Hundreds of visitors, including several UK Government minsters, sampled Montgomeryshire produce at a special parliamentary event in Westminster.

On Tuesday, December 5, the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) and Conservative MP Craig Williams hosted a ‘Montgomeryshire Day’ in the House of Commons, presenting an array of Montgomeryshire produce to parliamentarians as well as the chance to learn more about Mid Wales businesses and organisations.

During the event, FUW President Ian Rickman, County Chairman Iwan Pughe Jones and Montgomery YFC County Chairman Alun Tudor-Thomas met with the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to highlight the concerns farmers have in Wales.

Craig Williams MP said: “I was absolutely delighted to host Montgomeryshire Day within Parliament, demonstrating the sheer quality and diversity of Montgomeryshire’s produce, producers and organisations.

“It was fantastic to be able to showcase Montgomeryshire to my colleagues within Westminster who attended, including to the Prime Minister and several Government Cabinet Members and Ministers.

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“Both Montgomeryshire Day and the reception at the Wales Office were huge successes, raising the profile of Montgomeryshire’s people and its produce and giving the organisations who attended the chance to make new connections from across the UK. 

“It was also great to able to facilitate crucial discussions between FUW and Montgomery YFC members with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for DEFRA, highlighting the importance of farming to the rural economy within Montgomeryshire, Wales and the UK.”

The event was held in the Jubilee Room at the Palace of Westminster and was reportedly attended by hundreds of visitors.

A reception was held the night before at the Wales Office, which was attended by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Barclay MP, Minister for Farming Mark Harper MP, and Wales Office Minister and Powys MP Fay Jones.

FUW Montgomeryshire's Emyr Wyn Davies said: “Montgomeryshire Day provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our agricultural and rural talents in the House of Commons, whilst also showing those MPs not representing a Welsh constituency what we have to offer.

 “As a Union we know that family farms in particular are at the heart of our rural economy, caring for our landscapes and of course our culture and they make innumerable other contributions to the well-being of Wales and the UK.

“That was clearly visible at Montgomeryshire Day and members across the Union will be pleased to know that their Union stressed the importance of a thriving, sustainable, farming sector in Wales with everyone they spoke to during the course of the event.”