Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has once again outlined his strong support for Welsh farmers after attending the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) Farmhouse Breakfast this week.
Yesterday, Darren, along with Welsh Conservative colleagues, attended the annual event in Cardiff Bay, at which FUW highlighted the need to safeguard the principles of “land, family, and heritage” for Welsh agriculture.
Each year the FUW hosts a series of farmhouse breakfasts across Wales for farmers, politicians and stakeholders, to shine a light on the successes of Welsh food and farming and to promote the sector’s importance to Wales’ rural communities and the wider economy.
This year, the breakfasts have also provided the opportunity to look ahead to the future, and for FUW to highlight key asks of the next Senedd to secure a thriving and sustainable future for family farms in Wales.
Speaking after the event, Darren said:
"Welsh farmers are the backbone of our rural communities and must be supported in every way possible.
"I was pleased to have the opportunity to come together with our farmers over a hearty meal of prime produce and to discuss the issues they are facing.
"In recent years they have had to deal with the detrimental impact of Labour’s damaging Sustainable Farming Scheme, changes to Inheritance Tax, the lack of action to tackle Bovine TB in wildlife, and concerns over the spread of Bluetongue.
"The Welsh Conservatives have always backed our farmers and will continue to speak up against Labour and Plaid’s anti-farming agenda to ensure agriculture remains viable for future generations.
"As part of our plan to help farmers we would introduce a Farming and Countryside Scheme – to replace Labour’s unpopular Sustainable Farming Scheme, ensuring food security is at its heart by listening to the farming community.
"We would also protect and increase funding for agriculture, providing an additional £100 million for farming over the next Senedd term.
"Farming needs a friend, and the Welsh Conservatives are committed to being that friend now and in the future."