[caption id="attachment_4565" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Mark Williams MP ,left, FUW Ceredigion county president John Hughes ,centre, and county chairman Fred Williams with county executive committee members in the background[/caption]

Next year's planned fuel duty rises could have a devastating effect on the Welsh farming industry, Ceredigion MP Mark Williams has been told.

Farmers’ Union of Wales members in Ceredigion have met Mr Williams to express their concerns about the Westminster Government plans to put up fuel duty in January and August next year.

"These rises will add 7.3p per litre or 33p per gallon to the already massive cost of petrol and diesel," said FUW Ceredigion county executive officer Adrian Evans today, just before the Commons debate on lower fuel prices.

"Fuel price rises of this nature could have a devastating result for farmers and all the rural communities in general as a car is essential in the countryside with public transport being so poor.

"Whilst Mr Williams supported the Government in suspending the proposed rise in duty during this year, the proposal made initially by the previous Government is still on the table for increases in 2012.

"Mr Williams was left in no doubt by FUW Ceredigion members how he should vote. There has to be important gestures by Westminster to the farming and rural community."

FUW president Emyr Jones said: "We have regularly highlighted the need for an equitable system that reflects the unique needs of rural Wales yet in recent years we have seen the most significant rises in fuel prices in history.

"Nowhere have these rises impacted more than in rural Wales where the majority of domestic journeys must be made by car and businesses, particularly farm businesses, rely significantly upon diesel vehicles.

"In view of the acute and growing pressure that rises in fuel prices represent for rural Welsh businesses, I believe that we have reached a critical point at which action must be taken by the present Chancellor to significantly reduce fuel tax in order to aid the economy.

"I also believe that an equitable vehicle taxation system must be sought that recognises the stark differences between those who choose to drive 4x4 vehicles and those who do so out of necessity.

"The impact of having to pay higher rates of fuel taxes in rural areas is also exacerbated by the fact that fuel prices are usually higher in such areas.

"Our members believe that a system which recognises the disproportionate level of fuel tax paid in rural areas should be introduced, possibly in the form of a tax rebate for rural dwellers."

[caption id="attachment_4979" align="aligncenter" width="300"] From left to right: MC Roopert Moon, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, Carwyn Jones, Julian Sayers Gareth, Erys Hughes, Gareth Vaughan and Elin Jones[/caption]

Leading Welsh Assembly politicians paid tribute to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) for its dedicated work - especially during the devastating foot and mouth disease outbreaks of 2001 and 2007 - at a Farmers' Union of Wales dinner to celebrate the institution's 150th anniversary.

First Minister Carwyn Jones, who was Rural Affairs Minister for two years from July 2000, told 160 diners at Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, he remembers the fear of the Welsh farming industry when the 2001 outbreak first hit. "It was the fear of not knowing what would happen next and that fear was very real.

"One of the things that I remember is the work of RABI at that time. An occasion like this shows the dedicated work that RABI has provided for so many years to the farming industry and I hope that work will continue for many, many years.

"Farming is never easy and when I was Rural Affairs Minister I got to learn that farming is such an important way of life. I think we have come a long way since then and farming is in better shape now than 10 years ago.

"There is now far more of a connection between people and farming and what people want to buy. If we put our mind to it we can go out there and sell Welsh Lamb, Welsh Beef and our other products because they are the best in the world and now we realise that people want the best."

Current Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said she first came to know about all the good work of RABI from the fund-raising activities in her Ceredigion constituency. "I then came across RABI again in discussions regarding the foot and mouth outbreak in August 2007.

"That outbreak wasn't as dramatic or traumatic as 2001 but it still shut off the trade and export in lamb in the autumn of that year and it had such a dramatic effect on farmers. I was struck by the work that RABI did in supporting farmers in that difficult time in such a quiet way.

"It's very fashionable at the moment to say that the 'Big Society' is so important but the 'Big Society' in Wales has been happening for a very long time and RABI has been at the forefront of that work. I want to thank them for the way they have been supporting Welsh life and society for the past 150 years."

RABI chief executive Julian Sayers said: "We have been hearing about how we supported farmers during the foot and mouth outbreaks and I hope it will never happen again but should it do so RABI will be there to help again.

"Nowadays, thank God, farming is being given the recognition it deserves. Let's hope the farming industry will remain profitable for many years to come because it is vital that we attract young blood into the industry and young people will only come into an industry if it is successful.

