NFU Cymru president John Davies has offered his congratulations to all those who have just been elected to the Welsh Parliament.
He said:
“There is no doubting that the sixth round of elections to Cardiff Bay have come at a crucial time for Welsh agriculture, with the UK having departed the EU, and Wales now poised to design its own future support policies for agriculture.
The next few years will therefore be a defining period for farming, and as a union we very much look forward to working with our politicians as we promote and represent the interests of Wales’ farmers.
“Ahead of the Senedd elections, NFU Cymru published its manifesto setting out the union’s priorities in a number of areas, including future farming policy, water quality, climate change and bovine TB.”
NFU Cymru will be ‘monitoring developments’
Davies continued:
“With the makeup of the Welsh Parliament confirmed, we now await the formation of the next Welsh government.
John Davies
“NFU Cymru will be monitoring developments over the coming days and will of course be seeking early meetings with all the relevant portfolio holders, in order to take forward the interests of Wales’ farmers.
It’s absolutely crucial that the next Welsh Parliament and Welsh government can set out a pathway to a more prosperous Wales, and there is no doubt that a flourishing Welsh food and farming sector and thriving rural communities are all key to Wales reaching its full potential.
“I am confident that with the support of our politicians in bringing about the right policy environment, NFU Cymru and its members can seize the opportunities that lay ahead, and realise the sector’s potential,” he added.
“As we know, farming is of course one of the building blocks of the Welsh economy, underpinning a food and drink sector worth £7.5 billion which in turn employs 229,500 people, and it is in all our interest to sustainably grow and consolidate its position as one of the key planks of the Welsh economy.”
Davies concluded:
There are of course a number of MSs who stood down at this election or who were not re-elected to the Senedd.
“I would like to extend my thanks to those who have engaged and worked with NFU Cymru over the last few years and wish them all well for the future.”
