As always, it was an enormous pleasure this year to visit the Royal Welsh Show. More so, because the weather was somewhat cooler which made it considerably more comfortable for all concerned, particularly the animals.
Speaking with many of the organisations that represent rural life and its economy, there was deep concern that the Welsh Labour Government’s anti-rural agenda is having a damaging impact on rural communities. On top of their tourism tax, blanket classification of all of Wales as a nitrogen-vulnerable zone and introduction of 182-day minimum for holiday lets, they are consulting on proposals to start licensing for game bird release and have now announced that farmers will need to cover 10% of their agricultural land with trees in order to receive subsidies.
This has rightly caused outrage because it means that for many farmers, prime agricultural land which is used to grow food, is not only made unavailable but made practically worthless, and many farms cannot afford this loss. Equally concerning is that this policy would reduce the size of the rural economy and the amount of food we source locally, making us more reliant on food imports, reducing our food security and increasing the carbon footprint of Wales.
Another major concern is the Welsh Labour Governments anti-shooting stance, and the fact that they completely ignore the conservation work of managed shoots. By planting cover crops and feeders, and helping reduce predators these shoots help protect some of our most endangered species. Gamekeepers undertake 119,000 days of conservation work across Wales annually, the game meat market provides £100million to the Welsh economy as well as provide high quality, nutritious and locally sourced food.
I seriously wonder how farming and rural life is going to survive under the weight of all these damaging policies. The Welsh Labour Government are clearly not going to provide funding to replace the conservation work done by managed shoots, they are not going to be able to replace rural jobs without industrial development and this leaves farmers and the rural businesses that support them at a cliff-edge as to whether they will be able to continue in the future.
ENDS
