IN its response to a government consultation on fairness in the combinable crops supply chain, NFU Cymru has highlighted the need for change to support primary producers amid a challenging time for the sector.

NFU Cymru Crops & Horticulture Board’s response to the Contractual Relationships in the Combinable Crops Sector consultation response focussed on three key areas1: grain sale contracts; the sampling process; and the timeliness and accuracy of data sent back to producers.

The UK-wide consultation launched last December by Defra in collaboration with Welsh Government, Scottish Government and DAERA, sought views on clarity of standards, sampling and testing procedures, supply volumes, data sharing and dispute resolution, to inform proposals for clearer contracts and fairer treatment for producers.

NFU Cymru’s Crops & Horticulture Board Chair Tom Rees, an arable farmer from Pembrokeshire, said: “For far too long cereals producers have been price takers and this must change. This is an opportunity for that to happen and bring back fairness to primary producers in our nation’s food chain and - frankly - keep us in business in these volatile high input cost times.

“Government keeps telling us get more from the market. If we get the changes that are needed, with their help, through legislation, if necessary, this is an opportunity to do just that.

“We need confidence brought back into the system and a sense of fairness that we are getting what our grain is worth on the day it is leaves the farm. There is hope now we can achieve that when our suggested changes are implemented and that time will come soon.”

The union has also underlined the need for the review to give confidence back to arable farmers.