HCC is delivering – Wales deputy first minister tells Senedd inquiry

Welsh red meat levy body Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) is delivering for the industry, a Senedd Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs committee (Etra) inquiry heard on Wednesday (7 May).

The committee launched an inquiry in February to consider if HCC was still fit for purpose, following reports of a toxic culture and key members of staff leaving.

Deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies told the inquiry that he meets with HCC at least quarterly and gave reassurances that, despite the turbulent times the organisation has gone through, it has delivered against its key performance indicators (KPIs).

See also: HCC faces criticism over surplus levy redistribution

“There has been a relentless focus from the chair and now with the new chief executive in post as well, on delivering on that [KPIs]. We haven’t seen a dip in performance.

“We haven’t seen them take their eye off the ball.

“They’ve been at the trade shows. They’ve been doing the promotion of Welsh upland hill lamb and very successfully as well,” said Mr Irranca-Davies.

Performance

Committee chairman Andrew RT Davies questioned why the deputy minister’s assessment of the levy body was so different from processors and farming unions, who have provided scathing evidence on HCC’s delivery and industry engagement in previous evidence sessions.

Responding, Mr Irranca-Davies said that feedback from stakeholders and levypayers “has to be recognised by HCC”.

“They need to do more within those spaces, responding to those things,” he said.

However, he praised HCC for its work at the Royal Welsh Show, which engaged levypayers and the wider public, as well as the work the body is doing abroad.

Funding

With a shrinking livestock sector in Wales, the committee questioned the deputy first minister about future funding for HCC and how the organisation could continue to deliver meaningful work.

HCC’s current income relies solely on levy it collects from farmers and processors.

“We utterly cannot have an organisation that is simply surviving this,” said Mr Irranca-Davies.

“HCC has to deliver real bang for the buck, so whatever funding it has available, through the levy funding, or through coming to Welsh Government in future, they need to really forensically laser-like target where their best interventions are.”

He added that HCC needed to make its case highlighting how it will help to deliver government goals especially around the sustainability element of the red meat industry.

Future of HCC

The way red meat from Wales is promoted and the work HCC does on behalf of levypayers has previously been criticised by stakeholders.

Defending the organisation and acknowledging that alternative models to HCC are out there, Mr Irranca-Davies said: “HCC is a model, despite the turbulence of the last 18 months, that has been effective on behalf of the levypayers.”

He also stated that Welsh government believes that the current structure and governance arrangements relating to powers Welsh ministers have delegated to HCC are appropriate and effective.