The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has responded to changes to the Ministerial Team at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and called on the UK Government to collaborate closely with Welsh farmers in the face of an increasingly challenging agricultural landscape.
Following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent reshuffle, Emma Reynolds MP, former Economic Secretary to the Treasury, has been appointed as Secretary of State at DEFRA, while Angela Eagle MP, formerly a Minister at the Home Office, has been appointed Minister of State.
In a letter to both the newly appointed Secretary of State and Minister of State, the FUW President Ian Rickman congratulated them on their new roles and expressed a strong desire to build a productive and constructive working relationship.
Commenting on the appointments, Ian Rickman said: “We would like to extend our congratulations to the new Ministerial team on their appointments. We look forward to engaging with them on the wide range of issues facing Welsh agriculture.
“Welsh farmers are currently grappling with a ‘perfect storm’ of changes and challenges, and it is crucial that UK Government policies fully recognise the importance of food security, rural economies, and the unique characteristics of Welsh agriculture.
“While agriculture is a devolved matter, several key issues such as trade negotiations, funding frameworks, and the damaging changes to agricultural property relief remain reserved to the UK Government. It is therefore vital that Welsh farming interests are represented in UK-wide policy discussions since these decisions directly impact the sustainability and competitiveness of our industry.”
The FUW has called for an early meeting with the new Ministerial team to ensure Welsh farming concerns are fairly represented in future policy development.
Additionally, the FUW has written to Cardiff North Member of Parliament, Anna McMorrin, the newly appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Wales Office. Congratulating her on her appointment and emphasising the need for close collaboration, Ian Rickman stated: “We would also like to extend our congratulations to Anna McMorrin in her new role. We look forward to working together to ensure that the needs of Welsh family farms and our rural communities are central to UK Government policy.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dame Nia Griffith for her constructive cooperation during her tenure. As Anna begins her work, we urge her to recognise the critical and unique role that rural Wales and farming play in our economy, environment, and culture.”
