Local farmers have urged prospective candidates for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency to back Welsh farming if elected to the National Assembly for Wales in May.

This message came during a recent hustings event held at Plas Hyfryd Hotel, Narberth, with prospective candidates present, including Angela Burns, Conservatives; Marc Tierney, Labour; Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru; William Powell, Liberal Democrats and Val Bradley, Green Party, all of whom outlined their parties’ future plans for agriculture and the rural economy.

Amongst the issues discussed were the future of our food security, the damaging impacts of potential legislation to introduce Nitrate Vulnerable Zones on local farm businesses, bovine TB eradication and the importance of a well targeted Rural Development Plan that helps improve the competitiveness and profitability of farm businesses.

Pembrokeshire NFU Cymru County chairman, Walter Simon, chaired the evening’s proceedings and said: “With the majority of decisions concerning agriculture being devolved to the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government, the elected Assembly Member for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency will have an important role to play in representing the interests of local farmers on a number of crucial issues.”

During the debate, NFU Cymru members emphasised to the candidates the importance of evidence and science based policy decision making.

Walter Simon added: “Sound science must be at the heart of policy making. Politicians should not allow emotion or populist and sensationalist campaigning to cloud and shape their decision making. We look to the next Welsh Government to ensure this is the case, especially with regard to the future direction of bovine TB eradication in Wales and also for any future designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in the area.”

Walter Simon concluded: “We’re currently feeling the negative impacts of the volatility of the marketplace, with prolonged low prices across many agricultural commodity markets creating significant challenges to our businesses. It is absolutely vital that any prospective AM for the area realises that decisions made in Cardiff Bay, on issues such as bovine TB eradication and introducing new Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, have a huge impact on farm businesses in areas such as West Carmarthenshire and South Pembrokeshire and we need an AM who will stand up and fight our corner.”