Farmers 'do not trust' Welsh Government over subsidies

Farmers do not trust the Welsh Government to deliver a fit-for-purpose subsidy system after Brexit, the Welsh Conservative leader has said.

Andrew RT Davies said they had more confidence in Westminster to design a Common Agricultural Policy replacement.

But Rural Affairs Secretary Lesley Griffiths said there was "little appetite" from farmers for Westminster to take control.

The comments came on the first day of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

Under the current EU Common Agricultural Policy, Wales receives approximately £250m per year in direct payments to farmers.

That is in addition to more than £500m between 2014-2020 to run a rural development programme.

EU aid for farmers includes direct subsidies and grants for rural development schemes

Mr Davies, who runs a farm in Vale of Glamorgan, said the ability to set the core principles governing farm payments should transfer directly to Westminster after Britain leaves the European Union.

But he stressed devolved administrations should have the ability to make localised policies under any new system.

"There is a view among most farmers and most businessmen and women in the rural economy that they would not trust the current Welsh Government to deliver a package of support that would be fit for purpose - they would have greater confidence in the UK government being able to do that," Mr Davies said.

Mr Davies, who was a well-known Brexit supporter, said: "From my conversations with people in agriculture, and I am a farmer myself, most people seem to identify a role, an important role, for the UK government in shaping UK government policies because there is such a thing as UK agriculture."

With so much meat processing spread throughout the UK, Mr Davies said: "We don't need to set artificial borders to complicate things post-Brexit."

Ms Griffiths said it would be up to the devolved administrations to decide if a UK-wide framework should be developed with Westminster after Brexit.

"I have detected little appetite for Westminster to retake responsibility over agriculture in Wales.

"Indeed, many have indicated a keen willingness to work with me to develop distinctively Welsh agriculture policies, responsive to the unique needs and interests of Wales' farming communities."

But she added that the Welsh Government was working closely with the UK government on the issues, and was focussing on getting the "best deal" for Welsh farmers.

Plaid Cymru's rural affairs spokesman Simon Thomas said the UK government had "completely failed to offer any security to farmers whose livelihoods are on the line".

"Be it sending powers back to Westminster or pulling out of the single market, the Tories simply cannot be trusted to defend rural Wales," he added.

NFU Cymru President Stephen James said Brexit was a "unique opportunity" to implement a framework that would deliver a productive, profitable and progressive agricultural industry for Wales.

He said it was vital support for Welsh farmers was the same offered to the rest of the UK and Europe.