The Agriculture Industry

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 13 February 2018.

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Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 2:11, 13 February 2018

(Translated)

That is right. There is a question with regard to what will happen to PGI and PDO, and whether there will be a British system. Will that system be on the same terms as the European system, and will it be recognised as such? It's important that we can ensure that we protect the fact that we have lamb, for example, of the highest standard. Welsh lamb is accepted in markets across the world, and the same is true of Welsh beef and a number of other products. What we don’t wish to see is a situation where our competitors can go into the European market on a level that is better than the level that we would eventually have there. We know at present that there are farmers in France and Spain are thinking that there is an invitation for them, if Welsh lamb becomes more expensive in the European market, or an opportunity or them to take advantage of that, and that will not benefit the farmers of Wales. There's no way at all of arguing—and I don't think that the Member is arguing this—that the lamb producers and farmers of Wales will be better outside of the single market. Without that market, the future for a number of our farms will be very bleak indeed.