BADGERS, milk prices and broadband were on the agenda at a Monmouthshire hustings organised by the National Farmers’ Union Cymru yesterday.

Representatives from all six parties standing in the Monmouth constituency debated audience questions on Pant farm in Llanvetherine, near Abergavenny, over agricultural issues.

On the panel was former MP and Conservative candidate David Davies, Labour candidate Ruth Jones, Liberal Democrat candidate Veronica German and Green Party candidate Chris Were. They were joined by UKIP spokesman Edmund Marriage and Plaid Cymru spokesman Boyd Hackley-Green.

Around 30 people attended the hustings, hosted by Gary Yeomans, NFU Cymru Monmouthshire County Chairman.

Farmer John Biggs, who sits on the South East Wales TB eradication panel, asked the party representatives how they planned to get rid of bovine TB.

Mr Biggs said: “We are the ones that are suffering at the moment. If you have TB you can’t even buy stock in. Take politics out of the disease.”

Labour candidate Ms Jones, whose party opposes culling, said she understands the “devastation” bovine TB brings but said her government ended culling after 10 years because scientists claimed it had no made no progress.

David Davies, Conservative candidate, said he supports culling. “We are a hotspot area for TB,” he said. “No one wants to kills badgers, it’s a last resort because nothing else is working.”

Boyd Hackley-Green, representing Plaid, said: “The problem would be solved with a combination of the methods, and looking at other animals. I joined Plaid as a farmer to take that control back from Wales.”

As well as TB, the panel also spoke about encouraging more young farmers to take up the helm, with Veronica German suggesting share farming between different families or owners, as well as the importance of bringing broadband to more rural areas.

Edmund Marriage, for Ukip, told the audience, which numbered around 30, of the “concept of man-made climate change which is a complete scan and should be prosecuted”.

“Common sense farms will have quickly picked up the issue, it’s nothing to do with CO2, that’s what plants love and need,” he said.

The panel also agreed how farmers should be receiving better prices for their produce.

Chris Were, for the Green Party, said: “I want to see your produce bought locally whenever and wherever possible.

“We are absolutely appalled how large supermarkets and big businesses have forced farmers into lowering their prices.”