The Farmers’ Union of Wales has meet with David Jones MP, minister for exiting the European Union, earlier today.
The union said the meeting, at the Royal Welsh Showground, was "an informative and wide-ranging discussion around the issues and concerns impacting the agricultural sector while we plan and eventually exit from the European Union".
Mr Jones said he had had been in this new departmental post for only five days and had made it a personal priority to engage with the farmers of Wales, with the FUW as his first port of call, as soon as possible.
“This was his first meeting with any organisation outside Government and demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that agriculture does not suffer during the Brexit process and I’m grateful that he came to us to have that discussion” said Glyn Roberts, president of the FUW.
“We know we face some challenging and worrying times, but knowing that there is someone at the centre of this critical planning process who has a great understanding of Wales and of Welsh agriculture is reassuring.
“We have agreed to meet again, more formally, at the beginning of September when we will set out our thinking around the concerns for the immediate years leading up to exit which we expect to be as close to 2020 as possible. And of course we will work with as wide a constituency as possible to ensure that the voice of farming in Wales is well represented. #FarmingMatters and planning for it is now taking place at a high level in Government and we plan to play a key part in that planning,” said Mr Roberts.