A Welsh farmers' leader today said he was "extremely shocked" by the Welsh Government's decision to abolish the Less Favoured Area (LFA) uplift within the controversial Glastir land management scheme which will affect nearly 80% of agricultural land in Wales.

"This means that for the first time in over 60 years Wales has no scheme which recognises of the hardships of farming within the LFA," said Farmers' Union of Wales president Emyr Jones.

Whilst a review of the costings has resulted in an increase in the base payments from £28 to £34, those farmers situated within the LFA, whose payment would have been £33.60, will only see an increase of 40p, which the FUW believes is ludicrous given the natural handicaps of farming within these areas.

"The Welsh uplands are the very reason why Wales exists. They not only symbolise Wales, but also define Wales," stressed Mr Jones, who lobbied Agriculture Minister Alun Davies at a meeting in Cardiff only last Wednesday to re-introduce the LFA scheme Tir Mynydd.

"We must not forget that the uplands dominate our country and when we talk about the future of the uplands we are, therefore, talking about the future of what defines Wales in terms of our landscape, our culture, and our communities.

"So we were extremely shocked that our concerns have been ignored and salt rubbed into the wound by this latest announcement just two days after meeting him.

"Glastir has been dogged by controversy ever since it was announced by the then Minister in 2009.

"The FUW has consistently voiced its concerns about the scheme and this was vindicated by the extremely low interest during the first application round and the urgent review of the scheme which was, given its terms of reference, unable to make the substantive changes required to make it a viable proposition for farmers.

"I'm now afraid that this latest announcement will mean that Glastir will have no credibility amongst farmers at all.

"We will now step up our demands for an urgent re-instatement of Tir Mynydd as highlighted at our meeting with Mr Davies last Wednesday.

I have spoken to the Minister this morning and called for an urgent meeting to discuss his announcement.

"How can farmers trust a Government who assured us that Glastir would recognise the difficulties of farming in the uplands but now seem to have forgotten that fact?"

Flintshire tenant farmer Dei Davies has been elected as the new chairman of the Farmers' Union of Wales's milk and dairy produce committee.

Mr Davies, 61, farms around 100 acres at Moor Farm, Holywell, a county council holding on rent and a further 53 acres as temporary rented land.

Together with his wife, Heulwen, he runs a herd of approximately 110 Friesian milking cows. He was chairman of the milk and dairy produce committee a decade ago, stepping down to be succeeded by Anglesey dairy farmer Eifion Huws in 2004.

Mr Davies left school at 15 but achieved the NCA at Llysfasi College in 1970-71 and was part of the first intake of students to the Welsh Agriculture College in 1971 where he gained his OND.

He has two children, Rhys - a lecturer at Llysfasi College - and Catrin, an eco-schools officer.

He said: "It is a great honour for me to be elected as chairman of this important committee and I look forward to continuing the good work the previous chairman, Eifion Huws, has done for the union and its members over the past seven years.

The committee's new vice chairman is also a tenant farmer. With his wife Dawn, Brian Richards, 49, farms 220 acres at Brynrhyd Farm, Llanedi, Pontarddulais, Carmarthenshire, plus a further 30 acres on seasonal let.

They run a herd of 160 milking cows, mostly Holsteins, plus 120 dairy followers and 12 Belgian Blue store cattle and employ one full-time worker Philip Williams.

Mr Richards, a Llanelli Scarlets supporter, and his wife have two daughters - 20-year-old Cardiff medical student Sara and Catherine, 17, a sixth-form student at Amman Valley School.

Welsh dairy farmers will get the chance to learn more about NFU Scotland's campaign for fundamental changes in milk supply arrangements when one of those who helped develop the initiative addresses the Farmers' Union of Wales annual function on the eve of next month's Welsh Dairy Show.

NFUS milk committee vice chairman Gary Mitchell is the guest speaker at FUW's event on Monday October 17 at 7.30pm at Nantyci Showground, near Carmarthen, where the Welsh Dairy Show will be held the following day.

FUW Carmarthenshire county executive officer Meinir Bartlett said: "Mr Mitchell is a relatively new milk producer but he was greatly involved in developing NFUS's milk price initiative which looks to deliver a more sustainable dairy supply chain.

