An aggressive army of EU auditors incapable of understanding commonsense is undermining farmers' efforts by imposing draconian fines for red tape mistakes, retiring Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan said today.

He told the union's annual general meeting in Aberystwyth that confidence remained high within the industry in spite of numerous broken promises by politicians over plans to slash red tape and bureaucracy.

"Despite ongoing concerns over the age profile of our farming population, the enthusiasm of our young and upcoming farmers is something which continues to fill me with confidence about our future.

"However, as I think back to how our industry was almost a decade ago, and re-read some of the assurances given to us over the years, it seems that this confidence exists in spite of a host of broken promises.

"Foremost amongst these are the regular assurances by those who govern us over cuts to red tape and bureaucracy, and the broken promises which have followed, with Brussels standing out as a clear winner in the race to go back on their word."

Mr Vaughan said that in January 2007 the European Commission presented its Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the EU which, it claimed, showed "the way in which the Commission intends to work with Member States to cut administrative burdens on businesses by a quarter by 2012".

"But in the four and a half years since then, bureaucracy for farm businesses has escalated dramatically, coupled with draconian fines for those who make inadvertent and inconsequential mistakes," Mr Vaughan added.

"These fines are often implemented at the behest of an aggressive army of EU auditors which is seemingly incapable of understanding commonsense or proportionality.

"With just six months in which to 'cut administrative burdens on businesses by a quarter' and more EU red tape in the pipeline, it is clear that this statement represents just another broken promise.

"Yet for my successor there may be some light on the horizon because the Lisbon Treaty now means that our elected representatives are answerable for such failings.

"It is down to us - not just as a Union but also as individual farmers - to hold them accountable for their actions or inactions."

The Farmers' Union of Wales today welcomed the news that Bluetongue restrictions on the export of sheep and cattle from Great Britain are to be lifted next month.

"We are very pleased to learn that these restrictions, which have been in place since the 2007 Bluetongue outbreak, will be lifted on July 5," said FUW president Gareth Vaughan.

"I understand the last confirmed case of Bluetongue in GB was in 2008 and the results of surveillance carried out in November 2010 show there is no evidence of Bluetongue virus circulation in GB. All samples were negative for all BTV serotypes.

"This is a very positive outcome for Welsh farming but, naturally, everyone involved with the industry must continue to be mindful of the effects of this highly infectious disease and do all they can to make sure it does not return to our shores," Mr Vaughan added.

[caption id="attachment_4345" align="aligncenter" width="400"] From left, FUW deputy president Emyr Jones, president Gareth Vaughan, deputy agricultural policy director Rhian Nowell-Phillips, UK farming minister Jim Paice, agricultural policy director Nick Fenwick and Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Elfyn Llwyd.[/caption]

Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan today (Tuesday June 7) praised the Westminster government for publishing a draft bill for a Groceries Market Ombudsman following years of lobbying by the union for such an appointment.

During a meeting organised by Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Elfyn Llwyd, Mr Vaughan congratulated the minister and urged him to ensure an Act with powers to deal with abuses of power by supermarkets is granted Royal Ascent as soon as was possible.

"A good relationship between retailers and suppliers in the grocery market is important and we believe that all parties will benefit greatly from an independent body to monitor and regulate the sector."

On CAP reform, the FUW delegation told Mr Paice it was broadly supportive of the Dess Report, the European Parliament's draft report on the future of the CAP, but had major concerns about the impact of "greening measures" on food production when massive global food shortages were being predicted.

"We emphasised that any such measures must not adversely impact on production," said Mr Vaughan. "They should complement it by encouraging efficiencies which have environmental benefits and also lead to savings.

"We urged the minister to highlight this during talks with other Member States over the future of the CAP."

The FUW representatives drew the minister's attention to the importance of Welsh family farms and the essential contribution they make to food production and maintaining the natural environment.

"We also expressed concern about the impact that factory farms and super dairies would have on rural communities and the public's perception of farming.

"This reflected the view of the FUW's dairy committee which, earlier this year, supported a policy position opposing super dairies on the grounds that they would lower milk prices and drive family farms out of production."

The meeting also discussed a number of aspects pertinent to Wales of the independent Farming Regulation Task Force's recent report and union representatives emphasised the need to implement its recommendations at the earliest opportunity to minimise costs for businesses and government bodies alike.

"As long term campaigners against the EC's disproportionate penalty system, the union also welcomed the recommendations regarding CAP penalties," said Mr Vaughan.

"We pressed the minister to do all he could at an European level to ensure that the final post-2013 CAP regulations were proportionate in terms of administrative errors and inconsequential breaches of complex rules.

"Everybody agrees - whether they are farm inspectors or politicians - that the current penalty regime is completely disproportionate, yet EU auditors continue to bully Member States and regions into making the penalties and rules more and more draconian."

On bovine TB, Mr Vaughan told the minister the length of the Wales-England border, and the importance of cross border trade, made English TB an important issue for Welsh farmers, particularly given the number of cross border farms close to or in areas severely affected by TB.

"Many of our members with land in England are severely affected by this disease and action must be taken in order to reduce its prevalence in both England and Wales.

"Welsh efforts to drive forward with an eradication programme will be severely undermined if a major disease reservoir is allowed to continue to grow in England.

"For this reason, I urged the minister to press on with a badger cull in England which has been shown 'categorically' to be effective, and is still leading to benefits four and a half years after the last English cull came to an end.

"We also emphasised the importance of minimising red tape and costs associated with proposals to allow farmers to cull badgers, and asked that Defra work closely with the Welsh Government in ensuring any actions close to the border of Wales did not have an adverse impact on Welsh farmers."

