A very welcome announcement by the DEFRA secretary today.
While farming policy in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Government, we all know that many of the levers impacting farm profitability in Wales are held by the UK government.
So it’s really good news that Baroness Minette Bathers has been appointed to lead a review into farm profitability – an issue many Welsh MPs have raised concerns about. Many of us have listened to the challenged faced by farmers in our constituencies, and expressed real concern over how hard it is for farmers to run a sustainable business.
Minette knows her onions and won’t be afraid to speak truth to power. I am pleased it’s a 6-month review, focused on identifying actions, too. Not something that’s going to take years and then just sit on a shelf – something the last Government seemed to be keen on doing!
Our farmers play a vital role in feeding our country and protecting the environment. Now more than ever, it’s vital we take a proper look at the sector and see what can be done to improve profitability for the long-term.
