Diolch, Llywydd. I stand to, obviously, move the amendment tabled by Darren Millar, and to thank Llyr Gruffydd for bringing this debate on behalf of Plaid Cymru forward. Now, with this week seeing us mark the Royal Welsh winter fair, I'm delighted that we're able to hold this debate, but I agree with Llyr on how sad it is that we cannot come together in person to be at this wonderful event.

Now, it is quite right that we praise the role that our Welsh farmers and producers play in keeping our shelves stocked. The magnitude of panic buying in spring saw UK consumers transfer £1.5 billion of food into the home in less than one month. The pandemic has also exposed the vulnerabilities of our current food system, and that farmers are open to a disproportionate share of risk. We saw devastation in our dairy industry. The Farmers Union of Wales has highlighted that almost 50 per cent of dairy businesses in Wales have been highly impacted as a result of the pandemic, yet only 10 per cent were eligible for the dairy support scheme.

The pandemic has also triggered a shift in national food policy. Russia, Ukraine and India have taken steps to limit the export of strategically important foodstuffs such as wheat. Now, if export controls become more frequent, there could be a real impact on global food supplies. So, more than ever, we need to be supporting our Welsh farmers to maintain productivity. This should, however, be kept in mind by the Minister in bringing forward her White Paper, and also to carefully consider when discussing the calls in the Cardiff University WWF report for agro-ecological principles to become central to food policy. The report provides an example of a mixed organic farm. There is a risk to Wales becoming 100 per cent organic, because the study has actually found that this would yield up to 40 per cent less food, leading to increasing imports and a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. So, we do need to strike the right balance that does not undermine local high-quality food production nor, indeed, the climate. 

Now, the WWF report recommends that aiming for 2 per cent of land area to be dedicated to horticultural production could form a policy tool. This is what is required in order for Wales to produce the amount of greens needed to meet five servings a day, but I believe that the increase in horticulture should come as a result of local purchasing practices. There are plans and actions that we can plough ahead with: fostering more sites for food markets; developing a network of food hubs; creating community herb and vegetable gardens; making orchards of disused publicly-owned green spaces; supporting the development of food processors in Wales; introducing a local food and drink charter to encourage shops, cafes and restaurants to sell locally-sourced Welsh food and drink and to help promote such a scheme to consumers; and develop food and drink trails and experiences for all our constituencies here in Wales. This championing of localism is also reflected in the WWF report.

Another brilliant way to achieve this is via public procurement. The Welsh Government is failing to track product origin in their Welsh public sector procurement recording tool. Just imagine the difference the annual procurement spend of around £78 million on food and drink would make if the items purchased originated here in Wales. In fact, my policy and passion that puts Welsh food and localism first sits beautifully within the future generations Act. For example, by re-localising our food production and consumption, and promoting shorter supply chains, we can become globally responsible. We can help the Welsh culture and language to thrive, and we can create a healthier Wales. 

During the NFU Cymru winter fair seminar, it was clear that there is huge potential to also boost business by selling our sustainable produce to the world. Examples, of course, include exporting to China, which, as a consequence of the shortage of protein in their diet, is now well placed to import Welsh lamb. Exporting potential is one reason why it is essential for us to work with Her Majesty's Government to promote Welsh food and drink overseas. The Welsh Government could help greatly by introducing a statutory target for improving the shelf life of Welsh lamb, so that it can better compete with New Zealand. 

Finally, I cautiously welcome the calls for a commission, but would like Plaid Cymru to clarify why we should not turn to the food and drink industry board as a means of leading on a food system strategy. Importantly, either approach could enable the vision to be co-produced between Government, farmers, food businesses and other stakeholders. However, this is yet another example of a major problem in this Parliament and Government: deliberating and not delivering. 'Food from Wales, Food for Wales 2010-2020' has never been fully implemented. In 2018—