Farmers Unite To Call For A “Farm-To-Fork” Future As Senedd Election Looms

With around six months to go until the next Senedd Cymru election, farmers across Wales have joined forces to urge political parties to back a bold “farm-to-fork” strategy — a plan that would connect food production, processing, and retail under a single, cohesive vision.

Image: ITV News

Farmers gathered this week to highlight the importance of putting the entire food chain — not just farming — at the heart of government policy. As covered by ITV News, the meeting brought together representatives from across the agricultural community, who made it clear that Welsh agriculture cannot thrive in isolation from the wider food system.

“We cannot treat the farmer in isolation — we are part of the food chain from field to fork,” one farmer explained, capturing the shared sentiment of the day.

The phrase “farm-to-fork” has become shorthand for the kind of joined-up thinking the industry is calling for: an approach that supports farmers, processors, hauliers, packers, and retailers as interconnected parts of a national food network.

Farmers Demand Joined-Up Policy

Speakers stressed that with just half a year before Wales goes to the polls, political parties need to demonstrate how they intend to support every stage of the food journey.

“The rural vote will be watching how parties respond to the whole food system, not just what happens on the farm gate,” one participant said.

Others called for a holistic vision that recognises the value added beyond primary production. “If you ignore the processing shed, the abattoir, the packing line, you’re only half doing your job,” another added.

This message reflects growing concern that policies have often focused narrowly on direct farm payments and environmental targets, while overlooking the downstream businesses that turn Welsh produce into finished food products.

Stability And Representation

Farmers made it clear they want practical, stable frameworks they can plan for — not ever-changing schemes or political promises that fail to materialise.

“Policies we can plan for, not shifting targets or fluctuating support structures,” was the recurring call.

There was also a strong emphasis on visibility and representation in policymaking. Farmers feel they have too often been treated as peripheral voices in discussions that directly affect their livelihoods. As one attendee put it, “If we’re not part of the conversation, we’ll end up paying the price for it later.”

Why The Timing Matters

The call for a “farm-to-fork” policy comes at a time of rising input costs, labour shortages and uncertainty over future funding structures following changes to agricultural payments. The Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme remains under scrutiny, and producers say the wider food system must be considered if rural businesses are to remain viable.

By aligning farming with food processing and retail, farmers argue that policy could deliver stronger food security, create local jobs, and reduce Wales’s dependence on imported goods — while ensuring that Welsh food remains competitive in domestic and export markets.

What Farmers Want From Parties

As election campaigning gathers pace, farmers are calling for parties to commit to:

• Supply-chain investment — supporting local processing, packing, and distribution facilities to ensure Welsh food is produced and sold closer to home.

• Food-system resilience — strengthening local supply networks to improve food security and reduce exposure to global market volatility.

• Policy stability — clear, long-term frameworks that give farmers the confidence to invest in sustainable production.

• Fair representation — ensuring that rural voices have a direct seat at the policy table.

What This Means For The Industry

For the wider fresh produce sector, the message is clear: the farm gate is just the starting point. Wholesalers, packers, processors and logistics providers form the vital link that connects Wales’s agricultural base with its consumers.

A shift toward a “farm-to-fork” strategy could open new opportunities for businesses across the food chain — from improved infrastructure and investment in regional hubs, to stronger support for locally sourced produce and shorter supply routes.

For Welsh growers and wholesalers alike, this approach represents not just an economic lifeline, but a chance to showcase the value and quality of home-grown food within a resilient, sustainable supply network.

A Defining Moment

As one farmer summed up: “This isn’t just about farming — it’s about food. It’s about making sure everyone in Wales, from the producer to the consumer, benefits from a system that actually works.”

With just months to go before the Senedd election, the “farm-to-fork” debate is poised to become one of the defining issues for rural Wales — and one that could shape the nation’s food future for years to come.