All Wales Euro-MP Jill Evans has praised the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) for its work to help maintain a high profile for the concerns of Welsh agriculture at the heart of Europe.

FUW representatives travelled to Brussels where on Thursday morning they hosted a special breakfast for MEPs to promote Welsh quality produce and emphasise the key role of the Welsh family farm.

Mrs Evans, who attended the event, said that it was now more important than ever for Welsh agriculture to have a high profile in Brussels given the recent appointment of new European Agriculture Commissioner, Denmark's Mariann Fischer Boel and ongoing talks on reforming rural development funding.

Speaking from Brussels, Jill Evans MEP said:

"I applaud Welsh farmers' leaders for coming to Brussels to stage this event. It's important for the future of Welsh agriculture that farmers' concerns get a high profile amongst policy makers.

"We have a new Agriculture Commissioner who says that she supports the small family farm. Yet one of her greatest challenges will be driving through CAP reform and many of us are unconvinced she can transform the CAP into the kind of integrated rural development policy that the agricultural industry can be happy with.

"We also face more talks on reforming European rural development funding and there must be some hard lobbying to make sure the British government presses the case for more support for rural Wales.

"That's why it's vitally important that Welsh farmers' leaders continue to be heard at the heart of the EU's policy making."

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