FUW LEADER WELCOMES COLLAPSE OF WORLD TRADE TALKS

Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan today welcomed the collapse of the World Trade Organisation talks which threatened the loss of 100,000 agricultural jobs across Europe.

Speaking at the Sheep 2008 event in Malvern, Mr Vaughan said the deal left on the table would have had a detrimental effect on the Welsh farming industry.

"At the same time, however, we recognise that developing countries may not welcome the collapse. But with the agri-food sector vitally important to Wales the collapse of the talks is truly in our national interest."

Nine member states, including Ireland and France, had demanded better terms for the EU during the negotiations in Geneva.

Mr Vaughan said: "Welsh and European farmers must realise how close we have come to a commercial disaster and we must take steps preventing us facing such a situation again."

"The viability of Welsh and European food production and the protection of decent farmer incomes cannot be so casually jeopardised ever again.

"No deal is better than a bad deal for Welsh farming and there is no question that the deal on the table was a bad one."