Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:46 pm on 15 September 2021.
Yes, there were quite a lot of questions and some very important points in those questions, and, certainly, I think, one of the things I've done since I've been in portfolio is to try and encourage processors to come to Wales to show that we're really keen to attract them here. Certainly, dairy—that was an area where we were seeing milk go over the border to England in a way that was not good, I didn't think, for Wales. So, we have done some significant work, working with the major processors to ensure that stayed in Wales.
Around public procurement, this is a massive opportunity now, I think, for us to ensure that our public services use Welsh food and drink far more. I don't think we will be able to sustain ourselves with the amount of food that we're producing at the moment, but I'm really keen to do all I can to ensure that we make the most of that. I met with an organisation over recess who were telling me that they were working with the agricultural sector to look at future food, so food that perhaps farmers hadn't even thought that they would be able to grow at the current time. So, I think it is really important that Government works in partnership with these organisations to make sure we take absolute advantage of all the opportunities.