SIR,

Ongoing trade talks between the EU and the Mercosur group of nations in South America pose a serious threat to the profits of Welsh farmers.

A study for the EU Commission estimated that European farmers could lose more than €3 billion in annual revenue by 2020 under any free trade deal between the European Union and Latin America, with the deepest losses felt by beef producers in Britain after a predicted 200,000 tonne annual increase of beef imports to the EU from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The mass importation of cheap farming products could end up putting many Welsh farmers out of business. A study produced for the Commission's agriculture department by the JRC, the EU Scientific research centre, showed that up to 33,000 farm jobs could be lost in Europe if the current draft deal goes through.

There is high incidence of bovine TB and many farms fail to comply with obligatory minimum standards observed in Europe. I will do everything in my power to oppose this infraction upon Welsh and British farmers.

John Bufton

(Ukip MEP for Wales)