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From left, John Comer, Pat McCormack, Dei Davies, Hazel Wright, Eifion Huws and Emyr Jones.[/caption]
Welsh and Irish dairy farmers' representatives have expressed fears that one of the key issues affecting milk producers is the reform of the CAP and that the current CAP proposals could have a significant impact on the viability of the sector.
The concerns were discussed during a joint meeting in Dublin of leading Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) and Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) officials.
The FUW was represented by its president Emyr Jones, of Bala; chairman of its milk and dairy produce committee Dei (correct spelling) Davies, of Holywell; dairy spokesman Eifion Huws, of Holyhead; and senior policy officer Hazel Wright; and ICMSA by its president John Comer and deputy president Pat McCormack.
After the meeting, Mr Davies said: "Both organisations expressed concern about the current greening measures as proposed in the CAP review and the placement of agri-schemes and activities under Pillar 1.
"ICMSA also agree with us that greening measures should remain under Pillar 2, unless they have some real benefit to the producer, and that the current proposals could severely undermine food production at a time when current and future food security is a major concern across the globe.
"We also discussed current proposals to establish upper and lower limits of change to area-based payments under the new CAP to help reduce financial disruption for farm businesses."
Mr Davies said the Irish and Welsh dairy sectors have a range of similarities. "Some 75 per cent of Irish producers produce less than 750,000 litres and only seven per cent of Irish farmers are under the age of 35.
"Like the FUW, the ICMSA are committed to protecting family farms and it is clear that consumers also want their milk to be produced on traditional family farms."