Welsh ban MoD from their land
7 August 2000
Welsh ban MoD from their land
By FWi Staff
WELSH farmers have gone to war with the defence chiefs over their refusal to buy more British beef and lamb.
The National Farmers Union Cymru is calling on its members not to allow armed forces personnel to train on their land until the Ministry of Defence buys British.
The MoD buys only 2% of its lamb from Britain, and is to buy more beef from overseas to replace dwindling EU intervention stocks of British beef.
Defence chiefs say they are forced to look overseas for frozen lamb because they could not strike a deal with farmers on price, capacity and logistics.
But NFU Cymru vice president Peredur Hughes said farmers said the MoD should not buy on price alone, but also consider quality.
He added that there were now plants in the UK which could meet the MoD requirements for blast freezing lamb.
Mr Hughes said: “NFU members across Wales are saying enough is enough.”
“This co-operation of allowing Army, Navy and Air Force personnel on the land will cease until there is evidence that the Armed Forces are buying our beef and lamb to feed our soldiers.”
“I can think of nothing more abhorrent for a farmer struggling to keep his business viable than having to watch our soldiers training on our land but fed on foreign meat!”
“We depend on the Armed Forced for our defence and it is only right that the government provides the best and safest meat available — Welsh and British beef and lamb.”
A spokesman for the MoD said while he respected the farmers decision, the ministry would continue to seek the best value for money.
He pointed out that 100% of pork, gammon and bacon was sourced from the UK, and said the MoD was open to offers on other lines.
This is not the first recent attempt to persuade the Armed Forces to source more British meat by withdrawing access to land.
Last year Yorkshire farmers withdrew permission for RAF survival training on moorland, and some Welsh farmers have already banned the MoD this year.