The union’s President Abi Reader and Deputy President Paul Williams headed to Westminster on Wednesday 24th June for a series of meetings with Welsh MPs from the Labour Party and Plaid Cymru.
During a busy day of political engagement, Abi Reader and Paul Williams held discussions with Tonia Antoniazzi MP (Gower), Ben Lake MP (Ceredigion Preseli), Becky Gittins MP (Clwyd East), Alex Davies-Jones MP (Pontypridd) and Claire Hughes MP (Bangor Aberconwy). The pair also had conversations with Labour MP Alex Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) and UK Trade Envoy to Italy Catherine McKinnell MP (Newcastle upon Tyne North).
Focus on financial sustainability
“Whilst we continue to lobby every day on a UK-level through our office in Westminster, face-to-face discussions with our elected representatives in the Houses of Parliament are invaluable”
NFU Cymru President Abi Reader
Of critical focus was the financial sustainability of Welsh farming, particularly the current costs of production with the rising fuel, energy and fertiliser prices brought on by the conflict in the Middle East creating long-term volatility and uncertainty in the sector.
Similar uncertainty was highlighted in the now-delayed UK-EU reset and ongoing negotiations of a potential sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement aimed at reducing trade barriers for agricultural products, plants and animals. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Keir
Starmer, a summit scheduled for this summer has now been postponed, leaving many Welsh farmers wondering what changes will come into effect and when. NFU Cymru’s officeholders stressed the need for urgent clarity on when this summit will be rescheduled.
Discussions also included the removal of the long-standing visa concession on sheep shearers travelling to the UK, which is due to come into effect from 2027.
NFU Cymru President Abi Reader said: “Whilst we continue to lobby every day on a UK-level through our office in Westminster, face-to-face discussions with our elected representatives in the Houses of Parliament are invaluable for us to get member concerns heard by opposition and government powers alike. We are grateful to all the MPs we met with and for their ongoing engagement with members."
