NFU Cymru President delivers video message ahead of virtual Royal Welsh Show

Ahead of the virtual Royal Welsh Show next week, NFU Cymru President John Davies has produced a special video message assessing the current and future opportunities and challenges for Welsh agriculture.

The show must go on…

Acknowledging that things were going to be ‘slightly different’ for ‘the best show in the world’ this year, NFU Cymru President John Davies wished RWS Show President Harry Fetherstonhaugh and the Clwyd team all of the best ahead of the virtual event. “We look forward to it being a proper show next year where we can meet all our friends once again,” added Mr Davies.

Covid-19

Mr Davies said the Coronavirus pandemic had presented many challenges for Welsh farming, but that he was proud of the way the industry had united to tackle those challenges.

“I thank you, our members, for ensuring the nation continues to be fed safe, healthy food. That has been a challenge early on in the crisis, particularly in the dairy and beef sectors. Thankfully we’re working through that and together we’re promoting what we produce. We need to make sure we keep building on that work.”

 Trade and Standards

Mr Davies thanked the one million people who had signed the NFU’s food standards petition, saying the volume of signatures ‘showed the strength of feeling across the country that people want UK standards of animal welfare and environmental protection are not undermined by products of inferior quality from other parts of the world’. He stressed the importance of getting future trade agreements in place that allow the industry to prosper in the future.

“We’re pleased to be a part of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission and obviously there is a lot of work to be done. It’s absolutely vital that all future trade deals have proper parliamentary scrutiny,” he said.

Policy

“Future policy is being developed at the present time as we move from the Common Agricultural Policy to our own domestic agricultural policy. We are very engaged in this process and we are absolutely focussed on making sure we get the right policy going forward.”

Mr Davies stated that Welsh Government’s ‘Sustainable Farming and Our Land’ proposals needed to ‘mesh’ with the Sustainable Brand Values programme to ensure Wales’ credentials as one of the most climate-friendly food producers in the world are rightly recognised.  

He added: “We’ve got a great story to tell here in Wales. We’ve got a fantastic shop window to show that in the Royal Welsh Show over the next few days, and the next few years going forward. It’s vitally important that people know what we produce and how we produce it.”

Bovine TB

Mr Davies underlined that bovine TB still represented a significant challenge to Welsh farmers and that thousands of cows were still being culled because of this disease.

“It’s really important that we get this policy right going forward and it’s crucial that we address this disease across all its vectors. We need to look across the world to see where methods have been successful and we need to use the best practice. There is a lot to be done. This disease has a massive impact on families and businesses throughout the country so it’s really important that we get this right.”

Farm safety

Once again, the Royal Welsh Show coincides with Farm Safety Week and Mr Davies used his speech as an opportunity to underline that all farmers need to put safety front and centre of their priorities.

He said: “This is something that we should be thinking of first and foremost at the start of every day. I really plead with you all to think of this, particularly over the coming harvest season. Think safe and think carefully.”

NFU Cymru’s Royal Welsh Show activities

?Mr Davies closed his address by promoting NFU Cymru’s exciting range of seminars during the virtual Royal Welsh Show:

Monday 20th July 11am - In Discussion with the First Minister

Tuesday 21st July 3pm – ‘She Who Dares…Farms’

Wednesday 22nd July 12:30pm – The Red Meat Food Chain – What Will It Look Like in the Future?