Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George has welcomed the launch of NFU (National Farming Union) Cymru’s bold new election manifesto, Welsh Farming: Growing Forward, unveiled at the Senedd on Tuesday 10th June as part of Welsh Farming Week.
The launch event which is a key feature of NFU Cymru’s Celebration of Welsh Food & Farming, was hosted in the Senedd this week (10/06/2025). It marked a pivotal moment in the fourth annual Welsh Farming Week, showcasing the central role that agriculture plays in communities across Wales. The event made up one of several activities hosted by the union across Wales as part of its fourth annual Welsh Farming Week celebrations.
NFU Cymru’s manifesto sets out ambitious priorities ahead of next year’s Senedd Election. At its heart is a call to recognise the vital importance of food and farming to every constituent in Wales. The union is urging all candidates and parties to commit to a comprehensive farm-to-fork food strategy, support future policies that underpin food production, and enhance the sourcing of Welsh produce within the public sector.
Additional priorities highlighted in the document include tackling bovine TB, improving water quality, and ensuring a ring-fenced, multi-annual budget for Welsh farming.
After attending the event, Mr George said:
"Farming is the backbone of our rural economy. I was pleased to attend the launch of NFU Cymru’s new manifesto and hear first-hand the priorities of Welsh farmers.
‘’It’s clear that a strong, sustainable food and farming sector is essential not just for rural Wales, but for the whole country. I fully support efforts to place food production at the heart of policy-making and to ensure farming communities receive the recognition and support they deserve.
“The industry is at breaking point, with farmers being asked to do more for less, with reduced support and increasing environmental demands. My view is that the UK Government’s family farm tax will lead to the breakup of family farms. Many families will simply have to sell off parts of their farm, making the business less viable.
“Rural economies depend on the farming industry. The consequences of family farms dwindling away is that we will become more reliant on food supplied from outside of the UK.
“The Welsh Government also needs to do so much more to tackle the devastation that bovine TB causes. I believe that a holistic approach to defeating the disease is required; working in partnership with farmers and vets to eradicate the reservoir of infection within herds, eliminate inter-herd transmission and the targeted removal of infected wildlife, who themselves suffer a painful death due to TB.’’
