The Farmers' Union of Wales today expressed disappointment at Assembly Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones' decision not to set up a new Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) and committees for Wales.
The union recently contributed to the Minister's request for views on the implications to Wales of Defra's proposals to abolish the current AWB for England and Wales and its committees.
"We are extremely disappointed by her response because the FUW has always supported the AWB and remains concerned that unless there are systems in place to protect payments to agricultural workers, the industry will not attract the highly skilled technicians it needs to thrive," said the union's deputy director of agricultural policy Rhian Nowell-Phillips.
In representations to the Minister the Union highlighted its policy that it still considered the AWB to be the most effective body to determine the pay and conditions of service which reflect the unique requirements of the agricultural industry in Wales.
"As many farms in Wales run with relatively few staff, the AWB is considered an important means of avoiding potential conflict and lengthy negotiations with individual staff," Miss Nowell-Phillips stated.
The FUW strongly believes the AWB's role in setting minimum rates of pay can reflect the need for agricultural workers to be flexible in their working arrangements to cover busy periods, fine weather, and unsocial hours, which are not covered by general employment law provision.
"The Union maintains that the future of the agricultural industry is dependent on attracting highly trained technicians into the industry," Miss Nowell-Phillips added.
"The economic climate within the agricultural industry has made it a less attractive option for young people and, therefore, in the Union's view, rewarding skills, qualifications, and levels of responsibility, is a vital means of persuading high calibre people to remain in or enter the industry.
"Reliance on a single national minimum wage will inevitably result in an erosion of talent and skills from farming as more lucrative and physically less challenging professions are taken up.
"The Union believes that there needs to be arrangements put in place, to deal with enhanced terms and conditions which reflect the dedication of agricultural workers."
But in a reply to the FUW the Minister stated that in reaching her decision she had considered the additional financial costs of establishing a new AWB and committees for Wales.
"Given the ongoing budgetary pressures facing the Welsh Assembly Government, the additional not insignificant costs could simply not be justified," she added.
Commenting on the Minister's response, Miss Nowell-Phillips said: "Whilst it is a disappointing decision we will be looking for some sort of system to be established so that the principles of the AWB are continued."