Will the Welsh Government guarantee the same level of income for farmers between 2019 and 2022? W
The role of the Welsh Government, in the context of farm incomes, is to work alongside the farming unions, the Country Land & Business Association Cymru (CLA Cymru), Hybu Cig Cymru and other key stakeholders, to encourage and support our farmers to become more efficient, more market focussed and more resilient. These, fundamentally, are the actions required if we are to secure and grow farm incomes.
The agriculture industry faces considerable challenges as a consequence of Brexit. We still have no clear undertakings on funding from the UK Government beyond 2022 or any certainty on trade deals once we exit the EU. These are key factors in the future prosperity of the agriculture industry in Wales and must be addressed with more urgency by the UK Government.
The close working relationship I and my officials have with our key stakeholders through my Brexit Roundtable has been very positive and has identified the requirement for more targeted business support to encourage a closer relationship between supply chains, collaboration and exploration of new market opportunities.
Approximately 7,500 of our farmers have benefited from business support delivered by Farming Connect to date and I would encourage all farmers in Wales to consider what is on offer from Farming Connect. The support available is directed squarely at further modernisation and business acumen, increased resilience and prosperity.
Although there remains considerable uncertainty on future funding and future trade arrangements, there are many things that farmers can do now to prepare for a future outside the EU. Benchmarking against the best in class, driving down input costs wherever possible, making use of the latest technologies and techniques, seeking new diversification opportunities; timber, renewable energy and tourism to name but three, are positive actions that farmers can take today to help secure their incomes and their businesses.