THE TENANT FARMERS ASSOCIATION in Wales (TFA Cymru) has commended the Welsh Government’s recently published Natural Resources Policy and will be seeking to work with the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs and her team in achieving its objectives.
TFA Cymru Chairman Dennis Matheson said: “I was particularly pleased to see the very clear commitment to Welsh agriculture and food including the necessity of sustaining a range of farm types and sizes in both upland and lowland areas and ensuring the future viability and prosperity of farm businesses within Wales.
“The Welsh Government has recognised the considerable change that farming will face over the coming years, not least because of the decision to leave the European Union and it is essential that the Welsh Government continues to be in close consultation with the farming community as we plan for and address that change,” said Mr Matheson.
The policy identifies the need to develop new markets and ensure the better operation of existing supply chains for food within Wales.
“Welsh farmers are rightly proud of the high environmental and animal welfare standards to which we adhere but it is disappointing that this is not routinely recognised in the return we receive from the supply chain. These matters must be addressed by both the Welsh and UK Governments,” said Mr Matheson.
“We also want to ensure that our high standards are not undermined by attracting, through trade, food products produced elsewhere in the world to lower standards which would undercut our farm businesses unfairly and could undermine the confidence of Welsh consumers in food chains. We need to maintain a united front with UK Government that this would be an unacceptable outcome of any new trade deals.
“TFA Cymru has been at the forefront of arguing for a new policy, to replace the Common Agricultural Policy, which delivers high environmental outcomes coupled with resilient businesses through a targeted farm business development scheme and adequately funded market facing measures such as promotion, exports, import substitution and public food procurement. We see that the newly created Area Statements could be used to identify priority areas for future Government investment in delivering public goods and addressing market failures.
“The publication of the Natural Resources Policy sets the context for future work and TFA Cymru will continue its role to both support and challenge the Welsh Government in achieving the goals of the policy. It is particularly important that in the development of new policy the unique characteristics of the tenanted sector of agriculture are taken into consideration to ensure that tenant farmers are not inadvertently excluded from participating in or benefiting from new schemes and initiatives.”
