Last week, rural communities across Wales came together in cafés, community centres and kitchens to celebrate FUW’s annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week. A total of 23 breakfast events were held across the country, bringing people together over a hearty meal while raising thousands of pounds for charity.

At the heart of the week’s success was the very best of Welsh produce - from bacon and sausages to eggs and dairy products. We are so grateful to the many Welsh businesses and producers who once again showed outstanding generosity, going above and beyond to support the event and help make the week such a success.

Coincidentally, the importance of Welsh food - and the challenges facing the sector - were underlined in a Senedd report published last week. The report highlighted the need for a joined-up food strategy for Wales, warning that food security and Welsh meat processing are being put at risk by imports produced to lower environmental and animal welfare standards than those demanded of Welsh farmers and processors.

The Committee also called for stronger and more coordinated action to drive growth across the wider food sector. This included backing Welsh horticulture by committing to a target for 75% of vegetables consumed in Wales to be sustainably produced in Wales. The Committee also set out clear actions to support the Welsh seafood processing sector and highlighted how better use of public procurement could create stable, long-term demand for Welsh food and drink.

In addition, the report warned that declining livestock numbers could threaten the future viability of the red meat sector in Wales. It urged consideration of measures such as a suckler calf premium to support beef production, maintain critical processing capacity and protect the supply of high-quality, locally produced food for Welsh consumers.

The FUW welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the inquiry and engage with the Committee on issues of such importance to Welsh farming and food production. We also welcomed the findings of the report, which reflect many long-held concerns around food security, fair competition and the need for stronger, targeted support for Welsh producers and processors.

At a time of growing international tensions, the importance of food security has been brought into even sharper focus. These global uncertainties underline the vital need for governments to do much more to protect and strengthen domestic food production. The Welsh Government needs to act to ensure that Wales can rely on resilient and sustainable supply chains rooted firmly in its own farming and food sectors.