The Farmers’ Union of Wales will waste no time in sending a clear message to the incoming UK Labour Government at Westminster that Wales seeks a fair, annual funding settlement of £450 million in EU CAP legacy funding to support food production, the rural economy and the work farmers do for the environment.
Agricultural Policy
Despite frustrations over the delay in introducing Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) legislation in Wales, the long awaited BVD Wales Order 2024 will be introduced from the 1 of July 2024.
BVD is a viral infection of cattle, which can cause a variety of health issues, including abortion, infertility and Mucosal Disease which is fatal. The virus is maintained in herds by a small population of animals that are born “persistently infected” with the virus.
Farming continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations
The Health and Safety Executive have confirmed 27 people had died on farm during the last year. With an additional eight incidents in Northern Ireland, the total number of fatalities recorded for 2023 and 2024, so far, had been 35.
Farming and agriculture continues to have one of the most dangerous health and safety records in Britain.
With the dry spell experienced back in June many took the opportunity to make the most of the favourable weather and cut for early hay. Although the temperatures were good, not everywhere experienced days of direct sunshine leaving the cut grass to be dried more by the warmth and the wind.
Ruminant Health and Welfare have issued an update on Bluetongue risk. With recent warming weather, and average daily temperatures being consistently above 12°C, bluetongue virus (BTV) transmission is now possible in high-risk counties.
While there are currently no live cases of BTV-3 in the UK, and no evidence that there is circulating bluetongue virus, with the warmer temperatures we’ve recently seen, we know that the activity of biting midges that spread the virus has increased. The development of BTV in midges also depends on the temperature.