Common Agricultural Policy reform proposals released today by the European Commission would have a catastrophic impact on Welsh dairy farming in the first year of their implementation, according to Farmers' Union of Wales dairy committee chairman Eifion Huws.

Under the proposals, Welsh payments per hectare would see a 40 per cent shift away from values based upon historical payments.

"This would mean a huge fall in income for many dairy farmers in 2014 so there is a real need to change this as well as other measures in the proposals," said Mr Huws.

"Only a few years ago the EC were talking about measures to ensure a 'soft landing' for the dairy industry in the run up to the abolition of milk quotas.

"Yet these latest proposals would wash away any effect the quota regime soft-landing provisions provide for dairy farms.

"These proposals would mean anything but a soft landing for farm businesses - for most it would be more like being dropped from a great height."

Mr Huws said any transition away from the historic entitlement value to a flat-rate payment must be gradual and over a lengthy period.

"We have already raised these concerns with members of the EU Agriculture Committee and the European Commission and over the coming months we will continue our efforts to fight for the interests of Wales' dairy farmers."

[caption id="attachment_4513" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Emyr Jones[/caption]

The latest European Commission proposals for reforming the Common Agricultural Policy would devastate European food security and destabilise Wales' rural communities, according to Farmers' Union of Wales president Emyr Jones.

"Last year the EC acknowledged the dangers Europe faces over the coming years due to food shortages and identified this as the number one priority.

"But the latest proposals would take land out of agriculture and reduce food production across the EU while undermining farming communities across Wales."

Mr Jones said the proposals represented a missed opportunity to address the key challenges identified by the EC and the European Parliament and this failure could delay the finalising of an agreement on CAP reform.

"The combined problems of food security and climate change have been described as 'the perfect storm', and the CAP should be seen as a toolkit to address these challenges.

"Yet today's proposals could almost have been aimed at making matters worse and ignoring the fact that we have a framework which was specifically set up to protect people against starvation."

Mr Jones' concerns were echoed by Members of the European Parliament at a special meeting of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee with Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos during which the proposal to take land out of food production was slammed.

Mr Jones added: "We have already discussed our concerns with members of the European Agriculture Committee and the Commission and we have our work cut out over the coming months to ensure the regulations are changed in a way which protects rural Wales and Welsh food production."

The Farmers' Union of Wales is urging farmers to work together over the coming weeks in a concerted effort to reduce incidences of sheep scab.

Lorraine Howells, Chairman of the FUW's Common Land Committee, said: "At this time of year many farms are preparing to treat their sheep for scab.

"However, failure to treat animals at the same time as your neighbours can mean animals becoming reinfected, because the mites which cause the problem can be transferred by direct contact with infected sheep or objects."

Miss Howells said that failure to coordinate treatment in an area could result in a great deal of wasted time and money.

Sheep can be treated by either dipping or injection.

"We fully recognise the concerns which exist in relation to dipping and the withdrawal period following treatment. However, scab can be a major animal health and economic problem, and it is important that we do all we can to eliminate the disease."

Miss Howells also urged commoners to work together to ensure flocks on open mountains are treated.

"Scab can be a great problem on open land, and many graziers work closely together to ensure that commons and open land are cleared and animals treated at the same time.

"Graziers must continue to clear commons at the same time, and if this does not already take place, they should come together in order to coordinate this type of action."

Miss Howells added that no animals should be returned to a common after clearance without being treated.

Further information on sheep scab can be found on the Hybu Cig Cymru website (http://www.hccmpw.org.uk) under the animal health and welfare section.

[caption id="attachment_4508" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Emyr Jones with CRW fundraiser Wendy Collie and Scientific Communications Manager Dr Lee Campbell.[/caption]

Cancer Research Wales - the only totally independent cancer research charity for Wales - has been chosen as the Farmers' Union of Wales' new charitable cause by its president Emyr Jones.

"I am assured by Cancer Research Wales that all money raised will be staying in Wales to fund pioneering research projects undertaken by internationally renowned scientists and PhD students," said Mr Jones.

