brian Richards, Edmund Marriage (UKIP) and Harri Roberts (Plaid Cymru).[/caption]
Carmarthen farmers came together recently to discuss the contentious issue of bovine TB with their prospective Welsh Assembly election candidates.
The meeting, which was held on Tuesday April 19, at the White Hart Inn, Llandeilo, welcomed William Powell (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Harri Roberts (Plaid Cymru), Edmund Marriage (UKIP) and Christopher Salmon (Crime Commissioner for DPP) for the Conservative party.
Each of the delegates were given 10 minutes to outline their party’s position with regards to the rural economy and agriculture’s role within it.
Following the introductions the panel took questions from the audience which was ensued by a lively debate on bovine TB, young farmers and their future in the industry.
FUW Carmarthen County Chairman Brian Richards, who chaired the evening, said: “A main focus for each party was developing and looking after businesses within Wales to ensure that they prospered within and outside Wales.
“Of course, we all want to see a prosperous Welsh rural economy.
“Therefore, we remind the new Welsh Government that in direct contradiction to the views of the FUW and the policies implemented by every other region of the EU, the Welsh Government chose in 2013 to annually reduce farm payments by 15% in order to fund what was described as an ambitious Rural Development Programme (RDP) – a decision which continues to have a severe impact on farm incomes.
“In light of this we once again call on the next administration to ensure that all farmers have access to practical agri-environment schemes which take account of historical farming practices and do not undermine the productivity of farms.
“They must also ensure that large scale targeted schemes, such as those envisaged under the Nature Fund, do not compromise or undermine the principle of allowing access to agri-environment schemes by all farmers throughout Wales.”
Mr Richards added that the next Welsh Government also needs to ensure that as much funding as possible is made available to invest directly in farm improvements and infrastructure which will improve farm returns and supply chain efficiency.