[caption id="attachment_4094" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Gwion shows Carwyn Jones how his innovative grid works[/caption]

The son of a Farmers' Union of Wales member has won a national design competition after inventing a portable grid allowing cyclists to enjoy the countryside without dismounting.

Keen cyclist Gwion Jones, 16-year-old son of Ifan and Olwen Jones, who farm at Tymawr, Mallwyd, Meirionnydd, designed the device - which stops sheep escaping between fields - as a substitute for gates around his parents' farm.

It also has great potential for farmers using quad bikes.

He was a pupil at Ysgol y Gader, Dolgellau, when he designed the grid. He is the first GCSE student to beat older A-level competitors to the top prize at the WJEC's Innovation Exhibition and Awards 2012.

First minister Carwyn Jones presented Gwion with the prestigious Innovation Award and GCSE prize of £500 for himself, £300 for his school and the coveted Beckley Cup and Magnox North Trophy.

His portable cycling grid was described as an "excellent piece of work" by WJEC's design and technology specialist Steve Howells.

Gwion, nephew of FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones, is now continuing with his studies at Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, Glynllifon, and is hoping to patent his prototype device.

[caption id="attachment_4091" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Eurwyn Roberts[/caption]

A Flintshire farmer who operates a caravan park on his land has been appointed the new chairman of the Farmers' Union of Wales farm diversification committee.

Eurwyn Roberts lives at Gwrachen Farm, Wern Road, Hendre, Mold, with his wife Janet, sons Delwyn (21) and Ianto (16), and daughter Sioned (13) and runs a 150-acre arable and beef unit at Maes Elwy, Trefnant, St Asaph, where four acres are devoted to a static site for 15 caravans.

He grows 60 acres of barley to feed and house store cattle, mainly Friesian bullocks. "I used to milk 150 Friesians and call them into the milking parlour with a 'Come on girls' command. Now I say 'Come on boys' - and I don't have to get up early to milk them!" he said.

Delwyn works part-time on the farm and as a builder for a local fireplace installation company. "I also help my brother Dylan on his farm at Fron, Hendre, where he has a touring caravan site," said Eurwyn.

"I believe farm diversification is crucial for us as a family and for the whole area. It's surprising how many holidaymakers who use our caravan sites also shop locally and pop into the local pub for a meal. They are very important to the survival of the local economy."

Mr Roberts succeeds Deilwen Breese, of Gogarth, Pennal, near Machynlleth, who has been the committee's chairman for over a decade.

[caption id="attachment_4088" align="aligncenter" width="551"] FUW Gwent county chairman Elwyn Probert - furthest right - presents a £3,000 cheque to Emyr Jones. Also pictured - from left - is FUW Glamorganshire county executive officer Rachel Taylor, Glyn Davies and Lorraine Howells.[/caption]

South Wales farmers "riding" wooden horses on a farm in the Rhymney Valley have helped raise around £4,000 for cancer charities and money is still rolling in. 

The "jockeys" were competing at a joint fund-raising event organised by the Farmers' Union of Wales Gwent and Glamorgan county branches for union president Emyr Jones' charity fund Cancer Research Wales and for Velindre Cancer Centre, Whitchurch, Cardiff.

The event, on FUW vice president Lorraine Howells' Cwm Carno Farm, near Tredegar, featured wooden horse races where six horses were auctioned off before each race with the winners proceeding to a grand final.

Bidding was brisk with the auction raising almost £1,000. A top price of £40 was paid by FUW Gwent area officer Neil Smith for the last horse to be auctioned but it failed to qualify for the final.

"The event was attended by about 150 people who on arrival were served with a wonderful cold meat supper meal prepared by Joyce Matthews and Cheryl Evans plus numerous helpers," said FUW Gwent county executive officer Glyn Davies.

"All the food for the evening was donated by local members and businesses and I am sure that everyone who attended would agree that the excellent food could not be bettered.

"All the races, including the grand final, were sponsored by local businesses to which grateful thanks are extended.

"The event displayed the wonderful camaraderie which exists in the local farming communities and the way in which they can come together at such an event is to be applauded.

"Miss Howells should also be congratulated for thinking of holding such an event but she has now created a precedent for fund-raising events which will be hard to follow."

