Farmers lit bonfires to highlight lack of attention amid general election
2nd July 2024
Last evening farmers lit bonfires across Wales to highlight the importance of agriculture amid the general election.
The events, organised by a farmers’ pressure group Enough is Enough, took place on Monday evening, 1st July in Ruthin, Denbighshire, Pennal near Machynlleth, Brecon, Powys, Aberystwyth and Rhydlewis, Ceredigion.
They were supported by farming unions and rural businesses that rely on agriculture.
The main bonfire was held at Shadog Farm, Pentre-cwrt, near Llandysul, Ceredigion, the BBC reported.
Farming issues in election camapaign
One of the participants, Gary Howells, told the BBC that farming had not been given enough prominence during the election campaign.
He added: “As a group, we’re not very happy with how food security and agriculture has been talked about during the pre-election campaign.
“We’ve heard nothing about it. We talk a lot about the cost of food in the supermarkets.
“We witnessed with the Ukraine war, what can happen in a very short time. We have to make sure that we sustain our self-sufficiency.”
Mr Howells also voiced his frustration with a “lack of progress” in negotiations with the Welsh government over issues like the new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) and new rules to control agricultural pollution, which are due to be introduced in October.
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