8. Will the First Minister make a statement on what the Welsh Government is doing to support farmers in Pembrokeshire? OAQ(5)0308(FM)

We are working to support the farming industry in Pembrokeshire, as in all parts of Wales, to ensure that the industry can become more profitable, sustainable and resilient.

First Minister, farmers in Pembrokeshire are hugely concerned about your Government’s proposal to introduce nitrate-vulnerable zones in Wales because it will be financially challenging for farmers to comply with any new regulations that are proposed in the consultation. So, considering your comments in July that it’s up to the Welsh Government now to decide which laws should be retained and which shouldn’t be retained following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, could you explain why the Welsh Government has proceeded with this consultation to introduce nitrate-vulnerable zones, which is as a result of a European directive, because the introduction of such regulations will certainly leave farmers in my constituency at a huge disadvantage?

Nitrates are a problem in some parts of Wales. There is no avoiding that, and we have to deal with this because of the negative impact it has on the environment. It is very important to listen; we understand that. The consultation is open until Christmas, but a meeting was held between officials and also representatives of the farming unions and farmers in October to deal with these issues, and it was a very positive meeting. The farmers themselves wanted to ensure that they consider ways of ensuring fewer nitrates go into the water system, and they wanted to collaborate with each other and with the Government to ensure that that was the case.