NFU Cymru have announced that they are launching a new campaign with the aim of promoting Welsh food, asking the public for support in order to ensure the future of those industries integral to the food supply chain. The public are invited to show their support for the campaign by signing an online petition on NFU Cymru’s website. The Union hopes that significant numbers will sign the petition, in order to emphasise the importance that voters give Welsh produce to elected representatives across Wales.
The call comes at the start of Welsh farming Week, returning for the third time this year, which will see a week of events organised by NFU Cymru across the country. There will be a series of local stakeholder meetings across Wales on Tuesday 18 June, live online lessons for primary schools on Wednesday 19 June, and a public awareness event in central Cardiff on Friday 21 June.
In a statement, NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said:
“Over the last year the swell of public support for Welsh food and Welsh farmers has been humbling. Our consumer polling last winter highlighted that 82% of the Welsh public support government providing funding to farmers to produce food. I also know that NFU Cymru members and staff were taken aback with the positive response from those passing the union’s display of 5,500 wellies on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff in March. All of this points to the fact that the people of Wales hold Welsh food in high regard and they want to see farmers supported to continue producing that food.
“Our Secure the Future of Welsh Food/Diogelu Dyfodol Bwyd Cymru campaign seeks to bring the industry together and show the high level of backing for the food produced in Wales by the nation’s farmers.”
Abi Reader, Deputy President of NFU Cymru said:
“The future of farm policy and the funding attached to it has been the subject of much debate in Wales over many months. It is clearer than ever before that concerns over the impact of those policies on farmers’ ability to produce food is a view shared not just by the industry, but by the public, too. As farmers, it’s in our collective interests to make sure the voice of the public is heard when it comes to our efforts to Secure the Future of Welsh Food.
“At a time when food production around the world is under pressure due to the impacts of climate change and global conflict, we simply cannot afford to hinder the production of safe, high-quality food made in a climate that is perfectly suited to producing milk, meat, eggs, potatoes, crops and vegetables. We need as many people as possible to sign the petition on the NFU Cymru website over the next few months, in either Welsh or English, to mobilise this support for Welsh food. Ultimately, we want policy makers to see that the Welsh public want future support to deliver on the production of safe, sustainable, high-quality food produced in Wales.”
For more information regarding Welsh Farming Week events, and to learn more about the petition, follow this lin to NFU Cymru’s website.
