The packed schedule of events and engagements began with a breakfast reception at which NFU Cymru President Abi Reader and Deputy President Paul Williams met with Secretary of State Dame Angela Eagle and Defra Minister Stephen Morgan.
The NFU Cymru officeholders took the opportunity to discuss issues around standards of production in imported products and spikes in production costs the sector had seen recently, as fuel and fertiliser prices rocketed in response to global instability.
Delivered key messages
With breakfast over, Abi Reader headed to the main conference venue for a series of back-to-back meetings with MPs and MSs.
She said: "We met with a range of politicians, delivering some key messages to them. Important amongst these has been the need for the UK Government to ensure that standards are upheld in international trade agreements, and that our own producers are not undermined by products coming in from abroad and produced to lower standards; I am referring in particular to imported eggs, as well as beef and poultry from Brazil, which was banned by the EU earlier this month but not yet subject to a similar ban by the UK Government."
Challenging summer in farming
Speaking to MSs, Abi Reader also raised issues around TB in cattle and Bluetongue, as well as the unprecedented impact of the summer drought on agricultural production in Wales. She said: "It’s been a challenging few months on a number of fronts for farmers in Wales and I am glad to have been able to talk to raise these issues with Members of the Senedd. I am pleased that they very much recognise the pressures that the conditions of summer 2026 put on farmers."
Bookending a busy day was an evening reception hosted by the Labour Rural Research Group and supported by the union, at which there was a further final opportunity for NFU Cymru to network with key rural MPs and stakeholders.
NFU Cymru President Abi Reader said: "I was really pleased to be able to join the Labour Party at their conference in Liverpool. It’s been a very busy event where we have managed to have some real worthwhile and positive engagement with politicians and delegates. I hope some of our key messages have cut through.
I am most grateful to all those who have made time to meet with us and who have come along to support our events at the conference."
