The FUW have welcomed clarity on the staging of a referendum on Britain's future in the EU.
“The FUW has long been a strong supporter of our membership of the EU. We do not sit on the fence here: we believe a Yes vote in the referendum is the best answer for farming and rural economies in Wales and for the wider Welsh economy as a whole,” said FUW Managing Director Alan Davies.
“That does not mean we believe the EU is perfect - far from it, a huge proportion of the FUW’s time is spent dealing with nonsensical EU bureaucracy. Negotiations for change are better done inside the tent than from outside.
“But we have yet to see any evidence that leaving the EU will have any significant impact on the rules and regulations.
“In addition, we have plenty of evidence published by successive UK Governments that support for farming, rural communities and food security will quickly dissolve once we are outside the EU,” added Mr Davies.
The FUW is also committed to providing as much information as possible to its members in order for them to make a fully informed decision in June, and will be holding a series of debates the first of which is on Friday, March 18.
The debate between Lord Wigley from the ‘Stronger in Europe’ campaign and David Jones MP, a former Secretary of State for Wales, will be open to members and other parties interested in agriculture and the protection of rural economy of Wales.