Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:27 pm on 20 October 2021.
Thank you to Sam for giving me a minute of his time to contribute to this important debate. Yes, we must recognise the huge contribution of the YFC, giving priceless experiences and skills for a lifetime for our young people. As Alun Davies said, we have seen so many of these young people developing and contributing to their communities when they're older and coming into very high positions in Wales, and the experience that they had with the YFC has been crucially important to them.
As many have already said, apart from being one of the most successful dating agencies in Wales, the YFC have given so many experiences to my children. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity. In the Amman valley, there wasn't a YFC, but my children have had excellent experiences of being members of the young farmers at Llanfynydd, and taking part in eisteddfodau, public speaking competitions and even tug of war and things as great as that. As Sam said, one of the things that has been very encouraging to me is to see these young people during the pandemic supporting their communities, as you said, by collecting prescriptions and shopping and so on and so forth.
Just two things quickly. Some 70 per cent of all young farmers clubs are in mid and west Wales. Now, I'm not going to have the opportunity to visit all of them, but I would like to see many of them over the next few years. But the most important thing in those areas is that they hold their activities through the medium of Welsh and welcome Welsh learners and develop their skills too. I would go as far as to say that the YFC is one of the most important language organisations that we have here in Wales, and may that continue for the future. All the best to the young farmers.