Llyr Gruffydd MS Member of the Senedd for North Wales

Plaid Cymru reshuffle reappoints experienced agricultural campaigner to Rural Affairs post

Plaid Cymru’s new leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has reappointed the widely respected farming campaigner, Llyr Gruffydd as Rural Affairs spokesperson in the Party’s Senedd team.

Plaid Cymru’s new leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has reappointed the widely respected farming campaigner, Llyr Gruffydd as Rural Affairs spokesperson in the Party’s Senedd team.

Llyr Gruffydd has served as Plaid’s agriculture spokesperson on two previous occasions, most recently from 2019-2021 when he led the opposition to the Welsh Government’s controversial NVZ regulations. Until the appointment of Rhun ap Iorwerth as Plaid Cymru Leader Mr Gruffydd was acting leader of the party.

Mr Gruffydd has a proven track record of fighting for rural and agricultural communities. He has been a constant advocate for the protection of rural services and has been a prominent critic of the Government’s failure to tackle bovine TB. He also tabled a motion to annul the new Welsh NVZ regulations in 2021, a vote that was very narrowly lost. He continued to campaign for a more proportionate approach, which Plaid Cymru is now hoping to secure through its Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government.

On his reappointment as Plaid Cymru’s Rural Affairs spokesperson, Llyr Gruffydd said:

“It’s an honour to represent the agricultural community as Plaid Cymru’s Rural Affairs spokesperson once again in the Senedd. As someone who has lived for many years on a family farm and whose children are embarking on careers in the industry, I’m determined to do all I can to put the rural economy front and centre of the Welsh Government’s work.

“My main focus will be on protecting and promoting the interests of the family farm. Our family farms are the economic, social, environmental and cultural backbone of rural Wales. This will be a particular priority as the Government continues its development of the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme – the new CAP replacement scheme for Wales.

“There’s much work to be done, but I look forward to holding the Government and its Ministers to account whilst speaking up for the interests of rural communities in all parts of Wales.

“I also look forward to the many conversations I will have with individuals, groups and organisations at the myriad of events and agricultural shows that I’ll be attending over the coming months. ”