Welsh unions in clash over best representation
Welsh unions in clash over best representation
By Robert Davies
THE two Welsh farming unions are locked in a furious new row over which of them best represents Welsh producers.
Bob Parry, president of the Farmers Union of Wales, sparked the confrontation when he commented on a statement made by his NFU counterpart Hugh Richards at the unions annual meeting (Feb 6-7). In this Mr Richards acknowledged differences between English and Welsh farming and called for policies tailored to the needs of farmers in Wales.
Mr Parry welcomed the NFUs "belated acceptance of what his union had been preaching for decades" and added that the needs of Welsh farmers must not be compromised to meet the demand of farmers in other parts of the UK, particularly large arable farmers in England.
The FUW, he claimed, was uniquely positioned to advise the Welsh Assembly on policies because it was the only organisation that exclusively represented Welsh farmers.
This brought a vitriolic response from Malcolm Thomas, director of NFU Cymru-Wales, who said he was astounded by the claim and thought the FUW should have better things to do than waste time on such pointless and untrue allegations.
Audited figures showed his union had a membership of 15,500 in Wales and no other agricultural union could rival that. The NFUs Welsh Council had total responsibility for the development of agricultural policy related to the Welsh Assembly and had been the first to appoint an executive staff member to deal directly with the assembly and its ministers.
Mr Thomas said the allegation that English arable farmers determined NFU policies was spurious, pointing out the fact that NFU deputy president Tim Bennett is a Welsh dairy farmer and family farmers from Wales held the chairmanship or vice-chairmanship of the milk, less favoured areas, cereals and food standards committees.
Referring to the time vegetarian Christine Gwyther was Welsh farm minister, Mr Thomas said: "We did not opt out simply because we could not get on with the minister. NFU Cymru-Wales continued the dialogue and fought to improve the position of farmers in Wales.
"We are the only agricultural organisation which is able to offer our members a dedicated agricultural service from our offices in Wales, Whitehall and Brussels and represents the views of Welsh farmers in COPA, the European farmers organisation."