Welsh and UK Governments must not be allowed to do to farmers 'what Thatcher did to the miners' - Plaid Cymru

Agriculture must be properly supported or the Welsh and UK Governments risk doing to famers ‘what Thatcher did to the miners', according to Plaid Cymru.

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, has warned a failure to deliver sufficient funding for the sector at a time of unprecedented challenges will undermine the viability of family farms and shatter the fabric of rural communities across Wales.

During a visit to Maesmochnant Farm in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, he highlighted the ongoing uncertainty on farm funding.

Mr Gruffydd also took aim at the Government's failure to confirm funding levels for the Habitat Wales Scheme, which is an interim scheme to bridge the funding gap between the end of Glastir in December 2023 until the start of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2025.

Welsh farming

He said: "When you look at the multiple pressures that farmers in Wales are facing at the moment it's easy to understand why they are getting frustrated with ministers both in London and Cardiff."

He highlighted the cost inflation farmers have faced.

Mr Gruffydd said the Government had ‘failed to live up to' its promise of Wales not receiving less post-Brexit and the Welsh Government were not giving any certainty whilst trying to budget.

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"All this uncertainty means farms are in a state of stasis not knowing to invest, cut back or give up altogether. Ministers need to realise just how many farmers are on the brink," he said.

"Unless adequate levels of funding are provided to support the sector to deliver on the additional demands being placed on it by policy makers then the consequences could be dire.

"There is a real risk that between them the UK and Welsh Governments could do to our rural communities what Thatcher did to our mining communities.

Budgets

"Farmers stand ready to play their part in tackling the nature and climate emergency, but they cannot deliver today's priorities using yesterday's budget. For society to enjoy the public goods it demands either funding has to be increased or ambitions have to be lowered," he said.

He called for rural Wales to have a ‘cast-iron guarantee' it would not be punished for the EU exit.

"If Welsh farmers do not receive the funding they were promised, then the future of many family farms and rural businesses will be put at risk."