Commenting on the Deputy Minister for Agriculture’s statement on ‘principles and priorities for 2014-2020 EU Programmes’ – which announces a 20 per cent cut in funding for agri-environmental measures – Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs Antoinette Sandbach AM said:
“This amounts to a cut of a fifth in financial support for famers and that is absolutely unacceptable.
“The first minister’s decision to make rural affairs a junior ministerial position set out his stall a year ago. Today we have further proof of his contempt for the farming industry.
“While the Assembly and rural communities alike anxiously await the results of the Glastir review, today’s statement completely pre-empts it. This is neither transparent nor fair on farming communities the length and breadth of Wales.
“The deputy minister must properly explain this decision and clarify exactly where the funding wrenched from farmers will be used.”
