Wales must not let Boris Johnson sacrifice our rural economy, says Rhun ap Iorwerth

24/06/2020By: Heledd Roberts

Boris Johnson and his Conservative Members in Wales are clearly willing to sacrifice the country’s rural economy after voting down a crucial amendment to the UK Government’s Agriculture Bill, according to Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, who today asked Welsh Government to do everything it can to push for assurances that the Welsh agriculture sector will be protected.

Conservative MPs recently voted down an amendment in the House of Commons that looked to safeguard the interests of Welsh farmers by ensuring that any produce imported as a result of Brexit trade deals would have to adhere to the same food and animal welfare standards as Welsh farmer do.

Mr ap Iorwerth said that this move leaves farmers and customers undermined, and today asked Welsh Government Minister for Agriculture Lesley Griffiths for assurances on the matter in the Virtual Senedd meeting.

Plaid Cymru MS for Ynys Mon Rhun ap Iorwerth said:

“It was very, very disappointing that Conservative MPs representing rural constituencies in Wales, including Ynys Môn, had voted recently against an amendment to the Agriculture Bill that sought to safeguard the interests of our farmers.

“The purpose of the amendment was to ensure that imported agricultural produce under post-Brexit trade deals would have to adhere to the same animal welfare standards and other standards as farms here.

“Farmers and customers are being undermined, so today I asked once again for the Welsh Government Minister for Agriculture to push for some assurances from the UK Government that every agricultural product sold here will have to adhere to the same standards adhered to by our farmers.

“It’s clear that Boris Johnson and his Members in Wales are willing to sacrifice the rural economy, but we in Wales – between the sector of the farmers, the unions and the politicians – must do everything we can to withstand that.”