During his visit to North Wales last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies on a visit to John Worthington and family at Maes y Groes Farm, Cilcain, to meet and show his support to farmers from across North East Wales.
He received a warm welcome and listened to widespread concern about the Welsh Government policy on agriculture and other matters.
Recently farmers in the region have staged a number of peaceful protests against Labour Welsh Government proposals to change farm subsidies, which will force farmers to commit to planting trees on 10% of their land, and allocate another 10% for wildlife habitats.
The Prime Minister also spent time talking to campaigning farmer Gareth Wyn Jones and others outside the Welsh Conservative Party Conference at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Friday morning.
Commenting, James said:
“Farmers in North Wales have been turning out in force to make their views known, and rightly so.
“The way in which they are being treated by the Labour Welsh Government is disgraceful.
“On Wednesday, the farmers staged a protest to coincide with the First Minister’s visit to Llandrillo College in Rhyl.
“They called on Mark Drakeford to justify the change to farm subsidies, but he refused to engage with them.
“In stark contrast, the Prime Minister was very keen to meet with farmers in North Wales and to listen to their concerns.
“As well as meeting them in Cilcain on Thursday, when finding that a large number had gathered outside the Welsh Conservative Party Conference at Venue Cymru on Friday, he went out to speak to them and vowed that he, and his Government, will do everything they can to help them.”
The Prime Minister told them:
“We’re going to do everything we can because we’ve got your back. You are the lifeblood of this nation.
"Keir Starmer's Labour don't get it. But I will never stop fighting for you."
James added:
“It was abundantly clear at the Welsh Conservative Conference that all Conservatives share the frustration and anger that we have seen from our farmers in recent weeks and are going to continue fighting this every step of the way in a bid to secure an outcome that is fair to farmers.
"As the Prime Minister said in the House of Commons on Wednesday, these proposals would "decimate farming communities in Wales".
“And, as the farmers themselves keep telling us: “no farmers, no food”. The Labour Welsh Government needs to start listening; so far all the farmers have seen from Mark Drakeford and his government is arrogant contempt.”