The Brecon and Radnor branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales held a Sheep Tales event on Friday January 29, at the FUW Pavilion as part of the FUW county celebrations for the Union’s 60^th anniversary.

The county branch further used the opportunity to raise money for the British Heart Foundation Cymru and with a raffle collected £97 for the charity.

The funny and thought-provoking entertainment in words and song about shepherds and shepherding drawn from newly-collected oral history interviews with sheep farming folk (and the occasional sheep!) were performed by storyteller and songbird Sally Tonge and BBC Radio 4 producer Chris Eldon Lee of the veteran comedy trio Three Men in a Bowtie.

Members and friends of the Union enjoyed a hearty beef stew and a choice of apple crumble or chocolate fudge cake prepared by County Admin Assistant Kath Shaw and her mum Fran and served by all the County staff.

FUW Brecon and Radnor county executive officer, Aled Jones, said: “We have enjoyed a very successful and enjoyable evening and it is of course down the to the support of our members and those who have supported us in sponsorship that we were able to raise a nice amount of money for our chosen charity.

“Heart disease is the UK’s single biggest killer, claiming around 73,000 lives a year – that’s an average of 200 lives every day.

“I’m glad that the money we have raised with this event will support research projects into heart disease around the UK. Nearly all of us have been affected by this disease in some way or another.

“Millions of adults and children which could be one of our friends or a family member might need help from BHF and we look forward to further fundraising events in the future.”

The FUW has reiterated its concerns for the agricultural industry regarding the delay in issuing Basic Payment Scheme and agri-environmental payments to farmers in a letter to Deputy Minister for Food and Farming Rebecca Evans - warning that many in the industry are now facing extreme financial difficulty.

FUW President Glyn Roberts, said: “Over the past 12 months we have consistently lobbied the Welsh Government to do all it can to accelerate the processing of payments and warned that the delays this year would have widespread repercussions for farmers and the wider rural economy.”

The most recent figures released by the Welsh Government show that around 80 percent of farmers have received part payments, leaving around 3400 businesses still to be paid.

“Those businesses have been extremely patient but as we approach the middle of February many are now facing crippling financial pressures, with mouths that need to be fed, bills that need to be paid, and loans which need to be serviced.”

Mr Roberts said that there are also implications in terms of meeting the terms of agri-environment schemes and undertaking essential work due to cash flow problems.

In his letter to the Deputy Minister, Mr Roberts highlights the fact that in some cases farmers have had to approach their banks for a second time in order to extend overdrafts to be able to continue with essential farm work, while others have been refused such extensions due to the uncertainty in terms of when they are likely to receive their payments.

“As such, we would once again urge you to do all you can to accelerate the processing of BPS and Glastir payments in order to alleviate these pressures which are affecting not only farmers, but many other businesses which are reliant on the industry,” the letter concludes.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has repeated its long standing call for a science led policy to control TB in wildlife after the Welsh Government suggested the abandoned badger vaccination pilot in north Pembrokeshire could restart in 2017.

Ministerial advice provided to the Welsh Government in 2012 suggested vaccination in the north Pembrokeshire Intensive Action Area (IAA) could cost Welsh farmers and the taxpayer an additional £3.5 million compared with a badger cull.

“The results after four years of badger vaccination in the IAA appear to support the original assessment that vaccination would cost farmers and the taxpayers millions and save the lives of far fewer cattle than badger culling would have done,” said FUW Deputy President and north Pembrokeshire farmer Brian Thomas.

“Based upon trials in other areas, we could have expected a thirty or forty percent reduction in cattle herd TB incidences by now, had the original plan to cull badgers gone ahead. Instead, matters in the area are no different to other comparable areas where badger vaccination has not taken place.”

Mr Thomas was speaking after attending a Welsh Government briefing session where the results of Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) modelling of badger vaccination strategies were presented.

“A key focus of the modelling work carried out and the subsequent statement made by Welsh Government indicates a possible return to badger vaccination in 2017. In our view that would mean returning to a pointless and costly exercise which has yet to show any positive impacts, whereas badger culling as originally planned would already have resulted in significant reductions in TB incidences.”

Mr Thomas said there was also no guarantee that the BCG vaccine used on badgers would be available by 2017.

“There is currently a global shortage of BCG vaccine, and given that one badger dose can vaccinate twenty infants in regions where human TB is a huge problem, such as Africa, it would be immoral to deplete global vaccine stocks by vaccinating badgers.”

The average cost of vaccinating each badger caught in the north Pembrokeshire Intensive Action Area has been around £700.

“In the 12 months to the end of September 2015 the number of cattle culled in Wales due to TB was 7,380, an increase of 25 percent on the equivalent period to September 2014.

“That’s an equivalent to 20 cattle culled every day of the week.”

Mr Thomas said farmers were doing their part in terms of controlling the disease, and accepted that cattle which represent a risk need to be destroyed.

“Welsh Ministers need to recognise that other animals which represent a risk should also be controlled, and that to avoid the issue by spending millions on vaccinating badgers will simply make matters worse in the long run.”

The Ceredigion branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is warning its members to be vigilant following a report of rogue traders making the rounds in the county.

The notice, which was issued by Dyfed Powys Police, warns that the various rogue traders are offering general building work, replacing roofing tiles and plastics, as well as some offering Tarmacadaming work.

FUW Ceredigion County Executive Officer Mared Rand Jones, said: “ These people offer to do basic work for a small charge and once the job has been completed - if at all - the costs go up.

“These people can get quite aggressive, demanding their cash. They will even drive their victims to a bank so they can take the cash out.

“It is illegal to sell door to door and I don’t want any of our members to fall for their sales pitch. If you do get cold callers to your door say “NO” and report the incident to the police immediately.”