The charity is currently funding a groundbreaking project looking at ways to stop breast and prostate tumours - the two most common cancers affecting men and women in Wales - spreading to other parts of the body.

Based at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff, the charity supports projects across the whole of Wales.

Its charity director Liz Andrews said: "It's fantastic that the Farmers' Union of Wales has chosen to support Cancer Research Wales.

"We rely on volunteers and fundraisers to help us pay for vital research projects and all the money raised will help in the fight against cancer, here in Wales. We would like to extend our thanks to everyone involved."

Cancer Research Wales was founded in 1966 by Dr Ken Davies. Since then it has raised many millions of pounds for research into the treatment and diagnosis of cancer which has benefitted people in Wales and all over the world.

Its own research laboratory at Velindre Hospital is a centre of excellence for the non-surgical treatment of cancer and the charity also funds other research into cancer at facilities across Wales.

More than 90p in the £ of all the money raised goes directly into cancer research. This money comes from ordinary, generous people all over Wales, the UK and the rest of the world, who help by leaving legacies or making donations.

Mr Jones said he hoped that by the end of next year the total amount raised by FUW members and supporters will be at least as much as the £15,316 handed over last year to the Wales Air Ambulance charity by his predecessor Gareth Vaughan.

Welsh farmers will have an opportunity to voice their views about the EC's CAP proposals on Thursday October 20 during a conference organised by the union at Aberystwyth Art Centre under the theme "Unravelling CAP Reform".

"Bearing in mind that the EC is expected to reveal its CAP reform proposals next Wednesday October 12, this conference will provide a very timely opportunity to hear the views of our speakers and delegates," said FUW president Emyr Jones.

The speakers will be: Tassos Haniotis, Director of Economic Analysis, Perspectives and Evaluations at the EC Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Developments; George Lyon MEP, former Rapporteur for the EU Agricultural Committee; Jeremy Walker, National Chairman of the Tenant Farmers' Association and Dr Nick Fenwick, FUW Director of Agricultural Policy.

"The conference will provide an ideal opportunity to hear about developments to date and the likely impact of CAP reform on the agriculture, economy, and landscape of Wales and similar regions," said Mr Jones.

A Welsh farmers' leader today said he was "extremely shocked" by the Welsh Government's decision to abolish the Less Favoured Area (LFA) uplift within the controversial Glastir land management scheme which will affect nearly 80% of agricultural land in Wales.

"This means that for the first time in over 60 years Wales has no scheme which recognises of the hardships of farming within the LFA," said Farmers' Union of Wales president Emyr Jones.

Whilst a review of the costings has resulted in an increase in the base payments from £28 to £34, those farmers situated within the LFA, whose payment would have been £33.60, will only see an increase of 40p, which the FUW believes is ludicrous given the natural handicaps of farming within these areas.

"The Welsh uplands are the very reason why Wales exists. They not only symbolise Wales, but also define Wales," stressed Mr Jones, who lobbied Agriculture Minister Alun Davies at a meeting in Cardiff only last Wednesday to re-introduce the LFA scheme Tir Mynydd.

"We must not forget that the uplands dominate our country and when we talk about the future of the uplands we are, therefore, talking about the future of what defines Wales in terms of our landscape, our culture, and our communities.

"So we were extremely shocked that our concerns have been ignored and salt rubbed into the wound by this latest announcement just two days after meeting him.

"Glastir has been dogged by controversy ever since it was announced by the then Minister in 2009.

"The FUW has consistently voiced its concerns about the scheme and this was vindicated by the extremely low interest during the first application round and the urgent review of the scheme which was, given its terms of reference, unable to make the substantive changes required to make it a viable proposition for farmers.

"I'm now afraid that this latest announcement will mean that Glastir will have no credibility amongst farmers at all.

"We will now step up our demands for an urgent re-instatement of Tir Mynydd as highlighted at our meeting with Mr Davies last Wednesday.

I have spoken to the Minister this morning and called for an urgent meeting to discuss his announcement.

"How can farmers trust a Government who assured us that Glastir would recognise the difficulties of farming in the uplands but now seem to have forgotten that fact?"