AUSTRALIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT RISKS “SERIOUSLY HARMING” WELSH FARMING – PLAID CYMRU

Plaid’s agricultural spokesperson Cefin Campbell presses for Welsh Government support for Welsh farmers

The proposed UK-Australia FTA risks “seriously harming” the viability and sustainability of the Welsh farming and agricultural sectors, Plaid Cymru has said.

Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for agriculture and rural affairs Cefin Campbell said the Welsh Govenrment should outline how they will support Welsh farmers to ensure the “continued economic viability of Welsh farmers” following the agreement.

The proposed trade deal could see sixty times as much beef and four times as much lamb as imported last year flooding into Wales.

Plaid Cymru argue that the zero tariff access, particularly for beef and lamb, could undermine Wales’ animal welfare standards by packing shelves with imports reared at much lower standards, as Australian standards on transport, slaughterhouses and feedlots are all lower than permitted in Wales. 

Mr Campbell said that it was “unacceptable” that neither the Senedd nor the House of Commons would be permitted to ratify and vote on new trade deals that would have “long lasting imapcts on Welsh farming”.

He added that Welsh famrers could no longer trust the Tories to stand up for their interests.

The agriculture and rural affairs spokesperson and Member of the Senedd for Mid and West Wales said that Plaid Cymru would “always” put the sustainability of family farms “at the heart of our work” and would “stand up to Westminster Tories’ threats to Welsh  farming” and fight for economic stability to Welsh farms in the face of “ever increasing uncertainty” post-Brexit.

Welsh farms help support Wales’ food and drinks sector which is worth £7.5billion to our economy, and is Wales’ biggest employer.

Plaid Cymru Spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Cefin Campbell MS said,

“The proposed UK-Australia FTA risks seriously harming the viability and sustainability of the Welsh farming and agricultural sectors. Welsh farms help support Wales’ food and drinks sector which is worth £7.5billion to our economy, and is Wales’ biggest employer.

“They said it was about “taking back control” but it is completely unacceptable that the Welsh Parliament, let alone the Westminster parliament will not be given the chance to ratify and vote on new Trade Deals that will have long lasting impacts on Welsh farming. Moreover, with the Tories having already broken promises on farm funding since Brexit, it’s clear for all to see that Welsh farmers can no longer trust the Tories to stand up for their interests. 

“The Welsh Government must now outline in detail how they intend to support Welsh farmers to ensure the continued economic viability of Welsh farmers following this agreement.

“Plaid Cymru will always put the sustainability of family farms at the heart of our work, and we will stand up to Westminster Tories’ threats to Welsh  farming and fight for proposals that will provide economic stability to Welsh farms in the face of ever increasing uncertainty post-Brexit.