The Farmers’ Union of Wales president’s chosen charities - Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith - will be the winners thanks to a national children's competition organised by the union to design a Christmas card with a farming theme that attracted hundreds of entries.

A selection of cards will form a colourful centrepiece to the FUW's stand at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells on December 2 and 3 where the public will be able to purchase the winners’ cards in packs of 10 for £5 with the proceeds going to the children’s hospices.

The cards are also available to buy from FUW county offices throughout Wales or by mail order from the union's head office in Aberystwyth.

FUW president Emyr Jones said: "The competition was a great success again, attracting hundreds of entries from across Wales.

“I would like to thank every child who entered the competition and tell them that without their participation the contest would not have been such a success. I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff at the schools up and down the country that assisted the FUW in the running of the competition.

"It gave children in urban and rural areas of Wales an opportunity to connect with the farming industry and express their thoughts in a creative and colourful way. I believe it is vital that we as farmers maintain a strong link with young people so that they understand the way that food is produced in this country."

The competition was split into two categories - English and Welsh designs. The Welsh category was won by 10-year-old Elizebeth (correct spelling) Evans of Narberth CP School, Pembrokeshire, whose design shows a variety of farm animals in a wintery barn.

The winner of the English category was five-year-old Tilly Edwards of Caerau Primary School, Maesteg, whose design shows a merry Christmas cow with a glittery hat and tinsel decorated tail.

Both win a £30 gift voucher for themselves, a packet of the cards depicting their design and a £50 cheque for their school.

[caption id="attachment_2681" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The winner of the English category was five-year-old Tilly Edwards of Caerau Primary School, Maesteg, whose design shows a merry Christmas cow with a glittery hat and tinsel decorated tail.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2682" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Welsh category was won by 10-year-old Elizebeth Evans of Narberth CP School, Pembrokeshire, whose design shows a variety of farm animals in a wintery barn[/caption]

A variety of topics ranging from CAP reform, the future of the Euro and UK interest rates, and the controversial increased countryside access proposals were debated during the Farmers' Union of Wales Denbighshire branch annual general meeting on November 15 at the Brookhouse Mill, near Denbigh.

Members had an opportunity to question a panel - consisting of Anglesey farmer and FUW life member Tom Jones, HSBC Bank senior agriculture manager Bryn Edmunds and FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams - and discuss a number of agricultural and other topical issues.

Mr Jones provided an overview of the CAP as it is currently proposed in Wales, outlining the potential scenarios now being discussed in relation to land categories and how these might affect farms in areas like Denbighshire with its varied landscape and agricultural business types.

Mr Edmunds gave a bank’s perspective on the recent and long-term trends in interest rates, exchange rates and loan facilities (both historical and into the future) for various types of on-farm investments.

And Mr Williams gave the members an insight into the variety of subject areas that the FUW’s land use committee deals with throughout the year including the Welsh Government's recent proposals open up access to the countryside which is particularly contentious at present.

Following his annual report to the members, the evening was chaired by county chairman Iwan Jones who revealed that the branch had been particularly busy this year, with the main event being the National Eisteddfod, at which the branch had sponsored the Crown, undertook the parking duties for the week with the assistance of some local organisations and ran a very successful stand on the Eisteddfod Maes.

In addition, several shows were attended during the summer. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks by county vice chairman John Roberts who thanked the panellists for their contribution to the meeting, especially given the short notice following the withdrawal of Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM due to illness.

Welsh farmers were urged today to take advantage of advances in technology and research to maximise output whilst controlling production costs during the Farmers’ Union of Wales autumn conference at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

Opening the conference FUW president Emyr Jones said: “Significant inroads have been made in ‘producing more from less’ but margins remain tight and we farmers must continue to work towards maximising outputs whilst controlling production costs.

“Technological advances in agriculture are not the result of adopting a one-tool technique but, instead, represent numerous different types of techniques to provide a package of technologies to suit different farm types and different kinds of stock.

“Over the past 20 years, agricultural productivity has advanced at a greater rate than ever before.  However, the ever-increasing pressure to reduce production costs and the rising global demand for food means that enhancing agricultural productivity remains a key challenge for the farming sector.

“Whilst adverse weather conditions and other factors, such as disease outbreaks, will have a short-term impact on productivity, it will be the longer-term advances and developments in agri-technologies that will have an impact on the growth, productivity and success of the sector as a whole.

“We are pleased to have such excellent examples of how the industry is moving forward through technology and research here today,” added Mr Jones.

Welsh farmers were urged today to carefully read any correspondence they may receive from the Land Registry with details of landowners who registered their manorial rights before the October 13 deadline.

Farmers' Union of Wales Montgomeryshire county executive officer Susan Jones said that after local landowners in the area had registered manorial rights by the October  deadline, farmers were now starting to receive notices from the Land Registry advising them a third party is seeking to protect the mineral interests.

"The notices explain who has made the application, what they are seeking to register and how to get more information if it is needed. They also require any objections to the registration to be submitted within 21 days," Mrs Jones said.

"It is this time period which farmers must make sure they meet if they wish to appeal. I've been receiving lots of calls from farmers about this issue and I'm concerned that some may not be aware of the need to respond within the 21-day deadline if they want an appeal considered.

"Land Registry lawyers will consider any objections in the first instance. Any ‘valid’ objections - for example, if you can prove the rights belong to you or they no longer exist - will then be considered."