A full house at the Farmers' Union of Wales Flintshire county branch annual general meeting at Rhosesmor Village Hall provided the guest speakers with plenty of challenging and thought-provoking questions.

Christianne Glossop and David Jones gave interesting insights into their current roles as chief veterinary officer for Wales and principal of Deeside College (which includes Coleg Llysfasi and Northop College) respectively.

"With a common theme of Welsh agriculture running through the presentations, it was a reminder of the different challenges currently facing the industry," said FUW county executive officer Rhys Roberts.

"From the ongoing battle with bTB and the newer challenge of diseases such as the Schmallenberg Virus, through to the ever-increasing problem of attracting new entrants into farming in Wales and beyond, Dr Glossop and Mr Jones provided positive evidence on how their respective sectors were tackling these issues, whilst also remaining receptive to members' concerns on what are emotive and sometimes frustrating subjects."

The evening was chaired by county chairman Clwyd Spencer who, in his annual report to members, highlighted some of the issues that have made this year a particularly difficult one for farming in Wales, with a combination of poor weather and increasing costs coupled to the recent battle to gain some semblance of fairness for the dairy sector.

An interesting and informative evening was capped with light refreshments provided by the FUW Flintshire ladies committee when those present had an opportunity to chat with the speakers face to face.

[caption id="attachment_4083" align="aligncenter" width="500"] From left, FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts, Derek Vaughan, Emyr Jones and John Bufton.[/caption]

Welsh MEPs Derek Vaughan (Labour) and John Bufton (UKIP) were among several people who visited the Farmers' Union of Wales display at a Rural Wales Exhibition in the European Parliament building in Brussels this week.

Hosted by Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans, the aim of the exhibition is to show how Wales uses its EU Rural Development Funding to develop a sustainable economy in rural Wales.

The FUW display featured two Farming Connect demonstration farms run by union members Dilwyn Jenkins, of Cerrigcaranau, Talybont, near Aberystwyth, and Tudur Jones of Ty'n Rhos, Pentrefoelas, Gwynedd.

The FUW is closely linked to organisations such as Farming Connect - a Rural Development funded programme which helps farmers and their families run their business more efficiently through the provision of subsidised training, guidance and advice.

FUW president Emyr Jones, who attended the exhibition's opening ceremony on Monday (October 8), said: "It was a golden opportunity for us to put Wales on the map and highlight how well RDP money is being spent."

Other Rural Development funded projects from Wales in the exhibition are "Community Foodie", a cooperation between the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Torfaen Councils; Carmarthenshire Council's "Tywi Afon yr Oesoedd"; Ceredigion Council's "Cynnal y Cardi" and Cadwyn Clwyd's "Denbighshire Green Tourism".

[caption id="attachment_4080" align="aligncenter" width="500"] YOUNGER VOICES: Gwion Owen, left, and Darren Williams[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales is giving young farmers a stronger voice within the organisation after setting up a "Younger Voice for Farming" committee.

One of the union's main priorities has always been to ensure there is an avenue for younger members to feed into its discussions on issues of importance such as CAP reform.

"It is important to include the views of younger members and new entrants to the industry in our work and by establishing this new standing committee we are able to provide another platform for their opinions and views," said FUW president Emyr Jones.

"The union has always striven to represent the views of all its members and include them in the policy-making process. We are now taking on a more modern approach and hope the new committee will be a modern forum for young members and those new to the industry," added Mr Jones.

The committee's first chairman is 39-year-old Breconshire farmer Darren Williams, 39, of Talwen Fawr farm, Garthbrengy, who runs 80 cattle with 30 sucklers and finishers, 500 sheep and 25 acres of arable on the 250-acre tenant farm.

He said: "I am honoured to have been elected as chairman of this committee and will work hard to ensure that the views of the younger farmers are reflected within the work of the union."

Gwion Owen, 34, a Denbighshire sheep farmer, was elected vice chairman. He farms 2,300 ewes at Hendre Arddwyfan farm, Ty Nant, Corwen, on the 560-acre family farm, of which 110 are rented.

He said: "Through this committee we hope to get to bottom of things as regards to the opportunities available to young people to get into the industry and to succeed in achieving a fair wage for young people that mirrors those of other industries."