The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) is urging farmers and members of the public to lobby Welsh Politicians over cuts to Wales’ agriculture and rural development budget announced by the UK Chancellor on 25 November.
An online tool which is available on the FUW website allows people to email their elected Members of Parliament, Members of the Welsh Senedd and local representatives calling for them to lobby for the restoration of Wales’ agriculture and rural development budget to pre-EU Exit levels in real terms - in line with promises made to Welsh and UK constituents by numerous politicians.
The UK Treasury has used unspent money from the 2014-2020 CAP budget to calculate the total funding for Welsh agriculture and rural development for the 2021-22 period, meaning Wales will receive £95 million (28%) less than was expected, a reduction of £137 million (41%) when Pillar transfer is taken into account.
This is despite the fact that the farming industry and general public were assured repeatedly by leading campaigners for Brexit and UK Government Ministers that funding for Welsh agriculture and rural development would not be reduced after the UK had left the EU, while the 2019 conservative manifesto claimed ‘...we will guarantee the current annual [Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)] budget to farmers in every year of the next Parliament.’
The FUW is therefore urging members, farmers and members of the public to contact their elected politicians regarding this major shortfall.
English: https://fuw.org.uk/en/policy/contact-your-mp
Welsh: https://fuw.org.uk/cy/polisi/cysylltwch-a-ch-as-lleol