Welsh farmers want more fibre and wireless connections to help speed up broadband connections to their farms and cut the number of "not-spots" in the countryside.

That was the message delivered by Farmers' Union of Wales deputy president Glyn Roberts at the Royal Welsh Show today (Wednesday July 20).

He called for a similar scheme to one being rolled out in Cornwall where superfast broadband is expected to be available at half of the county's telephone exchanges by the autumn of next year.

"One of the objectives of us union officials is to create a favourable environment for members to run a sustainable agricultural business. One tool in this tool box is to have as good as possible a connection in terms of broadband.

"Welsh farmers want more fibre and wireless connections to help speed up broadband reception to their farms and cut the number of 'not-spots' in the countryside.

"We now have a chance to make this possible. Some important examples of services on the internet for agriculture are VAT, self assessment tax and BCMS cattle movement.

"There are a vast number of other usages that can increase the efficiency of our business e.g. benchmarking, trading on line and general research.

"Statistically, even back in 2001, New Zealand farmers who used IT had a 5% higher profit margin compared to those that did not see the advantages of using IT.

"Internet retail sales in the UK hit £22 billion in 2010 compared to £9 billion in 2006 and it is set to grow by a further £14 billion by 2014.

"It is also essential that our children and other members of our rural communities should have fast broadband internet access so that they are not left behind the rest of the country.

"A successful Internet broadband project was launched in Cornwall, so let us in Wales exploit the same opportunity and get the same benefits.

The Cornwall project is expected to create 4,000 new jobs and protect a further 2,000 existing jobs. It will make Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly one of the best connected places in the world.

"The FUW has been calling for improved broadband services for almost a decade. We want to see rural Wales becoming equally well connected to broadband as Cornwall," Mr Roberts added.

The Farmers' Union of Wales today welcomed Defra's recognition that action must be taken in England to combat bovine TB in badgers and called on the Welsh Government to take similar account of the severity of the situation facing Welsh farmers.

Speaking after a meeting with Welsh animal health minister John Griffiths, FUW president Emyr Jones said: "While there are significant differences between the English and Welsh badger culling proposals, the science makes it clear that both approaches can be expected to yield major reductions in TB incidences.

"Given the importance of cross-border trade between England and Wales any moves to tackle this devastating disease in England are welcome."

Mr Jones said the Welsh Government's decision to review plans to cull badgers in north Pembrokeshire had sparked indignation amongst the farming community as farming families continued to reel from the impact of this devastating disease on a daily basis.

"While there has been an encouraging downward trend in incidences in Wales, in the proposed culling area of north Pembrokeshire incidences have not fallen despite the fact that the area has the strictest cattle control measures in the whole of the UK.

"England has recognised the need to take action, rather than further procrastinate, and Wales must do the same by ensuring that the review of the science is completed as soon as possible."

Family farms - the backbone of Welsh rural communities - must be the main players in future food production, Farmers' Union of Wales president Emyr Jones said at the Royal Welsh Show today.

Addressing a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors business breakfast, Mr Jones said politicians and civil servants seem to have finally woken up to the fact that food is quite an important commodity - especially when you haven't got any.

"Talking about the greater good and the terrifying challenges facing the world over the coming decades, some would have us believe the only way forward is to farm on an industrial scale and that the family farm is simply the preserve of the niche market," he said.

"Well, the old saying goes that to know your future you must know your past. So what does past production in Wales tell us about the importance of our average and smaller sized family farms?

"Are the proponents of industrial scale farming right about the usefulness of the majority of those who will visit this showground over the coming days?"

The FUW attempts to answer such questions in a report recently presented to Defra minister Jim Paice stressing that our family farms "which we all know are the backbone of our communities" must also be considered to be the main players in terms of future food production.

The report was drawn up in response to evidence by Mr Paice to a House of Lords Select Committee when he claimed smaller farms would not contribute greatly to the growth of UK food production and productivity, and that UK government-sponsored research would, therefore, be geared towards large farms.

"This paper puts the record straight with the Minister, and underlines the fact that any moves which are biased in favour of larger farms would compromise the viability of our most productive holdings, and have a negative overall impact on agricultural production."

"Under the pre-2005 Common Agricultural Policy, it was Welsh farms with between 75 and 500 acres of forage area that were the most productive in Wales and these farms were responsible for around 80% of Welsh production.

"Even in the lowlands, average productivity for farms with 120 acres of land was the same as for farms with 950 acres, while lowland farms of 330 acres or smaller were responsible for 75% of Welsh lowland production.

"That was before 2005, but I know from my visits to farms throughout Wales that things have not changed dramatically in terms of production patterns, and these figures give us a clear indication of the importance of ensuring that policies are aimed at protecting family farms.

"These farms are where the majority of our food is produced in Wales and we must all strive to ensure it stays that way otherwise we risk seeing our rural society put back a century, accompanied by a significant risk in terms of food production.

