Graham Ward, chairman of the NFU horticulture board, has responded angrily to a member’s claim that the board should be doing more to support grower John Morgan whose potato crop suffered at the hands of ring-rot.
Speaking at the NFU council meeting Ward said: “I’ve been to see the British Potato Council and the Welsh Assembly and we are actively doing everything possible to support John Morgan. The NFU is supporting the grower with his legal action case and we are also trying to stop him paying for the disposal of the potatoes himself.”
NFU president Sir Ben Gill echoed Ward’s comments. He said: “The industry has a great debt of thanks to John Morgan. It is to his credit that his records were up to date so he knew exactly where the produce was sent. This prevented any further outbreaks. We understand John’s frustrations and we aim to support him as much as we can. It is unacceptable that Defra and the Welsh Assembly are playing one off against the other.”
Morgan who farms in Bwlch in the Brecon Beacons could face losses of up to £400,000. He has been told by the Welsh Assembly that there is no compensation available to him. The NFU is backing Morgan as he begins legal action against the Dutch firm that supplied him with the seed.
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