Royal Welsh Show: We speak to Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens

The new Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, who was in attendance at the Royal Welsh Show, said that trade deals made by the new government will have to work for “Wales and Welsh farmers”.

This comes after concerns were raised over a trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, being made by the previous government, would lead to cheap beef and lamb undercutting Welsh produce

“I’m very conscious of this,” said Ms Stevens. “I was very well aware of the situation with the Australian and the New Zealand trade deals and that they don’t work for Wales and for Welsh farmers.

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“We will be very clear about what we want to see in a better trade deal. My colleague Nick Thomas Simmons who is the paymaster general and is also the minister for the constitution who has been working on these both pre-election and since we were elected.

“We know we need to get some better deals for farmers in Wales.”

Ms Stevens said this will extend to any future trade negotiations including the United States, a deal that has been sought by both the new and the previous governments.

“The focus will be deals that work for Wales," said Ms Stevens. “Our food security is very important to be able to have secure food and produce it in a way that is effective and profitable for the farming industry in Wales.

“We won’t go into a negotiation to get a bad deal that is what we saw with the last government – we are not going to do that. We will go into a negotiation knowing what farmers want and we will aim to get them a good deal.

“Now any negotiation is going to involve compromise on both sides so what you come out with is something that is ultimately good for the people you’re representing as you got to do that deal.”