HCC boss warns of alarming fall in Welsh livestock numbers

Wales risks losing its rural lifeblood unless urgent action is taken to halt a worrying fall in livestock numbers, the chairwoman of Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales) has warned.

Catherine Smith issued a stark message during a key address at the Royal Welsh Show on Monday, warning that sheep and beef herds in Wales have seen dramatic declines over the past decade – posing a serious threat to the country’s farming future, food security, and cultural identity.

See also: Drop in livestock numbers threatens Welsh economy

“The Welsh sheep flock has decreased by 8% over the last decade,” she said.

“And with the beef herd standing at 140,000 head, a drop of 16% in the last decade and a startling 33% in the last 20 years, it’s clear that as an industry we need an urgent remedy.”

Ms Smith said the trend jeopardises not only the agricultural economy, but also the communities and landscapes it supports.

“It’s essential that both our livestock and our traditional family farms remain in numbers, at the heart of our quality production, at the core of one’s culture, and as guardians of the Welsh environment,” she said.

Catherine Smith speaking at the Royal Welsh Show © MAG/Philip Case

Her comments came as HCC continues to consult widely on its “Vision 2030” strategy – a collaborative roadmap for rebuilding the sector’s resilience, profitability, and sustainability.

“Shaping the future of food and farming here in Wales is not just a duty. It must be our shared mission,” said Ms Smith, who spoke movingly of her own son’s decision to enter the industry.

“We must break the fall, cultivate stability and protect our critical mass – and that’s why Vision is so very important.”

Minister concerned

Speaking to Farmers Weekly, Welsh government deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.

“I have had some really good conversations [at the Royal Welsh Show]. Farmers are concerned. One big processor said, ‘Minister, I can’t actually tell you what the solution is.’ But we must work together to stabilise this.”

He stressed the role of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in promoting the right kind of grazing in Wales’ pasture-rich landscape and highlighted the importance of keeping abattoirs – large and small – viable to maintain meat processing capacity.

Decline ‘ridiculous’ – BMPA boss

Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, called the decline “ridiculous”, warning it could lead to “more consolidation in the abattoir sector” and undermine local meat production.

“We should be looking to expand our production to fill the world’s needs,” he said.