"A key element is the desire to see a transparent pricing formula, based on existing market indicators, made a compulsory element of contracts between dairy farmers and their milk buyers."

Before speaking at the FUW function Mr Mitchell will visit Gelli Aur College Farm, near Llandeilo, which demonstrates and compares two different milk production systems.

These comprise an autumn herd delivering high bottom line profit achieved by a moderate yield with emphasis on health and fertility to spread overhead costs and a summer calving herd to develop and investigate an alternative system optimising milk from forage to produce low cost milk.

Also during the evening function the winner of the FUW/HSBC plc award to the person who has given outstanding service to the Welsh dairy industry will be announced.

And on the FUW stand at the Welsh Dairy Show on Tuesday October 18 there will be a representative from Oswestry-based land agents Davis Meade and Partners to provide advice and assistance to FUW members on a variety of topics including renewable energy schemes.

Representatives from the Environment Agency will be also present to answer questions on the proposed new regulations on septic tanks.

Members are welcome to visit the stand and enjoy a bowl of homemade cawl.

The Denbighshire branch of the Farmers' Union of Wales will hold its annual general meeting at Pwllglas Village Hall on Monday, November 14 at 7.30pm.

Guest speakers will be Prof Deri Tomos, of the School of Biological Science, Bangor University; Terri Thomas, of the Welsh Government's rural policy department; and Nick Fenwick, FUW's director of agricultural policy.

Important issues such as Single Farm Payment, GM crops and Glastir will be discussed and following the speakers' presentations there will be a question and answer session where members will have the opportunity to question the panel on various issues.

The evening will be chaired by county president Glyn Jones and will also include the chairman's report by Eryl Hughes.

For more information contact the County Office on 01824 707198

Members of Farmers' Union of Wales's Flintshire branch are expected to raise a number of topical issues with Welsh Government rural affairs director Rory O'Sullivan at their annual general meeting at Rhosesmor Village Hall on Wednesday October 5 at 7.30pm.

The union's director of agricultural policy Nick Fenwick will also give a presentation and a number of important issues such as Glastir and CAP reform will be discussed.

Following the speakers' presentations there will be a question and answer session where members will have the opportunity to question the panel.

The evening will be chaired by county chairman Clwyd Spencer and will include the chairman's annual report on the union's activities within the county.

For more information contact the County Office on 01824 707198

[caption id="attachment_4495" align="aligncenter" width="300"] NEW FUW LANDUSE AND PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN GAVIN WILLIAMS[/caption]

Anglesey farmer Gavin Williams has been elected as the new chairman of the Farmers' Union of Wales's land use and parliamentary committee.

Mr Williams, a qualified accountant since 1979 and active member of the union's Anglesey county executive committee, farms around 90 acres at Pen-y-Bryn, Llynfaes. Together with his wife Nerys, a nursery school teacher, he runs a flock of 200 Lleyn sheep.

He said: "It is a great honour for me to be elected as chairman and I look forward to continuing the good work the previous chairman, Richard Vaughan, has done for the union and its members."

Chris Lewis, of Glangwy Farm, Builth Wells, was elected vice chairman of the committee.

He runs a fully organic 250-acre farm with his wife Gwlithyn where he grows barley, triticale and spring beans for their 50 cows, mostly Simmental cross, all progeny, 200 Texel cross ewes, four Kunekune pig sows and one boar.

He was county vice-chairman from 2004-2007, county chairman 2007-2010 and county president since last year. Mr Lewis has been a delegate on the land use and parliamentary committee for the past few years.

He said: "I am very pleased to be elected vice chairman of the committee and will of course be working hard for our members."

Mr Vaughan, who stepped down as chairman of the committee after five years, was recently elected vice president of the union. Together with his wife Dwynwen he farms Pall Mall Farm, Tywyn, which is one of two holdings totalling 550 acres. Most of the land is at Pant y Panel and Prysglwyd at Rhydymain, near Dolgellau.

A flock of 750 Welsh Mountain sheep is kept together with 150 ewe lamb replacements. Around 200 ewes are crossed with Texel and Suffolk rams and the remainder with Welsh Mountain. Approximately 30 store cattle are kept and fattened over the summer.