"So, whether we are talking about the post-2013 CAP, domestic policies, WTO negotiations, or any other of the vast array of issues which impact on farming, it is clear that protecting the interests of the Welsh family farm should be at the centre of all our lobbying efforts.

"That is certainly what my priority will be over my coming term of office as president of the Farmers' Union of Wales."

As summer gets into full swing and the school holidays are approaching, the Farmers' Union of Wales is calling on drivers of all slow moving vehicles to defuse road rage by moving over and allowing faster traffic to pass.

"Getting stuck behind a slow moving vehicle on a twisting country lane with no opportunity to overtake is very frustrating," said Richard Vaughan, chairman of the FUW's land use committee.

"It is especially annoying on hot summer days for local people who are anxious to keep appointments and for tourists whose enjoyment of their holidays can be spoiled.

"The thoughtlessness of some drivers who forget to pull over when they are being followed by a long line of traffic is a recipe for road rage," said Mr Vaughan.

"It can often lead to drivers taking unnecessary risks and overtaking at the most inappropriate times and places, creating a danger to themselves and to other road users."

Although tractors are often blamed for hold-ups, slow-moving lorries and cars towing caravans could also be at fault.

"The Highway Code states that anyone causing traffic to back up as a result of their slow speed must pull over at the earliest and safest opportunity to allow faster vehicles to pass," he said.

"The FUW is reminding all drivers of slow moving vehicles to think of other road users and to follow the Highway Code."

FORMER Welsh rugby international Dafydd Jones will be signing his new book Dal Fy Nhir (Stand My Ground) at the Farmers' Union of Wales Pavilion at 11am on the second day of the four-day Royal Welsh Show (Tuesday July 19) in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells.

The ex-Scarlets back-row player is midway through a testimonial year with his Llanelli-based club. Born in Aberystwyth, he was capped 42 times for Wales but he is still a country boy at heart.

"The FUW has a close relationship with the Scarlets as the club covers virtually the whole of rural Wales from where it recruits most of its promising young players," said the union's president Emyr Jones.

"Last February prominent Welsh Black Cattle breeder, FUW member Trefor Jones of Bow Street, near Aberystwyth, provided a Welsh Black bull which led the pre-match parade around the Parc y Scarlets pitch when the region hosted Ulster in a Magners League match.

"The appearance of the bull was part of the Farm Day events which we enthusiastically took part in at the stadium before and after the match. So it is fitting that Dafydd should be spending time on our stand during the show.

"He is a young man from rural Ceredigion and as a young boy from the countryside he developed an interest in hunting and trotting races.

"Whilst at Aberaeron Comprehensive School he began taking an interest in rugby and soon won the interest of Llanelli rugby club.

"After playing his last ever game against New Zealand be was forced to give up rugby due to injury. It's a shame that his career came to an end before his passion for the game faded - but his passion for the rural way of life in Wales remains as strong as ever which is evident in his book."

Dafydd was faithful to the club of the "Sosban Fach" throughout his career, playing more than 200 times for Llanelli and the Scarlets.

His biggest compliment came from Richie McCaw, the world's best wing forward, when he said that Dafydd Jones was the hardest opponent he'd ever faced.

His book, published by Y Lolfa, Talybont, Ceredigion, at £9.95, has been described as the autobiography of a "warm-hearted Welshman", looking back over his career, giving his no-nonsense opinion of the coaches he played for and telling stories of some stars of world rugby on and off the pitch.

FREE advice on some of the burning issues facing Welsh farmers will be available at the Farmers' Union of Wales Pavilion alongside the main ring at this year's Royal Welsh Show (July 18-21).

Staff representing The Pension Disability and Carers Service will be in attendance each day to give advice and information on the allowances and pensions payable to farmers and other "customers".

Information concerning solar energy, wind turbines and biodigesters will also be available along with professional advice on rent reviews, compensation claims and grants from Oswestry-based Davis Meade Property Consultants (DMPC) staff.

"This will be an opportunity for farmers to get a free independent opinion on issues that are bothering them and to find out how renewable energy can reduce energy bills and bring in additional income," said Philip Meade, of DMPC.

DMPC staff will also be available to FUW members for a free consultation on their stand at Oswestry Show on August 6 and on the FUW stand at many other shows including Cardigan (July 27), Brecon (August 6), Glamorgan county (August 10), Pembrokeshire (August 16-18), Anglesey Show (August 9-10), Flint and Denbigh (August 18), Merioneth Show (August 24) and the Welsh Dairy Event at Carmarthen (October 18).

Also during the Royal Welsh Show BT Wales representatives will be at the FUW Pavilion to answer questions on the provision of rural broadband and - for the first two days - environment officers and catchment coordinators from Environment Agency Wales will be present to deal with a wide range of environmental and agricultural issues.

"As well as all this free advice, FUW members can expect a warm welcome and a free cuppa and a biscuit if they pop in and renew old friendships," said the union's newly-elected president Emyr Jones.