Welsh Labour’s lead candidate Calum Higgins, followed by Wales Green Party’s lead candidate Rob James, joined the group to discuss the policy priorities set out in NFU Cymru’s Senedd election manifesto, Growing Forward.
Both meetings covered a wide range of challenges and opportunities in the industry with a focus on water quality, the impact of bTB, the need for a regulatory review and the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
Emotional impact
Haydn and David both shared examples of the devastating impact that TB is having on farming businesses and livelihoods, as well as the harrowing stories of local family farms who continue to suffer TB breakdowns despite their best efforts.
The local farmers stressed to each candidate not only the financial consequences of TB in Wales but the emotional impact the threat of the disease has on families across the country.
With over 11,000 cattle having been slaughtered in Wales in 2025, the candidates were told of the need for a comprehensive TB eradication strategy which actively tackles the disease in all vectors, including wildlife.
Unintended consequences and high costs
Mr Evans and the group also illustrated how the current Water Quality Regulations are blunt, inefficient and bureaucratic, whilst giving rise to unintended consequences and high costs for farmers in Wales.
Using local examples, host dairy farmer David highlighted the urgent need to revisit the current regulations as well as commission an independent review of red-tape and bureaucracy in Welsh agriculture.
With the current instability in the Middle East causing input costs to continue to climb, and the ongoing downturn in the dairy industry, the farmers in attendance stressed the importance of maintaining the current 70:30 split within the SFS as well as the Social Value Payment.
Stability in turbulent times
Mr Gravell explained that such support can provide stability for farm businesses in turbulent times which in turn allows farmers to continue to uphold domestic food production and the rural economy whilst giving a future to the next generation of family farms.
Mr Evans made the case to both candidates that their parties must also revisit the agricultural budget, noting that it has been cash-flat since 2013, and that it must be brought up to date with inflationary pressures accounted for.
Mr Evans said that “I am grateful to David for hosting both roundtables on his farm today and would like to extend my thanks to both Calum and Rob for their time and useful discussion on all the issues raised. NFU Cymru stand ready to engage with all parties who wish to see a successful and resilient farming industry in the next Senedd.”
