The Farmers’ Union of Wales is calling on politicians to ‘do a 360’ at the Royal Welsh Show in order to see the importance of agriculture to the wider economy.
“If politicians and visitors to the show stop and turn around 360 degrees they will see a vast array of different businesses which are all reliant on agriculture, some employing just one or two, some employing thousands,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.
“The show is a microcosm of our wider rural community and economy, and for every business here there are thousands more across Wales and the UK which are directly and indirectly reliant on agriculture.”
Welsh Farm Business Survey figures show that, despite having average incomes which fall well below that of the average UK household, farms can typically contribute between £100,000 and £250,000 to the local and wider economy each year.
“Let’s not forget that circa 60,000 people are employed on farm holdings in Wales, in addition to the thousands employed in businesses which are reliant on agriculture such as contractors, feed and machinery merchants, mechanics etc,” said Mr Roberts.
A 2001 Welsh Assembly Government report classed around two out of every five rural businesses as being involved in the farming industry, while the Central Science Laboratories has estimated that agriculture supports over 10 percent of Wales’ full time employees.
“Farming is the backbone of rural areas and is the linchpin of rural communities - so this is not just about farming; it is about the wider recognition that farming matters to our entire economy, how money circulates, and how communities are sustained and our culture continues to thrive.
“This needs to be recognised in the forthcoming discussions and negotiations regarding Brexit, while we also need a post Brexit agricultural policy which protects family farms, rural economies and the environment, while also enhancing food security,” he added.