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23/01/2006
Produce the undervalued link in food chain
Western Mail

Agriculture plays a vital role in the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, according to the Farmers' Union of Wales.

Union president Gareth Vaughan told guests at a special breakfast at the National Assembly in Cardiff Bay that farming was far from a poor relation in the UK economy.

"I'm fed up with some commentators and politicians claiming that farming is a minor industry that makes virtually no contribution to the economy of this country, when in reality the opposite is true," said Mr Vaughan.

"The truth is that farm produce is the number one input to the agri-food sector. This is excellent news, and something we should be shouting from the rooftops."

Official figures show that around £11bn of British farm produce goes into food processing, which is now the largest manufacturing sector in the UK.

Once processed, the value of the food to the economy rises to more than £77bn, accounting for 3.8m jobs or 15% of the total workforce.

These facts are contained in a report on a review of the agricultural and horticultural levy boards for the Government compiled by Rosemary Radcliffe, former chief economist with PricewaterhouseCooper.

Ms Radcliffe concluded:"The economic health of the primary production sector is thus indirectly of much greater economic significance than its direct size would suggest."

Mr Vaughan said it was time for politicians and economists to realise the importance of the farming sector, and to encourage its sustainable growth.

The National Assembly function was organised by the FUW to support Farmhouse Breakfast Week, a Home Grown Cereals Authority initiative designed to promote the excellent food produced in Wales.

The event, along with similar functions in London and Brussels, was supported by NatWest Bank, HSBC Bank, the WDA's Agri Food Directorate and Hybu Cig Cymru.

Mr Vaughan said the union wanted to show off the fact that Wales produced some of the finest food available.
"We already know that the quality of Welsh food is unrivalled," he said.

"Ms Radcliffe's report also proves that farming is the key element in the UK's biggest manufacturing industry supporting millions of jobs and contributing billions of pounds to the economy. This is a success story and something to be celebrated and I sincerely hope that the report's conclusions will bring to an end any snide comments from some commentators and politicians that farming is a marginal industry that has little value in a modern Britain."

Guest speakers at the event included Wales Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones.

Members of the European Parliament in Brussels will also receive a breakfast-time boost tomorrow, hosted by Conservative MEP for Wales Jonathan Evans and the FUW at the European Parliament in the only event of its kind held outside the UK.

The theme of this year's Farmhouse Breakfast Week is Make Time For It, as studies show that people who skip breakfast perform less well and suffer from more colds and flu.

"All the evidence shows that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, yet too many people, and children in particular, are missing it," said Mr Evans.

"Eating breakfast helps with weight control, boosts brain power, improves mood and reduces stress. And there is no better breakfast than a Welsh one. Wales is renowned for the quality and freshness of its food and I am really looking forward to showing off the best of Welsh produce to my colleagues in the European Parliament."

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