THE Farmers' Union of Wales has welcomed the Welsh Government's "sensible" approach to the planned introduction of buffer zones alongside watercourses to tackle water pollution from agriculture.

"We were concerned that the Welsh Government would 'gold plate' a new Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) and adopt higher standards than the European minimum," said FUW deputy director of agricultural policy Rhian Nowell-Phillips.

"So we are pleased that the deputy agriculture minister has taken heed of the FUW's lobbying and decided to implement only the minimum requirement for farmers in Wales."

It will mean that, from January 1 2012, all farmers who claim payments under the Single Payment Scheme will be prohibited from spreading inorganic fertilisers within two metres of the surface of a watercourse and manures within 10 metres. Application of manures will also be prohibited within 50 metres of boreholes, springs and wells.

"We felt strongly that the original proposals to increase the minimum standard imposed by Europe were not backed up by scientific evidence and we urged the Welsh Government not to gold plate cross-compliance regulations and adopt a higher standard than the minimum required," Ms Nowell-Phillips added.

[caption id="attachment_4578" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Dilwyn John[/caption]

Newly-elected chairman of Farmers' Union of Wales' common land committee Dilwyn John today described the implications of abolishing Less Favoured Area (LFA) payments in favour of the Glastir agri-environment scheme as severely threatening for commoning communities.

Mr John, a past FUW Brecon and Radnor county chairman, farms around 240 acres at Dan Y Graig Farm, Cwmtaff, Merthyr Tydfil, and has grazing rights on Vaynor commons for 1,500 sheep.

Together with his wife, Beth, he runs a flock of 700 South Wales Mountain ewes.

"At a meeting of the common land committee delegates described a wide range of problems they were experiencing in trying to access Glastir, all of which represent a major barrier for graziers associations in areas where farm incomes are set to drop significantly when Tir Mynydd is abolished," said Mr John.

"Wales has the highest proportion of common land in the UK, and around 18 per cent of Welsh farms declare common land annually. The EU rules governing schemes such as Glastir mean there are inherent obstacles to many commons entering Glastir and in some areas these are insurmountable."

Mr John said that in some areas the involvement of inactive graziers who had previously shown no interest in a common was splitting communities and preventing access to the scheme.

"Other examples of problems include those with very few rights outvoting genuine graziers, because the European Commission has refused to accept that the more rights you have the more control you have of a common.

"This means people with grazing rights for just a few animals can, in some cases, have the same power as graziers who are farming a common and have rights to graze thousands of animals."

Members have also experienced obstacles as a result of the Countryside Council of Wales refusing to allow commoners to change grazing patterns in order to access Glastir while others believed that changes to grazing regimes could damage environments and result in major fire risks.

"Glastir is a dog's dinner and a recipe for disaster for many commons, with many of the problems being a direct result of the EC's failure to accept that our system of commoning is unique and requires rules which are far more tailor made," Mr John added.

"The abolition of Tir Mynydd, combined with the Welsh Government's failure to persuade the EU to make allowances for these unique farming systems, means a disaster for many of our most vulnerable upland communities."

[caption id="attachment_4575" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dai Miles[/caption]

The opening of a new £1.5 million dairy in Carmarthenshire that will process and bottle up to 10 million litres of milk each year was welcomed by the Farmers' Union of Wales today.

The Proper Welsh Milk Company officially opened the dairy in Whitland. It is the first to be built in Wales for more than a generation.

FUW Pembrokeshire county branch president and director of The Proper Welsh Milk Company Dai Miles said: "The opening of the new dairy is excellent news for the Welsh dairy industry.

"All of our milk is sourced from local farms and will reach Welsh stores within 24 hours of collection.

"There is a lot of high quality milk being produced in Wales but the trouble is that most of it has been bottled and processed in England and then it has to make the journey back here to Wales.

"Twenty or 30 years ago there was probably a dairy in every Welsh town but as road networks grew so the smaller dairies were closed.

"This left only a couple of units in North Wales and some very small operations in the South, meaning that almost every pint of milk you've drunk lately has travelled hundreds of miles," said Mr Miles.

"Having the new dairy here means that we can reduce journey times and mileage for getting our milk from the farm to the consumers and it will boost jobs. In the current economic climate and rising fuel costs this is great news for farmers and consumers.

"Welsh dairy farmers have a limited range of options when looking to sell their milk and often have to accept unfair and unclear contracts, which requires them to sell all their milk to just one buyer who has the monopoly over the price they are willing to pay for the milk.

"We are currently looking for more conventional milk suppliers and in future we hope to diversify into higher value dairy products," added Mr Miles.

