[caption id="attachment_6226" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Green Party representative Alice Hooker-Stroud, Conservative candidate Neil Fairlamb, Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Churchman, Labour candidate Ian MacIntyre, Plaid Cymru candidate Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas and FUW Meirionnydd member Robert Wyn Evans, Sylfaen, Barmouth introducing the candidates.[/caption]
One of the hottest topics around at the moment - the upcoming EU referendum - was at the top of the agenda at the Farmers’ Union of Wales Meirionnydd AGM on Friday March 4.
The event, which was held at the Dolgellau Rugby Club, was attended by a large number of Union members as candidates for the Welsh Assembly Elections for the Meirionnydd Dwyfor constituency spoke about their plans and commitments to agriculture following the May elections.
The speakers included current AM and Plaid Cymru candidate Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Churchman, Labour candidate Ian MacIntyre, Conservative candidate Neil Fairlamb and Green Party representative Alice Hooker-Stroud. A representative of UKIP had also been invited.
Each candidate gave a presentation and thereafter questions were invited from the floor.
FUW Meirionnydd County Executive Officer Huw Jones said: “The biggest questions of the night was a request for clarification on the views of the panel on the forthcoming EU referendum.
“This is of course the biggest issue to affect farming since the UK joined the common market in 1973 and one which at this point is surrounded by controversy as to what would happen if the UK left the EU.
“The FUW has made its view very clear - we have huge frustrations over many aspects of the EU, but believe it is in our best interests to remain in and change shortcomings from inside rather than risk being outside.
"However, contingency plans for a potential Brexit are vital and need to be drawn up quickly.”
The Union continues to press politicians and policy makers on both sides of the fence for facts.
"What people need in order to make an informed choice in June are facts from both sides of the argument which cover a variety of political scenarios."
To support this objective the FUW is holding its first EU referendum debate on Friday March 18 at the William Davies Suite, IBERS, Aberystwyth at 3pm.
"We are committed to providing as much information as possible to members in order for them to make a fully informed decision in June, and are therefore staging a debate between Lord Dafydd Wigley from the ‘Stronger in Europe’ campaign and former Secretary of State for Wales David Jones MP, who supports us leaving the EU."
Mr Jones said a series of further debates and hustings around the country were planned in order to help inform members.
Other issues discussed at the Meirionnydd AGM were the fact that average wages in the Meirion Dwyfor constituency are the lowest throughout Europe, that rural communities should be higher up government priority lists, that ideas were needed to get the economy working in rural communities and the importance of job creation and opportunities for diversification.