Speaking at the Royal Welsh Show, Llanelwedd, taking place this week, NFU Cymru president John Davies said that livestock production played a critical role in Wales and that future agricultural policy needed to consider the long-term sustainability and competitiveness in red meat supply.
“Our processors depend on a consistent supply of lamb and beef from Wales. It is imperative that the future agricultural policy recognises this and maintains food production at its core,” said Davies.
“We are fortunate to have world-leading red meat processing facilities based here in Wales, providing significant employment opportunities, both directly and indirectly, in rural and urban areas of Wales.”
Meanwhile, BMPA chief executive Nick Allen said the association supported the Welsh Government’s introduction of a public goods scheme, which will form part of agricultural policy, as long as it avoided a squeeze on domestic food production.
“By incentivising farmers to reduce production levels, in favour of delivering ‘public goods’ – for example grassland reversion or woodland planting on productive land – there is a risk that overall livestock production will drop, squeezing domestic food supply and increasing reliance on imports,” said Allen.
“There is a risk that, post-Brexit, meat is imported from wherever it is cheapest to produce around the world.”
Collectively, Allen and Davies said they shared ambitions for Wales to be a world-leading producing and processing country for red meat, but needed the Welsh Government’s support in order to achieve their goal.
“We want to ensure that the desire of the consumer to have affordable supplies of high-quality, fully traceable food is delivered by the Welsh red meat supply chain,” said Allen and Davies. “We are calling on the Welsh Government to share our vison and to work with us to deliver policies that see us build and grow the market for PGI Welsh Lamb and Beef.”