Friday, January 21st, 2011

Plaid AMs defend Welsh farming community

Carmarthenshire Assembly Members Rhodri Glyn Thomas and Nerys Evans have welcomed the recent announcement by Plaid Cymru Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones AM who this week gave her initial view on the European Commission’s proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which delivers £280million to farmers in Wales through the Single Payment Scheme.

The CAP Single Payment Scheme typically contributes between 80 and 90 per cent of farm business income and based on latest income figures for 2010, it is evident that all farming sectors in Wales would be non-viable without CAP payments.  The Rural Affairs Minister has said she will use the months ahead to play a full role in helping to shape the UK negotiating position, and as part of that process will withstand any attempts to bring direct payments to an end.

The announcement by Elin Jones comes just a few weeks after the UK Government’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – The Rt. Hon. Caroline Spelman MP – announced during a speech on CAP that “Now is the time to make very significant progress towards reducing our reliance on direct payments” and to “plan for their abolition”.  Unsurprisingly, these comments were met with great hostility from the Farmers’ Union of Wales who said the “UK Government’s plans would devastate farming “.

Chair of the National Assembly’s Rural Development Sub-Committee Rhodri Glyn Thomas said:

“I am pleased to see the Rural Affairs Minister’s position on the European Commission’s proposals for CAP – especially promoting a series of recommendations presented by the Rural Development Sub-Committee in July 2010.

“Following the publishing of the report last year, I met with the Chair of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee to discuss the findings of our inquiry, and to demonstrate that payments to Welsh farmers through CAP are invaluable and their importance for Welsh farmers must not be underestimated.

“The position taken by the Conservative-led government in Westminster could not be further from that of the Welsh Government or the farming community in Wales.  I am not surprised that the UK Secretary of State’s ambition to ‘abolish’ direct payments has been met with significant hostility from farming representatives who have now seen the Conservative party’s clear plans to tear apart the backbone of our rural economy.

“Last month the Rural Affairs Minister announced £54million of funding for projects aimed at improving the quality of life in rural areas of Wales – over £8million is aimed at projects in Carmarthenshire.

“Such actions taken by the Minister are proof enough that Plaid Cymru is the only political party which truly understands the needs of rural Wales and that the Conservative party is completely out of touch with the needs of the farming community here in Carmarthenshire.”

Plaid Cymru’s Director of Policy and local Assembly Member Nerys Evans added:

 “I very much welcome the Welsh Government’s position on this matter.  It differs dramatically  from the proposals that have been set out by the Tory led UK government which is a serious concern.  There is no doubt that bringing CAP direct payments to an end would be disastrous for the industry in west Wales.  I know that Elin Jones is working hard on this issue and will continue to do her best to influence the UK response to the European consultation on CAP reform. 

“We need to make sure that the European Commission is aware of what is best for the industry in Wales and that our views differ to those of the UK Government.  Unfortunately, there seems to be a complete lack of understanding from the Tory-Liberal Government with regards to the needs of those living and working in rural Wales.  If the UK Government’s proposals were introduced it would have a seriously damaging effect on the industry. 

 “We can’t let the Tory – Liberal Westminster government put the agricultural industry here at risk.   We need to seriously ask what exactly are our local Tory MPs doing in London. How much influence do they have in these important decisions? It is clear from these decisions that they are London’s voice in west Wales and not west Wales’ voice in London.”

ENDS/DIWEDD

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