Welsh unions call for dedicated farm minister

Farming leaders are urging Wales’ first minister to appoint a minister with sole responsibility for agriculture following the sacking of Alun Davies.

In a move that has concerned the farming sector, Carwyn Jones has opted to spread responsibilities for agriculture and environment across three ministers.

But NFU Cymru president Stephen James, who is due to meet two of those ministers on Friday (11 July), said he was concerned that the portfolio had been split.

See also Edwina Hart named Wales’ farm minister after Davies

“This didn’t work efficiently or effectively following the 2011 election, when there was a clear lack of integration of policy,” he insisted.

“Thankfully, the first minister recognised this in March 2013 by putting everything back under the Natural Resources and Food portfolio.”

In a surprise move, Mr Jones has now reversed that position. Economy minister Edwina Hart has been given the agriculture, fisheries and food brief and there is a newly-appointed deputy minister for agriculture and fisheries, Rebecca Evans.

While John Griffiths has been handed back responsibility for the environment.

But Mr James said Wales needed a dedicated farm minister. “We are looking to see this position redressed, once again, as quickly as possible,” he said.

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Emyr Jones had also expressed concern that the portfolio had been split and CLA Cymru said it was “extremely concerned”.