Farmers from Brecon and Radnor have highlighted their concerns about the future of farming during a recent farm visit in South East Wales. 

Opening the gates to his farm Pencoedcae near Tredegar, Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President Brian Bowen welcomed newly elected MP Fay Jones to discuss issues such as the Agricultural Bill, the urgent need for frameworks and Brexit.

Brian runs a mixed suckler cow and hill sheep unit and the farm consists of 150 acres of owned land with a further 1000 rented acres and 1200 acres of common rights on three separate commons.

Speaking about the Agriculture Bill, Brian Bowen said: “The Bill does nothing to ensure food imported to the UK meets UK standards — despite ministerial assurances that imported food would meet our standards. That is a huge concern for our farmers.”

While Clause 27 of the Bill, gives the Secretary of State powers to impose written contracts or specific contract terms, it still falls short he stressed.  

“The Bill does not extend the powers of the Groceries Adjudicator to cover the whole supply chain. We will therefore continue to stress that farmers selling produce to a supermarket via an intermediary or processor will remain vulnerable.” 

Farmers further highlighted the urgent need for frameworks in the UK if the UK's 'home market' is to continue working properly and fairly. 

“We need frameworks to prevent unfair competition between producers in different parts of the UK. The Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Order illustrates our fears: It removes the EU Pillar 1 financial ceilings mainly to allow Scotland to pay more money to farmers following Lord Bew’s review of payments. 

“If an additional windfall promised by the UK Government in August 2019 is paid through the BPS in 2020, the difference between average Scottish and Welsh farm payments will be around £16,200.

“Paying such an additional sum was not possible under the EU framework as it would have exceeded the Pillar 1 financial ceiling,” said Brian Bowen. 

Emphasising the importance of trade, Union officials told MP that 35% or more of Welsh lamb goes to Europe and that trade there is important. But with 60%+ going to England — it is critical that nothing breaks the UK Home market as a policy in devolved arrangements.

“This is a challenge philosophically and politically for some: Frameworks, by definition, restrict devolution and sovereignty, yet no advanced or mature nation which has a trading arrangement with another country or is part of a single market does not operate without the restrictions of frameworks that ensure the proper functioning of the market.” 

Since 2016, following an internal consultation, the FUW has argued for frameworks to be agreed between UK Governments in order to prevent inappropriate differences between policies and funding in different parts of the UK.

Farmers across Wales are embracing conservation work and aiming to increase biodiversity on their holdings. Many are actively providing habitats that will help reverse a decline in species, often without grant aid.

John and Sarah Yeomans, who farm at Llwyn y Brain, Adfa, Newtown, are committed to do what they can to ensure that food production works hand in hand with conservation and environmental goals, and hosted a Big Farmland Bird Count (BFBC) event to demonstrate what species they have on their farm.

The Yeomans family farm a fragmented upland and reclaimed hill unit of around 285 acres (115ha) running up to 1420 feet above sea level. They keep around 90 cows and replacement heifers, mainly Limousin and British Blue x alongside a flock of around 700 Beulah ewes and ewe lambs.

The family hosted the BFBC event with Matt Goodall from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and were also joined by a number of neighbouring farmers, exploring ways to boost the variety of wild birds on their farm land. 

John said: “A lot of farmers, by their nature, are already doing a lot of conservation work. With or without grants. The problem is not many people know about the good work that is being carried out by farmers, so I hope that in future farmers can be portrayed in a better light.”

“The aim of the Big Farmland Bird Count is to raise awareness of the great conservation work being done on farms across Wales and to also highlight what can be done to help farmland birds survive this difficult time of year so that the breeding populations are increased,” says Matt who wants to encourage Welsh farms to take part in the initiative.

Walking around the farm, the family count the different types of birds who call the trees, hedgerows and grassland at Llwyn y Brain, home.

“I think we’ve between 50 to 60 different species of bird here, including Lapwings, Hedge Sparrows, Tree Creepers and the Cockatiel in the front room who is in his third decade,” says John. 

“But we’d like to do more work with the GWCT to work out how we can increase the number and ensure we have a healthy, thriving population here. 

“Whatever we do though, we need to have a successful business to go with it. Livestock helps our grass grow, and they turn that into edible protein. Our sheep and cattle are part of the solution and I think it’s fair to say that healthy livestock positively contribute to biodiversity and conservation,” said John. 

Keen to go a step further in their conservation efforts, the Yeomans family want to do more but fear that farmers sometimes aren’t given the right tools and information to achieve desired outcomes.

