Welsh assembly lashed by union
Welsh assembly lashed by union
By Robert Davies
NFU Cymru-Wales council members have attacked the National Assembly for Wales, calling it ineffective and a waste of money at a meeting last week.
Mick Bates, an assembly member and Powys farmer, sat through a catalogue of complaints at the Welsh council meeting in Builth Wells. Topics covered were the aborted calf processing scheme, the lack of action over cull ewes and proposed reform of the Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance system.
Will Edwards from Anglesey said the assembly was ineffective, and said he could not understand how Mr Bates could sit in the Cardiff assembly building listening to so much garbage and hot air. The new chamber was proving to be nothing more than just another tier of bureaucracy that was costing millions of £s while doing nothing, he added.
David Williams from Radnorshire said he saw no indication that the assembly could do anything to relieve Welsh farmings dire situation. And Ed Rees, Glamorgan, claimed that the supporters of devolution had promised so much and delivered nothing.
But a resolution expressing no confidence in assembly first minister Alun Michael was withdrawn on condition that he was informed of the councils views on the assemblys lack of achievement.
Mr Bates was urged to do something about the late payment of subsidies that made Welsh farmers the "poor cousins" of producers in the rest of the UK and the increase, rather than reduction, in red tape.
Mick Bates replied that he could understand why farmers were unhappy with the Welsh Assemblys apparent lack of progress in solving the industrys severe problems.
As farmers did not have money to invest in expensive plants to add value to their primary products he did not believe that the assembly- backed, proposed all-Wales livestock co-operative was the answer.
"I just do not know where the money will come from to invest down stream, and think that the way ahead lies with small groups of farmers working together and with processors who already operate with supermarkets," said Mr Bates.
This suggestion, and his insistence that income would have to come from off farm activities to keep some families on the land, rattled several delegates. Glyn Williams from Monmouthshire insisted that looking after livestock was a 24-hour job leaving no time to earn money away from the farm. Farmers just wanted a fair return for the work they did.
Clwyd delegate Bernard Malethan said alternative income sources were not available in most parts of Wales and government policy would result in rural dereliction and ranching.
Much criticised Welsh farm minister Christine Gwyther (left) at John Jones Tir Newydd, Maesmawr in Powys, one of five farms involved in an EU funded project to improve the returns of the Welsh Beef industry. Later Ms Gwyther was again attacked, this time by local assembly member Mick Bates. "She is on a very steep learning curve and it is a pity she keeps sliding back to the bottom of it," he said.