The stranglehold that supermarkets have over county farmers was top of the agenda when Pembrokeshire's politicians met the FUW at the County Show. Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies and South Pembrokeshire AM Angela Burns met FUW officials for a 90‐minute discussion on issues affecting farming.

"One of the most pressing items they raised straight away was that of the power of the supermarkets," said Mr Davies.

"Farmers and politicians alike have grave concerns over the stranglehold that the supermarkets now have in many areas of production, Tesco for instance controls 30 per cent of the UK's grocery market."

One of the suggestions that the discussion came up with was to see farmers paid a percentage of production costs.

"There are no easy answers but some sort of start would also be to have a code of conduct between farmers and supermarkets," added Mr Davies.

Mrs Burns said that clearer labelling by supermarkets would give Welsh farmers a more level playing field.

"If we could legislate for that it would start to make a difference," she said.

"Why should companies be allowed to bring in cheap beef reared outside the UK to lower welfare standards, mince it here, and then be able to sell it as British minced beef?  We need stricter controls on the standards of the imports that are brought in so that the farmer in Pembrokeshire is not disadvantaged by the farmer in Sao Paolo."