With the purpose of the meeting being to discuss NFU Cymru’s Senedd Election manifesto, Welsh Farming: Growing Forward, Abi and Anthony covered key policy issues ahead of the election in May where the Green Party is looking to secure seats at the Senedd for the first time.
Commitments needed
The pair discussed the role farmers play in maintaining our farmed environment and habitats across Wales. This included NFU Cymru’s call for any future Welsh government to provide a ring-fenced, multi-annual budget if farmers are to meet their environmental and climate obligations alongside producing the food we all eat, from a position of financial resilience.
Discussions also covered the need for the next Welsh Government to make commitments around the provision of Welsh food into the public sector, such as schools and hospitals.
Supporting the next generation of farmers to enter the industry was also a key topic of discussion. In particular, the ways in which the next Welsh Government can reduce barriers to entry such as commissioning an independent review into the burden of regulations as well as embracing new technologies and methods to bolster the prospects of farm businesses and create a more resilient future.
The meeting was a useful opportunity for the party leader to hear about the priorities for the industry over the next Senedd term and beyond and is part of NFU Cymru’s wider political engagement in the run up to the Senedd election this May.
