[caption id="attachment_4603" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Top: Glyn Davies with recording instrument and Charles Morgan show the Chinese vets how sheep are electronically identified.Below: FUW representatives hosted Chinese vets on a typical family hill farm in Glamorganshire.[/caption]

Farmers' Union of Wales support for Welsh Government efforts to secure Welsh Lamb exports to China received a boost when its Glamorgan county branch members hosted a farm visit for 12 vets from Sichuan - the most populated province of China.

The vets from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Chengdu - the capital of Sichuan province and home to more than 10 million people - were on a study tour to learn from UK agencies and farming unions about animal disease control and prevention and general animal welfare on farms.

They visited the farm of FUW members Charles and Gill Morgan, Gellifeddgar, Blackmill, who run it in partnership with their son Richard.

The event follows the FUW's annual House of Lords Farmhouse Breakfast Week function in January 2010 when Zhou Xiaoming, Minister Counsellor at the UK's Chinese Embassy in charge of trade and investment issues between China and the UK including agriculture, was a top-table guest.

Welsh red meat agency Hybu Cig Cymru was also represented at the Lords function and since then it has been part of Welsh Government-led efforts to make Welsh Lamb available in China.

A typical Welsh family hill farm, Gellifeddgar lies between 350 and 950 feet above sea level and extends to some 360 acres with a further 50 acres rented, together with grazing rights on the adjoining common land.

Stocking on the farm comprises a flock of 700 ewes and 140 ewe lambs, mainly Welsh Mules - South Wales Mountain ewes crossed with a Blue Faced Leicester ram. A Texel ram is used on the majority of the flock with a Charolais utilised with the ewe lambs for easier lambing.

The farm also carries a herd of 30 suckler cows, mainly Limousin cross with some Belgian Blue crosses. Around 10 cattle a year are sold directly through farmers markets and the remainder sold as stores at 10-12 months old.

FUW county executive officer Glyn Davies said: "The main thrust of the visit was to explain how animal welfare is managed on an individual basis on the farm and how the local authority and veterinary surgeons, together with the Welsh Government's animal welfare division, are involved in managing disease control.

"It was a very successful event with the Chinese delegation being extremely interested in the practical side of the animal recording and asking some pertinent questions about the control measures and testing regime in respect of bovine TB."

FUW Glamorgan county chairman Glyn Jones introduced the delegation to the union's senior policy officer Hazel Wright, the farm's vet Mike King of Maes Glas Veterinary Group, and Bridgend County Borough Council trading standards officers Jane Jones and Helen Gome.

Miss Wright, explaining the role of the union in implementing disease control strategy, said delegates attended various stakeholders' meetings of the Welsh Government and responded to numerous consultation documents affecting animal health.

Mr King outlined the role and working relationship between the farmer and his veterinary surgery practice and highlighted the main concerns of the industry at the moment, particularly bovine TB.

FUW vice president Brian Walters told the delegation of particular problems he had encountered on his farm and how the eradication of TB had become a very important issue on the farming agenda.

Mr Davies gave a brief demonstration of how sheep were identified and showed the delegation the working of electronic tags and the recording requirements.

This was further supplemented by the trading standards officers explaining the reporting procedures for animal movements and their extended role in maintaining good animal welfare on the farms.

Also present at the event was Welsh Government liaison officer Fuling Li and FUW Glamorgan member John Griffiths.

Refreshments were kindly provided by Mrs Morgan and the delegation were enthusiastic in their gratitude to Charles and Gill Morgan for hosting the event.

[caption id="attachment_4600" align="aligncenter" width="300"] FUW bursary finalists, from left, Ilan Hughes, Carys Mair Jones and Eurof Edwards.[/caption]

The winner of the Farmers' Union of Wales student bursary scheme, 18-year-old Denbighshire agricultural student Ilan Hughes, is not from a farming background at home but he still intends using his £700 award to work in the industry.

He plans to travel to New Zealand to study their farming methods. "Winning the bursary will be a huge boost for my career," he said.

"I have set my sights on spending part of my work experience during the second year of my agriculture course at Aberystwyth University in New Zealand," said Ilan, who lives at Llangwm, near Corwen.

"I would like to spend some time there learning the different types of farming. They have a method of farming that doesn't use supplementary feeding and know how to get the best out of the land and the grass.

"I hope that we would be able to modify some of their ideas to use here in Wales in the future. I would also like to gain experience of working on a large dairy farm and learning about the advantages of keeping a herd consisting of hundreds, possibly thousands of cattle," said Ilan.

Outlining what winning the bursary means to him and how it could benefit his future career, he added: "I have vast experience of working with sheep and breeding cattle, but I would appreciate the chance and the experience of learning about a dairy herd.

"Whilst in New Zealand, I would like the opportunity to improve my shearing skills. I've had basic training and have had experience of shearing during the last two years, but I would like to improve my skill and technique.

