Welsh Government

A group of Welsh farming and environmental organisations have written a letter to the First Minister, asking for budgetary certainty for the rural affairs portfolio ahead of draft budget being published later this month

Dr Richard Irvine, who started the role in March 2023, said an expected assessment of the bTB target next year will serve as a ‘formal checkpoint' and an opportunity to ‘take stock' on the issue

Mr Drakeford said ‘no single part of the Welsh Government can regard itself as immune', including agriculture

The poll of over 1,000 adults in Wales, conducted by YouGov found 82 per cent support the Welsh Government providing financial support to farmers to produce food

Dairy farmer Susie Mottershead said Joyce Watson's MS comments that dairy farmers with chronic TB should find another business was a kick in the teeth. "Never have I felt the mental health of farmers be so completely disregarded. We are that chronic bTB farm," she said

Samuel Kurtz MS, is the Welsh Conservatives Shadow Rural Affairs Minister in the Senedd

Joyce Watson's comments in the Senedd last week that dairy farms with perpetual TB 'should find another business' sparked fury amongst Welsh farmers and unions

NFU Cymru has criticised the scheme, which is aimed at bridging the funding gap until the Sustainable Farming Scheme is introduced, citing a lack of clarity around the budget and what farmers can hope to receive

Wales' Rural Affairs Minister said the policy of on-farm slaughter of heavily pregnant cows and heifers with TB is being considered as a ‘matter of priority' by her officials