Alan Prichard, NFU county chairman:

I wish the County Show 2004 every success.

The organisers are to be congratulated on successfully staging such a major annual event centrally within our county. It is a unique opportunity for farmers to meet and engage with their consumers, we acknowledge that "Their appetites are our living."

Agri food production has a high capital requirement, and by nature has a long-term production cycle. Good market intelligence must accurately forecast and allow us to produce what the market requires, both in quality and volume. With the introduction of the Single Farm Payment, we no longer have support to drive the wheels of production, and I ask what production discipline will keep the market in balance.

To ensure the continuity of future food supplies, supermarkets and retailers want to engage in contracts and partnerships. As producers we must ensure that we enter partnerships on equal trading terms, as all too often:

We do all the work

We take all the risks and

They take all the added value.

We have a long way to go to build confidence and trust when there is a widening gap between farm gate price and checkout price.

The reward should reflect the risk.

To our farming friends old and new, along with our countryside neighbours, you are welcome to visit the NFU stand which this year occupies a new site position along Bank Avenue overlooking the cattle ring.

Over the three days we have numerous guests in attendance.

On Tuesday, NFU Welsh president, Mr Peredur Hughes, is with us.

On Wednesday, we have two open forums:

11am - NFU issues addressed by the national vice-president Meurig Raymond.

2pm - TB issues addressed by the Welsh vice-president, Dai Davies together with AM Tamsin Dunwoody-Kneafsey.

County officials together with commodity chairmen and group secretaries will be available over the show period.