Welsh MS criticised for saying “there is no reason to subsidise agriculture” 

Members of the Welsh farming union, NFU Cymru, strongly criticised his comments, suggesting that Mr Hedges is “failing to see the bigger picture” – the value of the Welsh food and farming industry, nor the role that farmers play in feeding the nation and supporting thriving communities.   

Priorities

During a discussion on poverty and education among children in rural areas, MS Hedges said: “On money, it all comes down to priorities. I mean, people have got bored with me saying this, but we have almost £300 million in basic farm payments—that is the Brexit dividend, we don’t have to spend it. Education could have it, local government could have it.”  

“I’m not sure that either Plaid Cymru or the Conservatives would agree with that; they think putting money in the pockets of farmers is more important than feeding poor children,” MS Hedges added.  

Llyr Gruffydd MS responded: “I don’t think anybody should be ashamed of providing subsidies for food production in this country. You think nothing about asking for £1 billion to subsidise Tata, which I support, so why are you differentiating between one industry and another?” 

Mr Hedges added: “Because we don’t subsidise a whole range of industries, and what I’m saying is that there is no reason to subsidise agriculture, and I hope we have a debate on this at some stage.” 

Economic drivers of communities

Reacting to MS Hedge’s comments, the president of NFU Cymru, Aled Jones, said: “While it is only right that public spending is scrutinised and justified, particularly at a time when Welsh Government’s budget is under such pressure, the comments made by Mike Hedges MS will be infuriating for Welsh farmers to hear.  

“Mike Hedges MS will be well aware of the budgetary pressures Welsh Government is currently subject to and he must surely recognise that the axe has already fallen heavily on the sector’s finances in recent times.   

“The rural affairs budget was subject to a 7.8% in-year cut in October in a ‘reprioritisation’ of the budget to support front line services, while Welsh Government’s draft budget announcement last month forecast a further 10.5% cut in funding to the Rural Affairs portfolio. On each occasion the Rural Affairs budget has been subject to the largest cut in funding in percentage terms.”  

He added: “When we look at public funding for Welsh farming, let us not forget that this accounts for around 2% of the overall Welsh Government budget. For this, farmers manage 80% of the land area of Wales, underpin an £8 billion food and farming sector and make an unparalleled contribution to the economic, environmental, social and cultural wellbeing of rural Wales.   

“The reality is that farming businesses are economic drivers in their communities. In fact, for every £1 of public money invested in Welsh farming, the sector provides a £9 return to the nation – we believe this represents a good return on investment.   

“So based on the evidence, we strongly refute Mike Hedges MS’s claim that spending money on agriculture is merely ‘putting money in the pockets of farmers’. That support is benefitting people, communities and environments all over Wales.”  

“Completely out of touch”

Mr Jones added that the views shared by Mike Hedges MS are not in keeping with those shared by most of the Welsh public. An independent consumer survey commissioned by NFU Cymru late last year revealed that 82% of the Welsh public support Welsh Government providing support to Welsh farmers to produce food.   

Mr Jones said: “The comments made by Mike Hedges MS are, therefore, completely out of touch with the overwhelming majority of people in Wales. Welsh farmers will be angered to hear a Member of the Senedd talking down their industry in this manner. I struggle to recall any other sector of the Welsh economy being discussed in such negative terms.   

“It is a shame that Mike Hedges MS has not been willing to take up our repeated offers to join us on farm in order that he can see for himself the contribution farming makes to Welsh society. I’d also like to thank those MSs in the Senedd who countered Mike Hedges MS’s comments and made a robust case for the nation’s farmers.”