The Welsh Government must use "every tool in the box" to minimise the impact for farmers who will lose substantial amounts over the coming years as a result of the adoption of a three-tier payment system, said the Farmers' Union of Wales today.

Responding to Natural Resources and Food Minister Alun Davies' announcement of how millions of pounds of European agricultural funding will be shared between farmers in Wales to develop the industry, the union's president Emyr Jones said: "The announcement comes as a major hit for many farmers who will lose significant amounts under the new system."

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Davies to discuss the new payment system, Mr Jones added: "While we have repeatedly expressed concerns about the amount of preparatory work done to investigate payment systems which would reduce the impact of a new payment system, it has to be accepted that whatever system was implemented would have led to large numbers of businesses losing significant sums."

Mr Jones said he was particularly concerned about the location of the moorland line which would reduce payments for many thousands.

"However, given that the minister has made his decision, he must now look at using every tool in the box to reduce the impact of today's decision."

Mr Jones said that critical amongst those tools was the use of Rural Development monies to implement meaningful schemes which would boost farm incomes.

"Our objection to his decision to transfer 15 per cent of payments to Pillar 2 has been well publicised. The focus now must be on using Pillar 2 to return funds to farmers, and it is imperative that we hear a positive response to the Kevin Roberts review from the minister over the coming weeks.

"All the stops need to be pulled out to reduce the cost of regulations and red tape, and we need to see schemes which deliver increases in farm incomes which make up for the losses many will incur as a result of today's decision."

The Farmers' Union of Wales is calling for farmland - as well as urban property - to be protected from flooding in its response to Natural Resources Wales' consultation paper "Planning our Future".

"We welcome NRW's commitment to build, maintain and operate flood defences but stress that it is not just the urban environment that needs to be protected but also rural areas and agricultural land so that food production is not threatened," said FUW president Emyr Jones.

"Given the impact of recent weather conditions on coastal and tidal river areas throughout Wales it is vital that these vulnerable areas are protected from the risks of flooding.

"Farming by its very nature is responsible for the management and protection of the landscape and the environment as well as the production of food for an ever-increasing population but there is no reference in the NRW's paper to this contribution.

"We believe that, as agriculture is the predominant land use in Wales, recognition needs to be given to the role of agriculture in the management of water and the implications of flooding to food production in addition to property and the protection of the environment," said Mr Jones after visiting flood damage at Llanbedr, near Harlech, following a 30-metre breach in a flood bank.

"I was shocked and horrified by the scale of the damage. Luckily, no lives were lost, which could quite easily have been the case," he said.

"I made a point of walking to the exact site of the damage to the bank, since I felt this was crucial to fully understand the position. Repairing the flood bank will undoubtedly be a huge logistical operation but it is imperative that the work is carried out as soon as possible.

"I am aware that there is to be a review of flood defences in Wales and trust that the needs of rural areas will be an inherent part of this.”

NRW intend to publish its final corporate plan in March this year.

[caption id="attachment_2722" align="aligncenter" width="640"] FLOOD DEFENCES: Emyr Jones on the site of the breach at Llanbedr, near Harlech[/caption]

Farmhouse kitchens will be filled with mouth-watering smells as part of the annual Farmers' Union of Wales campaign of support for locally-produced Welsh food during this year's Farmhouse Breakfast Week (Sunday January 26-Saturday February 1).

The union has organised a host of events, ranging from hearty breakfasts in Snowdonia farmhouse kitchens to a prestigious lunch at the House of Lords, that start with a Welsh buffet breakfast next Tuesday (January 14) at the National Assembly's Senedd building in Cardiff Bay.

At Parc, near Bala, the union's Meirionnydd county branch will hold a Welsh breakfast event on Monday January 27 (from 10am to 1pm) at Ysgol y Parc which, since its closure as a school, is being used as a community centre. The function will be hosted by FUW members Olwen and Nia Davies, of Ty Cerrig, Parc.

The branch has also arranged a breakfast event for Friday January 31 (8am and 11.30am) at Mr and Mrs R J Breese's farm, Gogarth, Pennal, that local AM Dafydd Elis-Thomas is expected to attend.

And FUW's Flintshire branch has organised a breakfast function on Saturday February 1 at Cilcain Village Hall, Cilcain, Mold, hosted by Mrs Fiona Faire who can be contacted on 01978 790240.

The various events will highlight the union's enthusiastic support for the Farmhouse Breakfast Week campaign organised since 2000 by the Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA).

Between January 26 and February 1 breakfasts will be held on a total of eight farms in Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire and another at Bryncir livestock market's cafe.

The FUW's annual breakfast functions at the Senedd, House of Lords and European Parliament in Brussels are sponsored by the Welsh Government, Welsh red meat promotion agency Hybu Cig Cymru and E.ON.

FUW president Emyr Jones said the union is a keen supporter of HGCA's campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast and demonstrate the rich variety and quality of breakfast foods available in Wales and the rest of the UK.

"It’s great to see so many members joining us in promoting farmhouse breakfast week this year and I am sure the breakfasts served up in every farmhouse kitchen taking part will fill the air with a delicious smell that will get everyone’s taste buds excited.

“In the UK one in four people skip breakfast during the week and as many as one in six adults never eat breakfast even though experts claim it is the most important meal of the day and plays a key role in helping tackle obesity.

"The NHS also says eating breakfast has long term health benefits and can reduce obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

"The theme for HGCA's campaign 'Shake Up Your Wake Up' encourages us to make small changes to our morning routine to make sure you have time for breakfast every day!

