[caption id="attachment_7358" align="alignleft" width="300"] The FUW’s Montgomeryshire team look forward to seeing you soon![/caption]

Farmers in Montgomeryshire will be pleased to hear that their local FUW office now has a new home and is open for business!

The modern new premises are located at Unit 2, St. Giles Business Park, which is located on the Pool Road, Newtown. The new office is disabled access friendly and offers free parking as well.

From their local office in Newtown, the FUW provides:

• specialist advice to members on agricultural matters,
• consults and communicates with members at local level and across Wales,
• comments on and helps to formulate policies in relation to Farming Matters,
• works with other organisations for the common good of rural Wales,
• has established permanent and regular Committees covering all the issues of importance to Welsh farmers
• provides independent access to decision makers in the National Assembly, Westminster and European Union.

For all your farming queries you can speak to Emyr Wyn Davies – County Executive officer, Alison Jones – Administrative Assistant or Lynne Baker - Administrative Assistant by calling the office on 01686 626889.

If you have any insurance queries our friendly Insurance staff are here to help you as well. So why not drop in to speak to Sophie Rees - Administrative Assistant, Nia Wyn Evans – Account Executive (South Montgomeryshire) or Kay Williams - Account Executive (North Montgomeryshire).

Our membership represents the broad spectrum of agricultural activities in Wales and covers a wide range of sectors including sheep, beef, dairy, pigs, arable and those producers covering other activities such as the tourism sector and renewable energies.

Emyr Wyn Davies, the FUW’s Montgomeryshire County Executive Officer is excited to welcome current and potential new members to the new premises: “We look forward to welcoming our current members and of course any potential new members to the new premises. The opening of our new office is a new chapter in the county and we look forward to continue in providing valuable services to the farming community.”

The FUW is a democratic organisation and has 11 standing committees, including Animal Health and Welfare, Milk and Dairy Produce, Livestock, Education and Training, Diversification and the Younger Voice for Farming Committee, with democratically elected farmer representatives covering the Union’s 12 county branches in Wales.

‘Farming Matters’ is the key slogan of the FUW, as we realise that farming matters in so many ways that are seldom realised - not only do farms produce food but they are also a cornerstone of our rural economies.

“We know that family farms in particular are at the heart of our rural economy, caring for our landscape, and of course our culture, and they make innumerable other contributions to the well-being of Wales and the UK. I am delighted to be the point of contact here in Montgomeryshire and hope to see many of you drop into the new office for a chat about #FarmingMatters over a nice cuppa,” added Emyr Wyn Davies.

The Farming Community Network are looking for a new Regional Director for Wales - if you know someone who fits the bill, give them a shout.

Following the retirement of the previous incumbent, FCN is seeking a new Regional Director for Wales.

FCN (The Farming Community Network) is a national, multi-denominational Christian charity providing practical and pastoral support to farming families facing difficulties in the farm business or in the home, which are causing them stress and anxiety. Available across England and Wales, FCN operates telephone and e-mail Helplines between the hours of 7am and 11pm every day of the year. Callers can then be referred on to one of around 400 Volunteers working in 33 groups across England and Wales. The Volunteers walk alongside farming families for as long as they are needed. The service is free of charge and is completely confidential.

Volunteers are supported by a national staff team which ensures that FCN operates legally, professionally and with due care for clients, Volunteers and Staff whilst being adequately funded and promoted, thereby ensuring that FCN is available wherever and whenever its support is needed in the farming community.

FCN also has a responsibility to represent the work of local Volunteers and the problems of FCN’s clients at the national level within government, other organisations and in the media. This requires a professional, flexible and competent Staff team which is, at the same time, tuned in to the practical and pastoral realities of life as a local Volunteer.

The primary role of the Regional Director for Wales is to recruit, encourage, develop and support the Volunteer network as they go about their mission to support the Welsh farming community. He / she also acts as the focus for delivering FCN national strategy across the Principality and for liaising with the Welsh Government and other local stakeholders on behalf of FCN.  Good interpersonal skills are essential and experience of working with and managing Volunteers would be a distinct advantage. Dual language capability (Welsh / English) would be a very helpful asset. The role is permanent, part time - 17.5 hrs a week.

If you would like to know more about the role, please contact FCN’s Chief Executive Charles Smith – email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mobile: 07979 792209.

We felt a bit nosy and wanted to find out what our young farmers are up to at the moment - so recently we caught up with Beca Glyn from Betws y Coed. Find out what she’s been up to in our Spotlight on Young Farmers column!

Who is Beca?

Beca Glyn, 23, graduated from Aberystwyth University in (BSC) Agriculture and Business and now works on the 350 acre National Trust family beef and sheep farm in Snowdonia National Park at Dylasau Uchaf, Padog, Betws y Coed.

Beca started her flock of Hampshire Down Sheep separate to her father, Glyn Roberts, 6 years ago when she had two Hampshire Down ewes for Christmas.

She now runs a flock of 15 pure Hampshire Down sheep, 20 New Zealand Tomney ewes and 20 high EBV Welsh Mountain lambs. As well as sheep, Beca keeps two kune kune sows, which are called Morfydd and Matilda. She also enjoys working with her sheepdog Mona.

Winter:

With the nights drawing in, it was time to bring the cattle in over the winter. On the sheep side it was an early start to the mountain to gather the sheep from Cynefin, which is the sheep's exclusive part of the open mountain.

With rams due to be turned out to the ewes in the next few weeks it's been a busy week - I body condition scored all ewes and rams, sorting them all to different groups, preparing and making all the health checks necessary ready for tupping. At last the ewes and ewe lambs are ready to go to tack over winter.

Over in the cattle shed early one morning we had new arrivals of twin calves. At the end of the week I have been putting my University experiences into action by helping to prepare an application form for a sustainable production grant - hopefully it will be successful.

Social:

It was our YFC county Eisteddfod last Saturday and most evenings in the past 2 weeks I have been in the local Ysbyty Ifan hall rehearsing short drama and of course my part was a farm house wife!

Brexit:

Because I am so passionate about farming I hope the financial aspect of agriculture will sustain a viable future for me. But I am concerned about the seismic change that has happened with Brexit. In my mind it is vital to keep family farms alive because of the valuable contributions they make to animal welfare, landscape management and culture; especially the Welsh language in Wales. One of my biggest challenges will be, given historically we exported 30% of Welsh lambs to Europe, to have a trade deal with EU post-Brexit and a market for our produce.

Another challenge is global warming - I am adamant the agricultural industry is not the problem but it has the answer to the problem. We must focus on opportunities which exist and build on them and I think we should always focus on a half full cup rather than a half empty one.

Future:

My plan for the future is to run the family farm and stay in my area. To be able to do this I may have to think about diversification depending on what the future holds for the agriculture industry. I am determined to live in Cwm Eidda were our culture and language are an important aspect of life.

[caption id="attachment_7343" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Beca's kune kune sows, Morfydd and Matilda[/caption]

The Gwent branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has organised an open meeting to discuss the Welsh Government consultation “A refreshed TB Eradication Programme”.

The meeting will be held on Monday, December 12, at the Hogs Head, Llantillio Crossenny, commencing at 7.30pm.

Guest speakers on the night are FUW Senior Policy Officer Dr Hazel Wright, Abergavenny Farm First Vets Director Rob Smith and Lyndon Trumper from Monmouthshire Livestock Auctioneers.

FUW Gwent County Executive Officer, Glyn Davies, said: “I would like to  extend a warm welcome to everyone, and urge farmers to use this opportunity to acquaint themselves of the implications of the Welsh Government's consultation, and to explore a way forward to combat Bovine TB.”