The delegation also touched on a number of broader issues relating to the rural economy and highlighted the severe impact fuel prices were having for rural businesses.

"We are already paying higher tax because the 4x4 vehicles we rely on are being classed as unnecessary luxuries - in other words Chelsea tractors - in addition to which our rural businesses are being crippled by fuel costs which are higher than in urban areas.

"The reality is that there are no alternatives such as public transport and government should recognise this by reducing costs for rural dwellers, for example by giving them a fuel tax rebate."

The Farmers' Union of Wales today hailed First Minister Carwyn Jones' official backing for the union's efforts to secure a market in China for Welsh Lamb.

"Our bid to put Welsh Lamb on the menu in China began at the union's annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week function in the House of Lords during January 2010 when UK Chinese Embassy minister Zhou Xiaoming, who is in charge of all trade and investment issues between China and the UK including agriculture, was guest speaker," said union president Gareth Vaughan.

"The function was hosted by the late Lord Livsey of Talgarth, the former Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon and Radnor whose successor at Westminster, Roger Williams, led a delegation to the Chinese Embassy in London three years ago to promote Welsh Lamb.

"Mr Williams suggested we invite a Chinese Embassy representative and Zhou Xiaoming sat on the top table alongside myself and Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) chairman Rees Roberts who invited him to visit last July's Royal Welsh Show where we had further discussions with him.

"The FUW has played a key role in this potentially hugely exciting trade opportunity and we are delighted that Carwyn Jones has already met a top level official from China as part of the Welsh Government's efforts to open up lamb exports to the country."

The First Minister held talks last week in Cardiff with Xiang Yuzhang, Chief Inspector of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine (AQSIQ) in the People's Republic of China. AQSIQ controls the import and export of food to mainland China.

Welsh farmers are currently not allowed to sell lamb meat to China but Mr Jones said: "We know there is an appetite for Welsh lamb across the globe and since 2008 we have been exporting to Hong Kong with great success.

"We now want to build on this and move closer to the prospect of importing Welsh lamb to the potentially huge Chinese market."

HCC chief executive Gwyn Howells said market research carried out by HCC shows there is a major demand in China for Welsh Lamb.

"If we are successful in gaining access to the Chinese market it will be a major boost for the 33,000 people who work in the Welsh red meat industry and for the economy of Wales as a whole."

The Farmers' Union of Wales today warned farmers to check their Single Application Form (SAF) statements for errors and contact the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) if they have any concerns as soon as possible.

The warning comes on the May 31 deadline after which hefty penalties are incurred for corrections or late forms, and ten days before late forms and corrections are automatically rejected.

Speaking at the Urdd National Eisteddfod, FUW president Gareth Vaughan said: "This year's Positional Accuracy Improvement process has added significantly to the complexity of filling in SAF forms, adding to the risk of errors being made on forms.

"Every year the FUW deals with penalties applied to members' Single Payments due to errors made on SAF forms and these can and do lead to people loosing their entire annual income."

Mr Vaughan added that in previous years the FUW had also encountered a significant number of scanning errors made by the WAG which could have significantly delayed payments.

"It is, therefore, essential that people take the time to check their SAF statements for accuracy. A good place to start is by looking at the amount of total forage area declared which can often alert you to obvious problems.

"If you haven't received any kind of acknowledgement that WAG has received your IACS form, then you should contact WAG as soon as possible in case the form has somehow been lost."

Under EC rules, any SAF forms received between May 17 and June 10 2011 will incur financial penalties, after which the forms are completely rejected.

From May 31 to June 10 amendments to add field parcels, change the use of land parcels, or changes to the claims made on land parcels will lead to a late submission penalty of 1% per working day. No amendments are accepted after June 10 2011.

If farmers have already been notified of an error on their SAF, or have been notified of an inspection which subsequently reveals errors, it is not possible to rectify the error or amend details of the parcels of land concerned.

[caption id="attachment_4338" align="aligncenter" width="550"] VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION: Rachael Beech receives the £15,316.59 cheque from Gareth Vaughan - left - and Emyr Jones.[/caption]

The total amount raised by Farmers' Union of Wales members and supporters for president Gareth Vaughan's Wales Air Ambulance (WAA) charity is £15,316.59, the union revealed today.

Presenting the cheque to WAA fundraising co-ordinator Rachael (correct spelling) Beech during the recent Royal Welsh Smallholder and Garden Festival, Mr Vaughan said the air ambulance service is a most appropriate and fully deserving cause for a national organisation representing rural areas.

Mrs Beech said: "Wales Air Ambulance relies solely on community donations as we don't get any government funding. So to have local organisations such as the FUW and their local committees on board means so much.

"To be supported by the farming community is a huge benefit to us, not just the financial support but the support in general. We are again very grateful for all the hard work."

The annual cost of sustaining WAA's three air bases, which cover the whole of Wales from Caernarfon, Welshpool and Swansea airports, is over £5m and only through continued public support are they able to meet these targets.

Mr Vaughan added: "Due to Wales' widely scattered population and diverse landscape, there is a proven need for their helicopters to be fully operational throughout the year.

"I am well aware the Air Ambulance has been a lifesaver time and time again in all parts of rural Wales and as a representative of the farming industry I and my fellow FUW officials are proud to be associated with such a vital service."

Over £10,000 of the total sum handed over was raised jointly at a promise auction and hog roast at deputy president Emyr Jones' farm at Rhiwaedog, Rhosygwaliau, near Bala, and by the union's Caernarfonshire branch which held farmhouse breakfasts on members' farms throughout the county.