WRMI 6 - National Beef Association

(Saesneg yn unig)

Subject: ‘Consultation: Proposed Welsh Red Meat Industry LCO Committee’.

(The National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Agriculture and Rural Development) Order 2008 (relating to the Welsh Red Meat Industry).

Dear Sarah

The National Beef Association Wales would like to offer the following comments for consideration on the above consultation.

The NBA agrees with the principles of the Order 2008.   It believes the new Order will re-organise the restrictions imposed by the NERC Act and the establishment of the Welsh Levy Board (LCO) by sorting out necessary house-keeping procedures.   We believe the Welsh Levy board should cease and the powers and accountability should be streamlined to HCC and the Welsh Assembly Government.    

The NERC Act did not allow the recognition of HCC as a separate identity and the NBA believes this reorganisation will have many benefits for the industry.   The new legislation will effectively remove the need for the LCO and confer powers direct to Ministers via HCC.     

But, it is important that HCC must be retained as a separate body, not consumed by WAG because of dual funding issues.   It must remain at arms length from the government and not become a delivery arm for government policies.   HCC must be accountable to industry first, government second.   

HCC must have the flexibility and freedom to meet industry policy expectations and it must not be subject to constraints placed on it by the Welsh Assembly or other fringe groups that may handicap its progress in meeting the targets required by the industry that pay the levy.   This is particularly important when conflicting pressures on meeting environmental measures may contradict production policies for food security and marketing.   

HCC board representatives must be accountable and carry out their duties in accordance with the economic advancement of the red meat sector.     

The NBA agrees with the general principles of matter 1.1 to be conferred to the Welsh Assembly.   

For further consideration the NBA would like to suggest the inclusion of the following words:-

Bullet point a)   

‘Increasing efficiency or productivity and economic return in the red meat industry.  

Bullet point c)  

‘Improving or developing services and technology that the red meat industry provides or could provide to the community’.   

The principles of matter need to be broad to allow for flexibility in the policy delivery.    

The NBA agrees the wording ‘red meat industry’ or ‘cattle’ must be included in the principles because the levy accrued in the sector must be applied for that sectors benefit.     

Kim marie Haywood
The Director
National Beef Association
(Tel: 0131 336 1754).