The Farmers' Union of Wales today welcomed deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies' statement following the union's lobbying over farmers' fears that they would be penalised if they withdrew from the Glastir land management scheme should compulsory greening be introduced as a result of CAP reform.

"We have been lobbying the Minister since the publication of the CAP 'greening' proposals as we were concerned those farmers entering Glastir could be disadvantaged if, after 2014, the things they were being paid for under Glastir became compulsory under the new greening element of the CAP," said FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams.

"The fact that farmers will now be able to withdraw from their agreements if this becomes a reality is a positive move as is the clarification that any capital items already undertaken can be reimbursed in full," said Mr Williams, of Llynfaes, Anglesey.

"Farmers were concerned that as they had to undertake their capital works early in the scheme agreement, if the scheme then became untenable due to the CAP reforms they would be out of pocket as payments for the works are paid over the five years of the agreement.

"The FUW has lobbied hard on this issue, so we welcome his announcement that Glastir contracts will allow farmers to withdraw from the scheme without penalty or repayment should substantive changes to the scheme be introduced as a consequence of the possible 'greening' of Pillar 1 payments of the CAP.

"We are pleased that the Minister has offered this re-assurance to farmers considering signing up to Glastir this year that they will not be disadvantaged," Mr Williams added.

The Farmers' Union of Wales today expressed its disappointment with the Welsh Government's decision to confirm a designation order to extend the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley area of outstanding natural beauty.

FUW Denbighshire and Flintshire counties executive officer Marian Jones said members would be disappointed that the union''s objections and concerns over the impact the designation would have on farming and local communities within the area had been ignored.

She said: "It has long been recognised that farming has helped to create and maintain the landscape in this area of Wales.

"We are naturally very disappointed that despite the majority of respondents objecting to the plans outlined in the draft designation order consultation, the Welsh Government will allow the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) to pursue its proposal to extend the Clwydian Range AONB.

"It is the farming systems employed by generations of farmers which have created the landscape so cherished by the visitors who contribute significantly to the economy of the local area."

The FUW formally objected to the extension of the Clwydian Range AONB on the basis that sustainable development, both on-farm and within rural communities, would be stifled by the more onerous planning controls applied in designated areas.

"The union also believes that, given the number of existing designations in the area, any further designation is unnecessary and will only serve to increase the bureaucracy and red tape encountered by farmers.

"For rural communities to prosper and survive they need to be able to continually evolve and develop over time. The union is concerned that the increasing levels of statutory designation in rural areas could have a negative effect on development in these areas and encourage the stagnation of the Welsh countryside at the expense of thriving rural communities and its indigenous industries.

"Rather than considering further designations of any kind, which can foster resentment in rural areas, more effort should be made to encourage a partnership approach to conservation through positive policies, such as agri-environment schemes, encouraging diversification and working with rural people."

[caption id="attachment_4568" align="aligncenter" width="500"] CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN COMPETITION WINNERS[/caption]

Cancer Research Wales - the Farmers’ Union of Wales president’s chosen charity - is a winner thanks to a national children's competition to design a Christmas Card.

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

"The standard of entries was very high and presented the judges with a tough task when it came to choosing the winners. I would like to thank every single child who entered the competition, and to tell them that without their participation the contest would not have been such a success.

"I would also like to thank the schools up and down the country who have assisted the FUW in the running of this competition," said Mr Jones.

"It gave children in both the urban and rural areas of Wales an opportunity to connect with the farming industry and to 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, run by the FUW, was split into two categories - English and Welsh designs. The criterion for the entries was that they should depict a farming scene with a Christmas theme.

The Welsh category was won by nine-year-old Rhys Williams, a pupil at Ysgol Llanafan near Aberystwyth. His winning design depicted Santa Claus driving a tractor and a row of sheep at the bottom.

The winner of the English category was nine-year-old Alex Mary Charman, a pupil at Priory Church in Wales School, Brecon, whose winning picture showed Santa flying into the sky on a tractor pulled by a reindeer. Both participants win a £25 Argos voucher plus £100 of Atebol vouchers for their respective schools.

A last minute decision by the judging panel also saw five-year-old Gwilym Workman of Brecon, a pupil at Ysgol Pontsenni, being selected for a prize as they were delighted with his design of a snow man. Gwilym will also receive a £25 Argos voucher.

All the competition entries will form a colourful centrepiece to the FUW's stand at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells on November 28 and 29, where the public will be able to purchase the cards in packs of 10 for £5 with the proceeds going to Cancer Research Wales.

The cards are also available to purchase from FUW offices around the country or by mail order from the union's head office in Aberystwyth.