New agricultural pollution regulations introduced by the Welsh Government have been criticised by local Senedd Member Paul Davies. The regulations, which will see the whole of Wales designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone will mean that farmers will have to invest in new infrastructure, at a time when the sector is working to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic and when market prices for agricultural produce remains volatile.

Mr Davies said, “The Welsh agricultural industry is already facing a number of challenges and so introducing further regulations on the sector will simply put even more pressure on farming businesses and that in turn will have a knock on effect on agricultural contractors and the wider rural economy. Farmers have already gone to great lengths to improve their nutrient management in recent years and the Welsh Government should be working with the sector, not imposing regulations that will seek to harm the sector further. I’m bitterly disappointed by this news and I urge the Welsh Government to provide adequate financial support to farmers to comply with these regulations. At the very least, the Welsh Government must ensure that farmers are not financially disadvantaged by this decision.”