THE issues of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), bovine tuberculosis and food security were hotly debated when Pembrokeshire farmers met their Welsh Assembly election candidates last week.

The meeting on Tuesday, April 19, at the Mariners Hotel, Haverfordwest, welcomed Paul Davies (Conservative), Val Bradley (Green Party), Dan Lodge (Labour), Bob Kilmister (Liberal Democrat) and John Osmond (Plaid Cymru).

Each of the candidates were given 10 minutes to outline their party’s position with regards to the rural economy and agriculture’s role within it.

There was a split opinion on the panel when it came to the hot topic of bovine TB and the FUW’s call for a badger cull.

The Green Party candidate, Val Bradley, recognised the problem but suggested that a pharmaceutical approach would be more appropriate than a culling programme.

Labour Party candidate Dan Lodge, said the party would continue to act based on the evidence it receives and the Liberal Democrat candidate Bob Kilmister added that even though the topic of bTB was not covered in the party's election manifesto, he personally would prefer the option of allowing farmers to cull badgers on their own land versus a blanket cull.

Paul Davies, currently the Conservative Party AM for Preseli Pembrokeshire, made his views clear that he would back the call for a badger cull. The sentiment was echoed by Plaid Cymru candidate John Osmond.

FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas, who chaired the meeting, reminded the election candidates of the union’s call for the next Welsh Assembly Government.

“We strongly call on the next Welsh Assembly Government to properly balance the economic needs of farm businesses against the need to minimise disease transmission, and that the practicalities of farming in the real world are taken into full account when considering appeals against penalties and sanctions.

“The FUW further urges them to implement a badger culling policy at the earliest opportunity, in line with official ministerial advice previously received by the current Welsh Government, in order to replicate the positive outcomes seen in countries throughout the world.”

The discussion amongst union members and other guests further turned to the topic of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones.

The FUW has been intensely involved in the review of NVZ designations in Wales and remains opposed to any further increases in designation.

FUW Pembrokeshire county chairman David Nicholas said: “Welsh Government are expected to increase the areas given over to NVZs and this includes a sizeable area in Pembrokeshire.

“The FUW reviewed the methodologies and conclusions with intense scrutiny and was able to present a case against designation in some cases. We will be meeting with the relevant bodies after the election in order to discuss the way forward.”

All the party candidates were in agreement that more needed to be done to support Welsh food producers and that the Groceries Code Adjudicator needed more power to enforce more stringent controls on supermarkets.

Delegates also discussed the importance of funding the YFC movement, the need to make it easier for young people to join the industry and debated the consultation on reducing the number of councils in Wales from 22 to eight or nine.

Concluding the evening, Brian Thomas reminded those present that 5,500 jobs in Pembrokeshire were reliant on agriculture and that the next Welsh Government has to recognise the importance of the industry to the county.