NFU Cymru calls for greater backing for the Welsh dairy industry from the government and consumers at the Welsh Dairy Show in Nantyci, today, October 22.
The call comes after figures from the AHDB indicate that 17% of dairy farmers have exited the industry within the last five years.
NFU Cymru refers to rising costs in the sector, continued market volatility, mounting bovine TB threats, increasing environmental red tape as factors behind the exodus.
NFU Cymru Dairy Board chair Jonathan Wilkinson cited the £850 million industry’s “hive of economic activity”, which according to Wilkinson, accounts for almost half (47%) of the gross output of Welsh agricultural production.
Wilkinson also outlined the “significant employment” generated by the Welsh dairy industry, which employs more than 5,300 people directly.
NFU Cymru
“The sector also supports significant employment beyond the farmgate, both in milk processing and in the allied industries, all of which helps to support the prosperity of our rural communities in Wales.
“We know the demand for dairy products around the world continues to grow and the sector offers a wealth of opportunities, but to ensure the next generation of Welsh dairy farmers have a prosperous future, the sector must have the confidence to invest in the here and now.
“This is why we are encouraging consumers to back our Welsh dairy farmers by looking for the Welsh flag when they are shopping or enjoying dairy products out of the home.
“We also urge our government to work with NFU Cymru to address the challenges we face and to listen to the Welsh dairy industry to safeguard the continued production of quality, nutritious and climate friendly milk in Wales.”
The Welsh Dairy Show, held at the United Counties Showground in Nantyci, Carmarthen on Tuesday, October 22, gives the sector the opportunity to bring farmers, processors, cooperatives, businesses, sector leaders, unions and government together to discuss the state of the dairy industry.
