THE Welsh Government must commit to maintaining financial support for farmers post-Brexit, Plaid Cymru has said.

Farmers in Wales currently receive more than £200 million in European Union direct payments, with another £555 million also coming into the country through a six-year programme which began in 2014.

But this could be lost once the UK leaves the EU.

The UK Government has said English farmers will continue to receive payments until 2022, and Plaid Cymru has called on the Welsh Government to make a similar commitment.

But, although Carwyn Jones has repeatedly called on Westminster to commit to maintaining funding currently coming to Wales post-Brexit, it is yet to do so. It is also currently unclear whether power over devolved areas such as farming will be handed to Wales or retained by Westminster once the UK leaves the EU.

Plaid's Westminster rural affairs spokesman Ben Lake said: "Agriculture is the backbone of our rural communities, supporting local high streets and keeping small towns and villages alive across Wales.

"It's crucial that those in positions of power give these rural communities an assurance that they will be protected after we leave the EU.

"We were told that we wouldn’t lose a penny of farm payments after we leave the European Union and the Westminster Government has agreed to maintain current funding until 2022 for England but Welsh farmers need the Welsh Government to do the same in Wales."