Farming Connect Agri-Academy 2016 candidates attended a special ceremony at this year’s Winter Fair in Llanelwedd, when they met Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs.
The event, which was also attended by representatives from a number of Wales’ key agricultural stakeholder organisations, provided this year’s Rural Leadership Programme candidates with an opportunity to outline their vision for what they perceive to be the Welsh Government’s priorities to ensure a sustainable and profitable agriculture industry in Wales post-Brexit. The content of the report was informed amongst other things, by what the group learned during their recent study visit to the European Parliament in Brussels.
Young farmers Helen Howells from Llanwenog and Rob Hoggins from Abergavenny jointly outlined the group’s recommendations which focused on five key themes, namely the efficient use of natural resources; selling the story of Welsh food, increasing processing capacity for innovative product development; supporting succession for a vibrant, diverse industry and achieving high standards of animal health.
The Minister responded by thanking the group for their valuable input and she urged them to participate in all future Welsh Government consultations on agriculture and related topics.
“It is very important to understand the views and perspective of everyone in our industry and your recommendations will be considered alongside the outcomes of similar tasks already underway in Welsh Government and with our stakeholders. Now is the time to not only consider the risks and challenges arising from Brexit, but to ensure we also identify and grasp new opportunities.”
The Minister congratulated the ‘Class of 2016’ and wished them every success for the future.
“The Farming Connect Agri Academy, which now has 125 alumni, has brought together some of the most promising and aspirational individuals working within and contributing to the prosperity of the agricultural industry in Wales today. You are the future of our industry and I have every confidence that I will be hearing more about your many achievements and successes in the years to come.
“It is now 14 months since the enhanced Farming Connect programme was launched and across so many areas, it is making a significant and tangible impact. It is fulfilling its critical role in helping our industry to become more sustainable and more resilient, against a backdrop of the uncertainty that surrounds the outcome of the EU referendum.”