Local producers warn of betrayal as supermarkets turn to foreign suppliers

PEMBROKESHIRE farmers have voiced alarm at a growing trend among major UK supermarkets to stock cheap imported chicken and beef—warning that it threatens the future of local agriculture.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has confirmed that chicken from Poland, beef from Uruguay and steak from Australia are increasingly appearing on supermarket shelves, often at prices undercutting British produce by up to 20%.

One of the most high-profile retailers involved is Morrisons, which is now selling raw Polish chicken in its poultry aisles. Polish farms allow higher stocking densities—up to 39kg per square metre—compared with the UK limit of 30kg, making it cheaper to produce, but raising concerns about welfare standards.

Morrisons has also started selling Australian sirloin steak, which, according to the NFU, has been made possible by the controversial trade deal brokered by Liz Truss. Australian meat is often produced in feedlots, and is rated ‘D’ for animal welfare by the RSPCA, compared with the UK’s ‘B’ grade.

Despite the supermarket’s public commitment to British farmers—including sponsoring the hit TV series Clarkson’s Farm—many local producers feel this latest move undermines their trust.

Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on the environment, said: “This is appalling from Morrisons. They seek kudos for supporting UK agriculture while quietly switching to lower-standard imports.”

ASDA has also joined the shift, offering Uruguayan sirloin and ribeye steaks at around £22-£23 per kilo—roughly 20% cheaper than British beef. Sainsbury’s, meanwhile, is stocking wagyu beef from New Zealand, although it claims this accounts for only 0.1% of its overall beef range.

Stuart Roberts, a Hertfordshire beef and cereal farmer, called the move a “huge betrayal of UK family farms.”

Locally, the impact could be devastating. Pembrokeshire’s agricultural economy remains heavily dependent on beef and poultry production. Local farmers have spent years investing in higher welfare standards, including reduced antibiotic use and lower poultry stocking rates, which come at a financial cost.

Speaking to The Pembrokeshire Herald, an NFU Cymru spokesperson said: “We’re deeply concerned about the impact this will have on Welsh farmers. It’s vital that retailers maintain their commitments to homegrown produce, especially at a time when farming is facing pressures from every angle—rising costs, subsidy uncertainty, and climate volatility.”

David Barton, NFU Livestock Board chair, added: “When supermarkets abandon British meat in favour of lower-standard imports, they not only erode trust—they damage long-standing supply chains built on quality and sustainability.”

Retailers claim they are responding to customer demand for cheaper options. Beef prices have surged more than 40% in the past year, with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) warning of a 5% fall in UK beef production in 2025 due to declining profitability and subsidy cuts.

Supermarket statements

A Morrisons spokesperson said: “We remain 100% British on all our meat counters. We are trialling some imported meat from trusted suppliers to offer value during seasonal fluctuations. We are still the single biggest supermarket customer of British farming and remain committed to increasing overall British meat volumes.”

ASDA and Sainsbury’s made similar claims, emphasising transparency and labelling, while insisting the majority of their meat remains UK or Irish sourced.

Call for response

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SENEDD Members debated calls for a temporary ban on “monstrous” solar developments, warning the countryside, food security and Welsh farmers could all be compromised.

Janet Finch-Saunders said hundreds of acres of agricultural land across Wales will otherwise be switched from a focus on food production to electricity generation.

The shadow climate secretary accused UK and Welsh ministers of turning the countryside into “meadows of metal and glass” by approving “huge, controversial” developments

Leading a Conservative debate on June 11, Ms Finch-Saunders called for a moratorium on all applications to place solar panels on agricultural land.

She said: “Such a pause will enable this parliament to develop a solar strategy for Wales, looking at where we want those panels to be placed and where they are made.”

Criticising plans for solar on Anglesey, she told the Senedd: “I think we’re quite united on these monstrosities; these huge schemes are not what are in the interests of Wales.”

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher supported the principle but called for a nuanced approach, describing the Conservative motion as “too blunt” and warning of unfair consequences.

He said: “If an individual farmer wanted to install a modest number of solar panels on their own land, perhaps to power their farm, cut emissions or generate a little extra income, they’d be prevented from doing so. Now, that simply doesn’t make sense.”

Peter Fox, the Tory council leader-turned-Senedd Member, warned of a lack of a national solar strategy to guide investment, regulation and grid integration.

He urged the Welsh Government to look at more innovative options, such as the rooftops of public buildings, rather than “needlessly building over good farmland throughout Wales”.

Mr Fox, a farmer, said: “We cannot simply sell parts of Wales’s natural beauty off to the highest bidder, for it to be used simply as an investment.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth also called for a strategy, describing solar as “another example of that extraction that has been characteristic of Wales’ industrial history”.

He said: “In that vacuum without a strategy, these major corporations step in and see how they can make their millions from our landscape, agricultural land and our communities.”

Conservative Gareth Davies warned replacing farmers with an array of solar panels built from polluting factories, largely in China, risks undermining the principle of sustainability.

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths and Labour’s John Griffiths raised concerns about plans for solar farms on the Gwent levels, potentially the size of a thousand rugby pitches.

Mr Griffiths welcomed recent changes to Planning Policy Wales which “offer much greater protection through the planning system against some of these large-scale solar farms”.

Rebecca Evans, responding for the Welsh Government, said solar plays an important part in an ambition to host enough green energy to meet electricity consumption by 2035.

The economy secretary explained that there are more than 86,000 solar projects across Wales, making up about 15% of total renewable energy generation.

Ms Evans argued national planning policy already includes a “clear commitment” to protecting agricultural land when considering applications.

Senedd Members voted 23-13 against the Tory motion, with ten abstaining. The Welsh Government’s “delete-all” amendment was also defeated, 24-23.

SHADOW Rural Affairs Secretary Samuel Kurtz MS has called on the Welsh Government to urgently rethink its opposition to badger culling, as new figures reveal a record number of cattle have been slaughtered due to bovine TB in Wales.

In the 12 months to March 2025, 13,174 cattle were killed due to the disease—an increase of 17.7% compared with 11,194 the previous year. The number of new TB herd breakdowns also rose, with 619 incidents recorded, up from 607.

Mr Kurtz, who represents Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, described the figures as devastating and urged ministers to take a “pragmatic and science-led” approach. He referenced new data from Lincolnshire, where a five-year badger cull saw TB prevalence in wildlife drop from 24% to just 4%, with Natural England confirming a further ten culling areas are due to begin later this year.

The call comes amid mounting frustration from farming families in long-standing TB hotspots such as Pembrokeshire, where confidence in the Welsh Government’s eradication strategy is at an all-time low.

Mr Kurtz, who has supported the Pembrokeshire Project—a local, evidence-based initiative to combat TB—said: “Farmers are being pushed to the brink financially and emotionally. The toll this disease takes on entire communities is devastating.

“Welsh Government must be willing to look at all the evidence, including the impact of targeted wildlife control in parts of England. It cannot keep asking farmers to endure these losses while ruling out tools that might work.”

He also criticised Welsh Labour’s 2021 manifesto pledge to “forbid” badger culling, branding it “ideological and absolute”.

“To use the word ‘forbid’ in a manifesto is extraordinary,” he said. “It suggests that no matter what evidence emerges, the decision is made. That’s not science-led—it’s politics getting in the way of progress.”

The latest figures have added pressure on Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths, with farmers demanding action as cases continue to rise.

A full copy of Mr Kurtz’s letter to the Deputy First Minister is available on request.