The First Minister has pledged to strengthen communication with the farming community.
Rhun ap Iorwerth made the comments during a session at the Royal Welsh Showground on Monday, July 20, speaking to a capacity crowd at the NFU Cymru/NFU Mutual marquee.
He told the audience: “If there’s anything that I want to see happening in this relationship between government and the agriculture sector and rural Wales, it is about enhancing and deepening the communication, the conversation, that we always have.
“We understand, we believe in rural Wales, we live in rural Wales, so many of us.
“But it’s only in that ongoing conversation, and in honesty between us, transparency in the way we deal with each other, that we can really move forward to make sure that you feel you have a government on your side.”
NFU Cymru president Abi Reader, who chaired the session, welcomed the First Minister’s comments and attendance.
Ms Reader said: “I was pleased that the First Minister accepted our invitation to join us on the NFU Cymru/NFU Mutual stand this morning for our seminar.
“Since the Senedd Elections in May, we have had a great deal of positive engagement with the First Minister, the Cabinet Minister and their fellow MSs.
“By fulfilling this commitment amid, what I’m sure, is an extremely busy Royal Welsh Show itinerary, it is another strong indicator from the First Minister of his government’s recognition of the importance of our sector and the ambitions we share to take it forward.
“I think Welsh farmers will be very encouraged to hear the First Minister talk so positively about his government’s relationship with Welsh agriculture.
“NFU Cymru will continue to work constructively with the First Minister, Cabinet Minister and the Welsh Government to address the challenges facing our industry and seize the opportunities that lay ahead.”
The seminar covered a wide range of topics impacting the agricultural sector, including funding, bovine TB, food supply chain pressures and mental health challenges in rural areas.
The seminar with the First Minister was concluded by a session with John Davies, the independent chair of the review of the bureaucratic burden on family farms.