The Farmers’ Union of Wales has launched its ‘Fair Farm Funding’ campaign to highlight the urgent need for the UK Government to clarify funding for the sector in Wales, at its Grand Council meeting in Aberystwyth.

The campaign aims to secure fair funding for farmers in Wales after leaving the EU, ensuring that the industry does not receive less than it did before the UK left the European Union. It also insists that funding for farming should not be subject to the Barnett Formula.

Launching the campaign at the Union’s Grand Council, Managing Director Alan Davies said: “Historically the funding to support farming in Wales has come from the Common Agricultural Policy, but once the UK leaves the EU in March next year that link will be broken.

“Any funding to support agriculture will have to come from the UK Treasury. We’ve already heard that the Government will commit the same amount of funding to agriculture for the rest of this parliament. But there are complexities around how that funding might be allocated.

There may be over 5,000 miles between a livestock farm in the Welsh Valleys and a coffee and spice farm in Kerala, India, but the challenges they face are not such a world apart.

Welcoming spice and coffee farmer Father John Joseph from Wayanad in the state of Kerala, India, to Pencoedcae Farm, Princetown, near Tredegar, was Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President Brian Bowen.

The farm is a mixed suckler cow and sheep hill unit. It consists of 150 acres of owned land with a further 1,000 rented acres and 1,200 acres of common rights on three separate commons. He runs the farm, along with his father, mother and his son.

Father John Joseph is visiting Wales as a guest of Fair Trade Wales as part of the annual celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight.

He grew up on a farm and studied at his local university before moving to Bangalore to complete his law degree. The area he farms is hilly and forested, which brings challenges. John decided to set up the WSSS Organic Farmers Fair Trade Association (WOFFA) in 2008 as a way of organising farming families to gain knowledge and tackle the challenges they’re facing, such as cycles of debt and over-use of chemicals and pesticides.

By Angharad Evans, Y Tir Welsh Editor

Baler twine, flat cap, rigger boots and a moustache - a fairly common image of Welsh farmers over the decades, but thanks to one man from Cwmfelin Mynach, the image is now quite an iconic one. This is the image of the Welsh Whisperer, who is busy making a name for himself as a performer, radio presenter and popular television personality.

Carmarthen sheep farmer and Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President Ian Rickman, whose hill farm Gurnos, near Bethlehem, Llandeilo, lies at over 1000 feet in places, has highlighted the important role sheep play in maintaining the countryside.

500 Llandovery white faced ewes, which are due to lamb during the next two months, call these lands their home. Ian fears that the consequences of not grazing the mountains would have a devastating impact on the environment and tourism.

The farm extends to 220 acres with Common Grazing Rights on the Black Mountain, and he is a member of the Management Committee of the Black Mountain West Graziers Association.

To showcase just how much #FarmingMatters and to discuss wider issues of concern, he held an open day in February, welcoming Jonathan Edwards MP, Adam Price AM, Dafydd Llewelyn Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Councillor Gareth Thomas, various business representatives and many local farmers.

A charity Mouse Race, arranged by the Brecon and Radnor Branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, has raised £590.50 for Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and The Farming Community Network.

The well-attended event was held at Brecon Rugby Club on Friday February 9, with the mice keeping everyone on their toes with a few very close races.

Speaking after the event, the FUW’s Brecon and Radnor County administrative assistant Anwen Price, who arranged the charity night, said: “I would like to thank everyone for their support, sponsorship and the very generous donations we had for the raffle. It was a fun evening and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. The money raised is going to 2 worthy causes and we look forward to holding more of these fundraising events during the year.”

The County Office kindly thanks all the race sponsors for their very generous donations: McCartneys, The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Smithfield Tractors (Builth Wells), Ted Hopkins Ltd, Dave Powell (FUWIS) and all those who have donated raffle prizes, including Hay & Brecon Farmers, Price Farm Supplies, Carrs Billington, and to Brecon Co-op for kindly donating the produce for the Welsh Hamper, and Brecon Rugby Club for hosting the event and their raffle prize donation.

Goat farming couple Meg and Damian McNamara of Moat Village Farm, New Moat, Pembrokeshire, have been recognised for keeping the countryside vibrant by the Pembrokeshire FUW Countryside Business Award 2017.

The award, a £200 cash prize, perpetual trophy and a year’s free membership of the FUW, is presented every two years to someone who, 40 years of age or under, has developed their own business in rural Pembrokeshire.