The meeting, which was addressed by Kevin Roberts, Chairman of Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), was convened especially to discuss the Welsh Government ‘Brexit and Our Land’ consultation.

Livestock Board Chairman and upland beef and sheep farmer from Ceredigion, Wyn Evans, said: “The meeting was a good opportunity to hear some of the key points from the HCC vision document, launched in the summer. This document includes plans to drive exports, optimising PGI Welsh Beef and Lamb as premium products, through branding and working on the delivery of a red meat development programme under the Wales RDP, with the aim of improving quality and efficiency on the supply side.

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“It was also encouraging to hear of the intention to work closely with AHDB in England and QMS in Scotland, to seek to reverse the falling consumption per head of red meat in the UK and to positively promote the health benefits of red meat as part of a balanced diet. This is an area where the board thought it appropriate for levy boards across the UK to work together towards a common goal.”

The meeting also discussed in some detail the implications of the current Welsh Government ‘Brexit and Our Land’ consultation on red meat production in Wales.

Wyn Evans said: “Welsh Government must ensure that we have policies in place that do not jeopardise the production of high quality beef and lamb in Wales. As primary producers we are part of a food chain which needs a critical mass of prime stock if we are to maintain our processing capacity in Wales and build and grow our domestic and export markets.

“Our processors need the confidence that Welsh livestock farmers will be able to continue to supply top quality beef and lamb in the quantities required to maximise efficiencies at their processing units. These units must be able to meet the diverse range of markets they have for our PGI Welsh Beef and Lamb. We must ensure that Government maintains stability measures as a cornerstone of future policy in Wales to allow our farmers to remain competitive with counterparts across the UK and the EU and to provide certainty of supply to our world leading processing sector.”

Wyn Evans concluded: “Never has there been a more important time for producers, our processors, our levy body and our Government to work together to ensure a thriving Welsh red meat sector. In the end, the bottom line is profitability, which will only be achieved through a combination of market returns, direct support and investment in the sector.”