The Welsh Government’s anti-rural agenda is having a damaging impact on rural communities. From nitrate-vulnerable zones, new rules on a minimum 10% tree coverage, and proposed 13% cuts to the Rural Affairs budget to name but a few, there is considerable financial pressure on farmers.
Most farms in Wales are small, under 20 hectares, and the sad truth is they have no profitability left in them to deal with all these anti-rural policies. They are run almost entirely by those who do it for the love of farming and this means that there are exceptionally few new farmers entering the sector. I believe it is now just a matter of time before we see a major collapse of small farming in Wales.
What makes this worse is that the Welsh Labour Government point blank refuses to recognise the long-term damage they are causing.
Alarm bells are ringing over the Welsh Government’s delivery of TB eradication. TB has an immense impact on farmers and current policies are simply not working. The Welsh Labour Government must reconsider their policies to eradicate this disease once and for all and act now to prevent the continued stress on our farmers.
Speaking with farming communities recently, I was shocked to find that they receive no compensation when livestock are killed by protected species. Ravens for instance can seriously hurt and kill sheep and calves, yet as a protected species farmers are powerless to stop them.
In the Farm Safety Foundation’s 2022 survey, 94% of farmers agreed that poor mental health is now one of the biggest hidden problems facing the industry. Anxiety over policy changes, paperwork and rural isolation are all contributing factors. With thousands of farmers struggling with long-term health and many more dealing with mental health conditions, more needs to be actioned to support our farmer’s health and well-being.
The Welsh Government simply don’t understand the crucial role our farms play in driving economic growth. For every £1 invested in the agricultural sector, £9 is generated for the wider economy. Welsh Conservatives are pro-farmers and continue to fight the cause. I will continue to advocate for our farming communities and be the voice standing up against Welsh Labour’s anti-rural agenda.
ENDS