“An interesting Glastir option highlighted by Matt at the event, was installing bird feeding stations across the farm to help the birds survive over the winter. Annoyingly until today, I didn’t know you can add this to your Glastir plan - that has never been promoted to us. We would certainly have added that option to our environment scheme plan, had we known about it.

It’s that time of year again when we start thinking about Single Application Forms (SAF). The application window opens on Monday 2 March and the Farmers’ Union of Wales is reminding its members that county staff are here to help and ready to take the stress of filling the form away from you. 

The FUW provides this service exclusively to all paid-up members as part of their membership package, which has proved invaluable for thousands of members over the years - saving them time and a paperwork-headache. 

FUW Membership and Operations Manager Caryl Roberts said: “The SAF completion process is probably the single most important form completion exercise being carried out by Welsh farmers since 2004, and the financial repercussions of errors on the forms are severe. Our staff are not only well trained but very well practised in dealing with the complex application process.”

Since the Welsh Government mandated that all applications should be done online, the FUW is focused on providing the best possible service to its members. 

“I encourage our members and first time form fillers to contact their local office as soon as possible to book an appointment if they need help in filling out the form,” added Caryl Roberts.

News that one of Britain’s largest supermarkets, Aldi, has committed to stocking a brand new range of PGI Welsh Beef products across over 50 stores, has been hailed as a much needed boost for the industry.

Speaking after the official announcement was made in Cardiff (Monday, 10 February)  Farmers’ Union of Wales Deputy President Ian Rickman said: “This is a most welcome step in the right direction. Given the uncertainty our farmers face over future trade deals, supporting local suppliers is key to ensuring we have thriving, sustainable family farms here in Wales. 

“Farmers in Wales produce excellent, sustainable, quality PGI Welsh Beef and PGI Welsh Lamb and we are confident shoppers won’t be disappointed by the new range. I can only encourage other supermarkets, restaurants, cafe’s and anyone else who is involved in the food supply chain to follow suit.”

From Tuesday, 12 February a range of thirteen different products, including a selection of Fillet, Ribeye and Sirloin Steaks, both 28 and 21 Day matured, as well as roasting joints and diced beef, will be available in over 50 stores across Wales.

The Deputy President also used the opportunity to remind the Welsh Government that the decision to leave the EU presents an opportunity to revisit procurement laws and policies.

“Aldi is setting an outstanding example with their commitment and I urge the Welsh and UK Government to remember that we now have an opportunity to revisit procurement laws and policies in a way which ensures public bodies also lead by example in terms of supporting local, Welsh and UK food and farming businesses.

“We must place further emphasise on the benefits of local procurement and work to ensure that the principles laid down in the Plan for Local Procurement are adhered to in a way which results in investment in and benefits to UK businesses.

“It can’t be stressed enough that we need to instigate procurement policies which encourage the creation of new companies and cooperatives which allow smaller businesses to tender for procurement, in order to bring benefits in terms of local employment and redressing imbalances that currently exist throughout the supply chain.”

Brian Bowen, Farmers' Union of Wales Vice President, recently hosted a Big Farmland Bird Count event at his farm Pencoedcae. Here he keeps a 230 suckler breeding herd and over 1200 sheep which grazes the three commons that surround his farm in Blaenau Gwent, South East Wales. 

He believes that not only do the cows break up the vegetation to create a more diverse habitat for different species to nest and feed in,  but poaching of the ground with their feet also creates water capture which again is another habitat to attract more wildlife.

“My cows and sheep are integral to boosting wildlife. It also provides access by breaking up the vegetation to the vast numbers of people who visit the area,” he says, pointing to the Brecon Beacons which the ground extends to. Infact Brian is surrounded by Common land which is used by many people with different interests as well as it being critical to the farming enterprise.

Neighbouring farmers to Brian are also breeding cows along with sheep in these peat rich hills which are storing millions of tonnes of carbon, using the native breeds - Galloway and Welsh Blacks for example - which are hardy and flourish in its harsh conditions of high altitude and rainfall. 

“It requires a special breed of cow here which is the cornerstone for the lowland breeders,” says Brian, who describes the native breeds as being tough but stresses that their contribution to the health of the moorland is poorly understood, and the threat of a TB outbreak to all Welsh cattle farmers is a constant worry. 

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is mourning the passing of Union Life Member, Evan R Thomas, from Carmarthen, who has been described as one of the most gifted and intellectual since the formation of the FUW.

Responding to the news FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “The FUW has lost a farming stalwart.

“I regard Mr Thomas, or Evan R, as everyone knew him, as probably the most gifted and intellectually able member since the FUW was formed during 1955. He was a remarkable and wonderful man. He literally gave his life to the FUW and to Welsh agriculture. His contribution has been exceptional and he served on a very large number of committees.”