"It is all about showcasing the most important meal of the day in a bid to raise awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of breakfast and the huge variety of top quality farm produce available in Wales - ranging from bacon, sausages and eggs to speciality dairy products, breads and cereals."

During the Senedd breakfast natural resources and food minister Alun Davies will launch Farming Connect's Agri-Academy 2014 and representatives of a wide cross-section rural organisations in Wales will tuck in to a hearty early-morning platter.

Mr Davies said: “I am looking forward to sampling some great Welsh breakfast produce at this year’s Farmhouse Breakfast. I've been working to support and promote Welsh food and produc.

"Last month we published a new action plan to drive growth and I've put that commitment into action immediately by leading a trade mission to the new and growing markets for Welsh lamb and beef in the US and Canada.

“The breakfast event is an excellent opportunity to promote Welsh food and farm produce at home and meet with people from the farming and rural community to discuss the key issues affecting them.

"While at the breakfast, I am also launching the Agri-Academy for 2014 which provides advice and support to budding farming entrepreneurs and rural leaders in Wales.”

The FUW's Caernarfonshire county branch breakfasts - with proceeds shared between Mr Jones' chosen charities T? Hafan and T? Gobaith children's hospices as well as Gwynedd Hospitals Breast Cancer Research Fund - will be held on the following days between 7.30 and 10.30:

Monday January 27 at T?’n Hendre, Tal-y-bont, Bangor (Mrs Anita Thomas - 01248 362 871);

Tuesday January 28 at Towyn, Tudweiliog (Mrs Daloni Metcalfe - 01758 770 600);

Wednesday January 29 at Glyn Uchaf, Tynygroes, Conwy (Mrs Ifora Owen - 01492 651 267);

Thursday January 30 at Penfras Uchaf, Llwyndyrys (Mrs Eleri Hughes - 01758 750 254);

Friday January 31 at Caffi Anne’s Cafe, Bryncir Mart;

Friday January 31 at Dylasau Uchaf, Padog (Mrs Eleri Roberts - 01690 770 215);

Saturday February 1 at Pengelli Isaf, Caernarfon (Mrs Menna Parry - 01286 673 232).

FUW Denbighshire breakfasts will be held on:

Monday January 27 at Pontruffudd, Bodfari, Denbigh LL16 4BP (Mrs Eirlys Roberts - 01745 710245);

Thursday January 30 at Hendrearddwyfaen, Ty Nant, Corwen LL21 0RG (Mrs Nan Owen - 01490 420396).

Anyone wishing to attend any of the farmhouse breakfasts should contact the farm directly or the FUW's Caernarfonshire county office on 01286 672 541, Meirionnydd county office on 01341 422 298, or Denbigh and Flint county office on 01824 707 198.

[caption id="attachment_2718" align="aligncenter" width="787"] ENJOYING: The cooks at Bryncir Mart’s Anne’s Cafe after feeding over 60 people during last year’s FUW Farmhouse Breakfast[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2719" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] WELSH BREAKFAST: FUW president Emyr Jones (second from right) with (from left) sponsors' representatives E.ON's David Foode, natural resources and food minister Alun Davies and Hybu Cig Cymru chairman Dai Davies.[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales today welcomed Pembrokeshire County Council's decision to back the union’s campaign to persuade Welsh local authorities to ban the release of sky lanterns on all the land they own.

The union has also urged other local authorities, other landowning bodies and retailers around Wales to follow suit.

"We welcome the county council's decision to ban sky lanterns and we regard it as an opportunity to repeat the union's long-standing campaign for a total ban on them," said FUW Pembrokeshire county chairman Hywel Vaughan.

"We would also make a similar plea to hotels and other wedding venues to introduce such a ban at their premises."

The council's cabinet recommended the introduction of a voluntary ban on the release of sky lanterns and helium balloons from council owned or controlled land and called for a communication exercise to make consumers and charity organisations aware of the associated risks.

"Cabinet members were told the FUW was among a wide range of organisations, including the Marine Conservation Society, RNLI, RSPCA and various fire and rescue services, concerned about the possible impact of sky lanterns and helium balloons on livestock and the environment," added Mr Vaughan.

"Those concerns include risks to animal welfare through ingestion of debris left by them in the countryside, the sea and on the coastline. As sky lanterns contain a naked flame, there were additional concerns about the fire risk to buildings, property and crops from uncontrolled landings," Mr Vaughan added.

Last year the Welsh Government and Defra jointly commissioned an independent research project on the impact on livestock, plants and the environment of sky lantern and helium balloon releases but their report concluded any impact on the environment and risk of widespread injury or death to livestock was low.

However, it found the risk from sky lanterns to buildings, agricultural crops and moorland was significant and the Welsh Government is now encouraging local authorities to introduce a voluntary ban on the release of sky lanterns and helium balloons from council owned or controlled land and discourage their use and release wherever possible.

In evidence to the joint report, the FUW stated that after consulting its members throughout Wales it received numerous reports of lanterns found in fields being grazed, about to be grazed, or cut for silage or hay. 

Other more serious reports received included a lantern found smouldering in a barn containing hay and straw and a cow injured following a stampede started by lanterns floating over fields containing livestock.

"The materials used in the construction of these lanterns pose a danger to livestock, particularly if the wire or bamboo from the frame of the lantern is chopped up during the silage making process and contaminates feedstocks," said Mr Vaughan.

"We have also repeatedly warned that sky lanterns pose a considerable fire risk and this latest incident demonstrates why there should be an outright ban on the manufacture and sale of sky lanterns, and that their release should be made illegal in the UK."