A West Wales farmers' leader today appealed for offers of help to transport much-needed forage to Somerset farmers still suffering the effects of flooding.
After leading a delivery of 110 hay and silage bales -each weighing 800 kilos - to Sedgemoor market this morning for distribution to farmers struggling to feed livestock, Farmers' Union of Wales Ceredigion county chairman Aled Rees said he had pledges from farmers to make up a further four similar loads.
"We are now looking for more hauliers to help us out, particularly in the Aberystwyth area, from where we have had the latest generous pledges of forage," he said.
The 90 tonnes of forage already delivered to Somerset was donated by farmers in the south Ceredigion and north Pembrokeshire area.
It was delivered free of charge by hauliers Geraint Morris, Castell Malgwyn Farm, Llechryd; Oliver Lewis, of Cardigan; and Lyndon Jones, Rhos, Llangeler.
"And more local businesses - including Phil Rees of M4 Trailers, Llanarthne, near Carmarthen; J & E Rees Tractors of Drefach-Velindre; A & M Engineering of St Clears; and Llew Rees of Gamallt Concrete, Cardigan - have made financial pledges towards the cost of the next consignment later this week," said Mr Rees.
He added that it was very important to help other farmers in the current crisis.
"They can't turn out their animals because the water hasn't been receding as they thought it would and where it has receded there's an awful mess there.
"The grass has rotted away. There's all sorts of debris on the fields, fences have washed away and there's quite a bit of mess down there.
"Unfortunately it's the time of year when people normally turn stock out onto fields and close fields off for silage and hay."
He said the deliveries were a way of repaying the favour when farmers from England helped those in mid and north Wales hit by unseasonal heavy snow exactly a year ago.
[caption id="attachment_2803" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
The first consignment of forage from West Wales being unloaded at Sedgemoor market off an Owen Lewis & Son articulated lorry from Eglwyswrw, Cardigan[/caption]