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FUW Vice President Brian Walters, FUW F&O Member Dewi Owen, FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, FUW President Glyn Roberts, FUW Vice President Richard Vaughan and FUW F&O Member Brian Bowen[/caption]
A delegation of Farmers’ Union of Wales officials have today met with Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths at the Royal Welsh Show.
The positive discussions focused on farming matters, including succession planning and share-farming, as well as the issue of bovine TB and how best to prepare the industry for life post-Brexit.
Speaking after the meeting, FUW President Glyn Roberts, said: “This has been a peculiar show week for us all - we are in unchartered territory and the level of uncertainty across our industry and that of our allied industries was felt in every meeting we have had so far.
“Meetings with banks, solicitors, chartered surveyors and land agents, highlighted the real concern out there and reinforced the need for more clarity.
“Our assets should be the will to change and move forward with life post-Brexit. But what we need government and those in power to understand is that agriculture acts like the nucleus in a cell. The cell - or in other words our rural economy - will only thrive if the nucleus as the centre of all operations, the role filled by our agricultural industry, is working well.
“We are where we are and it is important that we as an industry change with the times. We must as individuals and as an industry adapt to new circumstances and actively help to shape a better future.
“In every change there are opportunities and we will continue to identify these and lead the argument and planning for a brighter, prosperous and sustainable agricultural industry in Wales.”