"Our charity is as relevant today as it was 150 years ago because we have a vital role to play."

Local AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas praised the work of RABI and pointed out that in Wales it handed out a total of ££282,103 to beneficiaries last year. The total amount raised in Wales was ££29,368 with Carmarthenshire topping the list by raising ££6,225.

FUW president Gareth Vaughan said many of the union's members and staff served on RABI committees the length and breadth of Wales and he was proud of the close working relationship between both organisations.

Caption -

RABI AWARD: During the dinner Gareth Vaughan (second from right) presented the FUW’s perpetual cup for “outstanding service to Welsh agriculture” to Erys Hughes, RABI’s Wales regional officer for the past 11 years. They are flanked (from left) by dinner MC Rupert Moon, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, Carwyn Jones, Julian Sayers and Elin Jones.

[caption id="attachment_4562" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Rees Roberts[/caption]

Farmers' Union of Wales stalwart Rees Roberts has been awarded the prestigious Royal Smithfield Club Bicentenary Trophy in recognition of his lifelong service to the red meat industry both in Wales and across the UK.

Mr Roberts is a former chairman of the FUW's national hill farming committee and the union's president Emyr Jones said today: "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind and that of many other FUW members and supporters that Rees fully deserves to receive this honour and to be recognised in this way by his peers.

"He is a popular and highly respected figure in Welsh and UK agricultural circles and has enthusiastically held a variety of public offices. He has served British farming interests well for many years."

Mr Roberts, who farms at Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant, near Oswestry, was presented with his award at a lunch at the Butcher's Hall, London, by the chairman of the Royal Smithfield Club Angus Stovold who highlighted his unstinting work within the red meat industry.

Mr Roberts was the founding chairman of Hybu Cig Cymru, a position he held from its inception in 2003 until his retirement from the post last autumn. Prior to that he had been Meat and Livestock Commission Commissioner for Wales and Chair of the Welsh Committee.

Additionally, he has been Chair of the Welsh Sheep Strategy, a member of the Welsh Assembly Food and Drink Advisory Group, a member of Welsh Assembly/WDA Agri Food Partnership Advisory Committee and chairman of Welsh Beef and Lamb Promotions.

He has also been voted Food Personality of the Year by Food and Industry Magazine and received an FUW award for services to Welsh agriculture.

Mr Roberts is aged 59 and was awarded the OBE in 2002 for services to agriculture. Married to Sally, the couple have two daughters - Bethan and Ceri.

[caption id="attachment_4559" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Alun Edwards[/caption]

County delegates to the Farmers' Union of Wales agricultural education and training committee have visited the Glynllifon campus of Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, near Caernarfon, as part of the committee's remit to maintain links with agricultural and land-based colleges across Wales.

Earlier, they re-elected Meirionnydd delegate Alun Edwards, who runs a mountain beef and sheep farm at Rhydymain, near Dolgellau, as committee chairman and were then taken on a tour of the facilities by Caernarfon delegate and Glynllifon campus development director Eurwyn Edwards.

The campus has recently secured £10.3m of funding to improve the facilities available to students. Some £2.3m of this money has been spent on refurbishing the Glanarfon building - where the meeting was held - and the student hostel.

The tour included a visit to the newly-built £8m "Learning Village" which houses a range of modern and up-to-date teaching facilities, classrooms, computer rooms and a library.

The new eco-friendly building has been designed to comply with the BREEAM Excellent standard (BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation) and makes use of solar voltaic panels, is heated using a biomass boiler and uses rainwater collection. This is all topped off with a roof covered in vegetation.

Great care was needed during the construction of the building to prevent the disturbance of a nearby roost of lesser horseshoe bats thought to be one of the largest in Europe.

While some minor completion works are still needed, mainly to the information technology and interactive teaching equipment, the building was open to students and was equipped with the latest technology and facilities.

The tour of the campus was concluded with a trip around the college farm including visits to the dairy farm, woodland areas, grazing fields and the site were the Urdd National Eisteddfod will be held in 2012.

FUW president Emyr Jones, who joined the delegates on the tour, said: "I was very much impressed by what I saw and heard.

"Thanks to this multi-million pound investment the campus now features a wide range of modern teaching aids designed to provide the next generation of young farmers with the vital skills they need to join our industry which must encourage new blood at every opportunity."

Gwent delegate Jenny Cockitt, of Duffryn, Llanellen, Abergavenny, was elected vice chairman of the committee.