SENEDD Members representing Ceredigion Penfro got to see sustainable food production in action as part of an on-farm event organised by NFU Cymru to mark Welsh Farming Week.

Claire Archibald Reform MS, Kerry Fergusson Plaid Cymru MS and Paul Davies Conservative MS visited Glyniscoed farm in Ffostrasol, Ceredigion on Friday, July 3 as part of a series of MS engagements events being held across Wales by NFU Cymru during its fifth annual Welsh Farming Week campaign.

The on-farm meetings were arranged to give MSs insight into the day-to-day work of Welsh farmers and the role they play in feeding the nation, whilst also caring for and enhancing their local environment. During the visit to Glyniscoed, host farmer Gethin Hughes provided the MSs in attendance with an overview of the working dairy farm and showed them his farming system.

Mr Hughes said:

“In particular, I welcomed the chance to talk about the barriers to entry many new entrants like I face in terms of financial backing. I was also able to highlight the excessive amount of inspections that I have had over the past 18 months. I also spoke to them about the issues of bovine TB and how the current eradication strategy is not working for farmers here in Wales. We also talked about water quality and how farming by calendar does not work."

NFU Cymru Ceredigion County Chair Martin Griffiths added: “The backdrop of the farm can bring the challenges that our members are facing into full focus.

“As Members of the Senedd discuss and vote on devolved policy areas affecting Welsh farms over the course of the next Senedd term, I very much hope that the MSs in attendance continue the positive dialogue we've enjoyed at this meeting and continue to support the efforts of their constituent farmers and the wider industry."