[caption id="attachment_8000" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Farmers’ Union of Wales Livestock and Hill farming committees warn that if agriculture fails, so will our rural communities[/caption]

Livestock farmers from across Wales have been debating what future post-Brexit agricultural policies could look like and what would happen if agriculture fails, at a recent joint meeting of the Farmers’ Union of Wales Livestock and Hill farming committees.

Speaking at the meeting, FUW President Glyn Roberts highlighted that it was critical that all farmers feed into the discussions, to ensure that a policy suitable for all Welsh farming sectors can be put forward in due course.

“Following a consultation with members last year, we have begun to discuss more detailed scenarios for future post-Brexit agricultural policies with the committees today, and we will continue to gather opinions and ideas on what farming in Wales should look like.

“The FUW has a grass roots structure, and our policies are formed by members - farmers working on the ground every day. I encourage everyone to continue to feed their views in through their local offices and branch meetings,” said the Union President.

A message that came out loud and clear from the meeting was the need to acknowledge the vital role agriculture plays in providing employment in non-farming sectors and keeping rural communities alive.

Mr Roberts highlighted a recent study by the University of Kent which found that the complete abolition of CAP payments without compensating/countervailing measures could result in around 250,000 non-farming jobs being lost across the UK.

“The study, entitled Employment effects of CAP payments in the UK non-farm economy, found a net positive effect of the CAP payments on non-farm employment, and in particular a

strong positive relationship between direct payments and non-farm employment compared with Rural Development payments,” said Mr Roberts.

The academics behind the study conclude that the removal of CAP payments would also be

likely to have rural development implications beyond employment lost, such as increasing rural depopulation - particularly in terms of young people seeking jobs outside farming - and reduced business efficiency due to reductions in the scale of operations for some small and medium sized enterprises.

“This study supports and helps quantify what the FUW has been highlighting for many years, which is that farms support significantly more non-farming businesses and jobs than many sometimes appreciate.

“With so much at stake, it is essential that we use Brexit to create better functioning supply chains which fairly reward everyone; put in place policies which make up for market failure, and better target support in order to create a more prosperous Welsh economy,” added Mr Roberts.

[caption id="attachment_8000" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Farmers’ Union of Wales Livestock and Hill farming committees warn that if agriculture fails, so will our rural communities[/caption]

Those who have #FarmingMatters close to their heart are today being urged to make sure their vote is counted in the General Election on Thursday, 8 June.

The FUW, who since 1955 has been protecting and advancing the interests of those who derive an income from Welsh agriculture, has held hustings in all parts of Wales in the run up to the election, giving voters the chance to hear from all political parties about their vision for agriculture.

“Many of us will have attended the hustings organised by the FUW, listening to the arguments from all political parties, as well as keeping a close eye on the election debates broadcast on TV.

“We are a politically neutral organisation and have always worked with all political parties to ensure the best outcome for our rural communities, from our beautiful coasts to our highest peaks, and all those who derive an income from agriculture,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

“This vote is very important to the future of our country. We must have the full spectrum of opinions in this election and that includes our rural and young voices.

“We have met with General Election candidates from all major Welsh and UK parties to outline the Union’s key priorities for agriculture and outlined our manifesto demands, including our key demand that the next Government negotiates Brexit transitional arrangements with the EU which allow sufficient time to reach agreement on trade and other matters which are in the interests of Wales, the UK and the remaining 27 EU Member States,” added Mr Roberts.

Mr Roberts added that if we don’t want to see Wales and farming being turned into an open air museum, agriculture has to be recognised for the role it plays in keeping rural communities alive.

“We want to see a vibrant future for real people and agriculture is a key player in that. Therefore, I would urge everyone who has #FarmingMatters close to their heart to make the commitment to take to the polls, regardless of their political persuasions,” added Glyn Roberts.

Time – 15 mins

Serves – 4

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) lean pork mince
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 small red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 5ml (1tsp) Harissa paste
• Black pepper

Guacamole Salsa:

• 30ml (2tbsp) sweet chilli sauce
• ¼ small cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, stone removed and chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped

To serve:

• Handful tortilla chips
• Grated Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Iceberg lettuce

How to cook

1. Take the pork mince, garlic, chilli, pepper, harissa paste and seasoning, and mix together in a large bowl.
2. Next, divide the mixture into four even amounts and shape into four neat burgers.
3. Now, place the burgers under a pre-heated grill and cook for about 12 – 14 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
4. With the burgers cooking, take all of the ingredients for the guacamole salsa and mix them together in a bowl – once mixed leave to stand.
5. When the burgers have cooked, add two or three tortilla chips on top, add a little grated cheese and place under the grill until the cheese has melted, this should only take a minute.
6. Serve the burgers on wedges of iceberg lettuce with a large dollop of guacamole and sour cream.

The Glamorgan branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has organised a hustings event for farmers and all those who have an interest in agriculture, which will provide a platform to quiz general election candidates on #FarmingMatters and other issues.

The event is held on Wednesday 31 May at the Duke of Wellington Pub, 48 High Street, Cowbridge, and will start at 7.30pm.

FUW Glamorgan CEO Rachel Saunders said: “It is essential for farmers and landowners to have the opportunity to question and query party candidates as well as hearing their views on the future of rural Wales.  I urge our members and everyone who has an interest in the countryside to attend this event, so that they can make a fully informed decision on 8 June.”

For further information contact the FUW Cowbridge office on 01446 774838.

The FUW’s central dairy committee has branded a two day delay to the introduction of quarantine units in Wales as a miniscule step in the right direction compared with what is needed ahead of the show season.

The Welsh Government recently extended the deadline by which around 6,000 animal isolation facilities would become legally redundant and have to be replaced by certified quarantine units - but only from the 10th of June to the 12th of June.

Farmers were written to regarding the changes in April, and again in mid May, but application forms for quarantine units were not available until 10th May.

“The two day delay is clearly welcome for those attending shows on the 10th and 11th of June, but on the 12th the problem rears its head again,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

“We have asked for the implementation date to be moved to the autumn to allow more time for people to understand the new system and get certified, and to avoid the main show period.

“The extremely proscriptive nature of the rules means these units take time to build, and establishment costs are high - in addition to certification costs.”

Mr Roberts said the committee were extremely concerned that those who fail to establish quarantine units and get them certified in time would be unable to overcome problems caused by the six-day standstill rule where shows were held within days of each other.

“Many people have contacted me raising these concerns, and there are real worries that people will pull entries out of smaller shows in order to prioritise the large ones,” added Mr Roberts.

The FUW had made it clear in its response to a Welsh consultation on introducing quarantine units that abolishing established isolation units was a major concern, and that the onerous and burdensome nature of the rules would be an obstacle for many.

“Our concerns are now exacerbated by the rapid timetable for introduction, so delaying implementation by a few months would be a very sensible move,” said the Union President.

The Denbigh branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has organised a hustings event for farmers and all those who have an interest in agriculture, which will provide a platform to quiz general election candidates on #FarmingMatters and other issues.

The event is held on Tuesday 30 May at Llanfwrog Community Centre ( Tennis Club), Mwrog Street, Ruthin and will start at 7.30pm. The hustings is open to all.

FUW Denbigh and Flintshire CEO Mari Dafydd Jones said: “It is essential for farmers and landowners to have the opportunity to question and query party candidates as well as hearing their views on the future of rural Wales. I urge our members and everyone who has an interest in the countryside to attend this event, so that they can make a fully informed decision on 8 June.”

For further information contact the FUW Ruthin office on: 01824 707198