Written by Rachel Martin
The Farmers’ Union of Wales has urged senior politicians at this week’s Pembrokeshire Show to push back the deadline for the Welsh Sustainable Farming and our Land consultation.
Having raised concerns since early July regarding the clash between the response deadline (October 30) and the date on which the UK is due to leave the EU (October 31), the FUW had already welcomed a Welsh Government commitment to keep the deadline under review.
However, given the UK Government’s determination to take the UK out of the EU at the end of October, deal or no deal, the union now believes it is imperative that the deadline is extended.
Speaking at Pembrokeshire Show after a meeting with First Minister Mark Drakeford and Environment Minister Lesley Griffiths, FUW president Glyn Roberts said: “We share the Welsh Government’s concerns regarding the impacts of a no-deal Brexit and welcome the commitment to supporting agriculture.
“In terms of the Sustainable Farming and our Land consultation, we have major concerns regarding the clash between the October 30 deadline and the date on which we are due to leave the EU, as growing Brexit disruption is likely to distract attention away from this important consultation document.
“Concerns, such as collapses in export markets, drug shortages, and impacts for Welsh ports, mean there is a real likelihood that as October 31 approaches, the attention of members of the public who would normally be considering the Sustainable Farming and our Land proposals will be diverted towards the implications of a no-deal Brexit and their own contingency planning.
“As such, the only means by which to ensure that the consultation paper is given the attention it truly deserves is to delay the deadline by a number of months.”
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