FUW and MP call for fairer treatment of farmers in supply chains
Cross-party support grows for reforms to Groceries Code Adjudicator and better food labelling
THE FARMERS' UNION OF WALES has met with Brecon, Radnor & Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick to discuss a series of pressing issues affecting Welsh farmers—chief among them, the urgent need to secure fairer prices and treatment for primary producers within the UK's food supply chains.
The meeting follows a campaign led by the Welsh Liberal Democrat MP to strengthen the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), which regulates the relationship between major supermarkets and their suppliers, including farmers. Mr Chadwick has raised repeated concerns in Parliament about the treatment of farmers by large retailers, arguing that the current system lacks the enforcement power and scope needed to protect producers' interests.
Established in 2013, the GCA has faced growing criticism over its limited resources and inability to effectively tackle structural imbalances in the supply chain. In a Westminster Hall debate earlier this year, Mr Chadwick called for major reforms and drew attention to what he described as systemic unfairness in the sector.
The Brecon, Radnor & Cwm Tawe MP is now backing the cross-party Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill, introduced in March by Alistair Carmichael MP, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. The Bill seeks to bolster the role of the GCA and includes further measures such as increased public procurement of locally sourced food and stricter origin labelling requirements.
FUW Deputy President Dai Miles welcomed the discussion, saying:
'The FUW has long argued that the Westminster Government must take meaningful action to redress the imbalance of power between primary producers, processors and retailers.
'The GCA was a step in the right direction, but it's become clear that it lacks the teeth to effectively protect farmers and producers. We were pleased to meet with David Chadwick MP and discuss how we can ensure farmers are given a stronger, fairer voice within the supply chain.'
The meeting also addressed wider challenges facing Welsh agriculture, including the implications of the UK-US trade agreement and ongoing concerns about proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR), which could have significant tax implications for farming families.
David Chadwick MP said: 'Unfairness in the supply chain is one of the most common concerns raised with me by farmers and producers in my constituency. I'm pleased to be working alongside the FUW and cross-party MPs to address the imbalance we see across the sector.
'Farming communities are under immense pressure. I will continue to ensure their voices are heard in Westminster as we fight for a better deal for rural Wales.'
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