"I'm sure this will enhance my understanding and experience and would benefit my career in agriculture. Spending time in New Zealand would also help nurture my socialising and personal skills through working with people of different backgrounds and cultures."

Ilan has long held a keen interest in farming and spent every spare minute on his uncle's nearby farm in Ystrad Fawr. "My interest in agriculture led me to Llysfasi College to study agriculture after I completed my GCSE exams.

"I spent two years there and enjoyed every second of the course. I was also very fortunate to spend six months on an organic farm in Rhug, near Corwen, where I gained valuable experience and at the end of the course I gained good grades that enabled me to go to Aberystwyth University to study agriculture.

Ilan won the Welsh Student of the Year award at Llysfasi College. He is an enthusiastic member of Uwchaled YFC and takes part in numerous activities and competitions such as stock judging, public speaking, eisteddfod, sport, drama and rallies.

Bursary runner-up, 18-year-old Carys Mair Jones, of Glanbynant, Gwynfe Road, Llandeilo, received £200 and third-placed, 16-year-old Eurof Edwards, Erw Deg, Llangernyw, Abergele, Conwy, was awarded £100.

Announcing the winning line-up at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, FUW education and agricultural committee chairman Alun Edwards said the judges' panel had a great deal of difficulty placing the final three candidates.

"The quality of entrants this year was fantastic and each of the three finalists had outstanding individual qualities.

"Eurof is young but technically way above his age and experience and knew exactly that what he wanted to do with his family's dairy herd was very innovative.

"Carys wanted to use the knowledge she would receive from college to help others cope with the challenges of modern farming such as animal health and EID.

"But we felt that Ilan was somebody special because he was not from a farming background and yet his experiences on his uncle's farm had convinced him that this was what he wanted to do and he looked anew at the challenges facing young people wanting to get into farming.

"He presented us with clear, mature, considered answers and we felt he was punching above his age. All three were so mature for their age and they understood how the political system can have such an effect on our industry."

[caption id="attachment_4597" align="aligncenter" width="300"] From left, Glyn Roberts, Georg Häusler, FUW president Emyr Jones and Gwilym Jones.[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales has met EC Agriculture Commissioner's head of cabinet and other top EC officials to highlight Welsh farmers' concerns over reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

In a meeting with Commissioner Dacian Ciolos' head of cabinet Georg Häusler and cabinet member Gwilym Jones, senior FUW officials and staff stressed that previous agri-environmental work carried out in Wales must be recognised and that "greening" should remain firmly in Pillar 2 of the CAP.

FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts said: "The discussions with members of Ciolos' cabinet were lively, particularly with regard to the current greening proposals, and we will be seeking clarification regarding suggestions by Messrs Häusler and Jones which could significantly reduce the impact for Welsh farmers.

"However, our view remains firm that greening belongs in Pillar 2."

The union also made it clear that the proposal to abolish payment entitlements in 2013 and recreate them based upon the number of hectares declared in 2014 represents a major threat for large numbers of Welsh farmers and those in other EU regions.

"The commission has rightly placed an emphasis on direct payments going to genuine farmers, but the current proposal is likely to reduce the amount going to those who are genuinely farming the land, as well as artificially distorting the land market," said Mr Roberts.

However, Mr Roberts emphasised that these were early days and that the proposals would change significantly over the coming months and years.

"During our meetings with MEPs and commission officials, the union has been praised for being proactive and putting forward alternative proposals at an early stage which would help reduce disruption for Welsh and UK farmers.

"We are committed to remaining involved at every stage of the negotiations in order to get the best deal possible for Wales."

[caption id="attachment_4594" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Dafydd Roberts[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales today welcomed the announcement by the Welsh Government that it will take steps to protect the Welsh egg industry from illegally produced imports.

In order to address animal welfare concerns, an EU-wide ban on the use of battery cages for laying hens will come into force in January 2012.

This means birds kept for laying will no longer be housed in conventional cages and will be subject to minimum housing requirements.

"Welsh livestock farmers and egg producers have invested a large amount of money to ensure the industry complies with the conventional cage ban and general EU animal welfare standards but elsewhere in Europe a large number of producers are not ready, meaning millions of hens will still be kept in cramped cages below even minimum welfare requirements," said FUW livestock, wool and marts committee chairman Dafydd Roberts.

The FUW has long been campaigning for equal animal welfare standards across European Member States and welcomes the move to inspect premises receiving imported eggs directly from these Member States from the beginning of January 2012.

"Under current EU regulations we cannot ban the imports of eggs from other EU Member States but the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency maintains a register of packing centres and wholesalers and this includes details of which premises handle imported eggs.

"Welsh producers are severely disadvantaged if they have to compete with food imports that have been produced to lower standards and as such are more price competitive," said Mr Roberts.

"Focusing efforts on inspecting and checking whether eggs that have been imported into Wales are derived from hens reared in conventional cages is therefore a welcome move.

"It has to be a level playing field and if farmers here in Wales and the UK have to adhere to EU standards so should every other EU country," added Mr Roberts.