The Farmers’ Union of Wales has cautiously welcomed the commitment made to agriculture in the Queen’s speech today, saying that the devil will be in the detail.

Union officials are now looking forward to discussing the next steps and the way forward with ministers and contributing to the development of legislation, which is in line with the FUW’s manifesto demands.

With regards to the Great Repeal Bill, the FUW welcomed the commitment to maintain the scope of devolved decision-making powers immediately after exiting the EU.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “It was a key demand in our manifesto and the the FUW had called on the Government to fully assess the implications of repealing, amending or devolving legislation in light of developments such as trade negotiations. We also called on the Government to identify those changes, which can be made without compromising our ability to access EU and other markets.

“Where necessary due to time constraints, the Union argued that it was essential to transpose overarching EU legislative frameworks en bloc in a way which maintains balances of power between devolved administrations and the UK Government and Parliament, while committing to reviewing such frameworks post-Brexit.”

Mr Roberts further said that it is essential that the commitment to intensive discussion and consultation with the devolved administrations regarding common frameworks is genuine, since previously such commitments seemed to have merely paid lip-service to such engagement.

Talking about the Customs Bill and Trade Bill, the Union President said that while large elements of Customs and Trade Bills will be housekeeping exercises to ensure there is no legislative void on the day we leave the EU, it is essential that such legislation can properly accommodate our continued unfettered access to the affluent EU market which is on our doorstep.

In regards to the Agriculture Bill, Glyn Roberts said: “The FUW highlighted that the need for and form of such a bill has been the subject of many of our discussions with both UK and Welsh ministers in the past year.”

Key demands made by the FUW have included the need for a framework which respects current devolution and prevents unfair competition between devolved regions; protects adequate long term funding for agriculture; and respects devolved powers over agriculture and the need for a degree of flexibility which allows devolved governments to make decisions which are appropriate for their regions.

“Through our Manifesto we have also called for legislation which allows the evolution of current regimes rather than disruptive changes and we would therefore ask the Government to agree to a ten year transition period between the current and any future policies, which takes into account changes our major competitors will experience under the next EU CAP,” added Mr Roberts.

The FUW further calling on the UK government to closely monitor developments in those countries against which UK farmers are likely to compete - particularly in terms of reform of the CAP.

“It is absolutely critical that the government ensure that thorough analysis and modelling of all proposals is undertaken, before decisions are made, taking account of impacts on the upstream and downstream supply chains which rely on farm businesses, as well as farm businesses themselves,” said Mr Roberts.

[caption id="attachment_8065" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW Bovine TB Spokesman Brian Walters[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed the ‘Refreshed Bovine TB Programme’, launched by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, earlier today.

The refreshed approach includes additional measures, which will form part of the Welsh Government’s bovine TB eradication programme in Wales, such as the establishment of Low, Intermediate and High TB Areas in Wales from October 1 this year.
Responding to the announcement, FUW Bovine TB Spokesman Brian Walters, said: ‘‘As expected, the refreshed Welsh TB programme continues to focus almost entirely on cattle controls and the FUW has continued to reiterate members concerns regarding the implementation of measures such as regionalisation, without significant measures to tackle the disease in wildlife.

“However, whilst we recognise that many of our members will be frustrated by the new rules, many of the FUW’s key concerns have been allayed and the Union is pleased that the Welsh Government has listened to many of the issues outlined in our consultation response.”

The FUW strongly opposed the proposal to effectively add a further 60 days of movement restrictions for herds passing a clearing test, emphasising that this would increase the minimum time period that any herd was under restriction to at least six months.

The Welsh Government accepted Union concerns surrounding this issue and the proposals outlined today would allow the clearing test to continue to be used as a pre-movement test, except in chronic cases.

Other concerns highlighted by the FUW, relating to policies such as 6 monthly testing in the High Risk Areas, have also been accepted by Welsh Government and such policies are now only being used in a targeted approach to disease control.  The Union is pleased to note that the lifetime restriction of clear tested inconclusive reactors to the herd will not now be used.

The Union was also pleased to note a small positive step forward in tackling the wildlife reservoir of disease.

‘‘Successful TB eradication programmes in other countries have included a commitment to tackle the wildlife disease reservoir and the FUW therefore welcomes the proposal to begin targeted badger removal in herds with persistent TB breakdowns in the High TB area.

“However, whilst the FUW is pleased to see recognition of the need to deal with wildlife in chronic breakdown herds, we would seek to ensure that any strategy for badger removal be extended if benefits could be conferred elsewhere in Wales.

“A targeted wildlife approach is a positive first step in establishing an holistic disease programme in Wales.  However, it is essential that evidence on the degree to which badger populations are infected with TB continues to be gathered proactively across Wales.

“As with strategies relating to cattle populations, any indication of TB in badgers should lead to badger removal in infected areas,” added Mr Walters.

Ends

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has elected former Union President Emyr Jones as a life member of the FUW in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Union and Welsh agriculture over many years.

Mr Jones, who stood down as the FUW President following 15 years’ loyal service to the organisation at national level in June 2015, has previously received the Union’s annual internal award for his services to the agricultural industry.

The recommendation that he be made a life member was accepted unanimously by the Union’s Grand Council.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “I have always looked up to Emyr for the way he represented us with great dignity and forcefulness during private meetings with Government Ministers and officials and at public engagements throughout Wales during his time in office. He had a great talent for recognising the issues affecting the whole of Wales, whilst not losing sight of those closer to home. There could never be any doubt about how much Emyr cared for the industry, farming families and our rural economy. He is a true champion of farming and a true champion of the FUW.”

Emyr Jones was Meirionnydd County Chairman from 1998 to 2000 when he was elected to represent North Wales on the Union’s central finance and organisation committee.

He was elected national Vice President in 2002, Deputy President in 2003 and President in 2011.

Mr Jones is married with three children and has four grandchildren. A Welsh speaker, he was born and brought up on the family farm Rhiwaedog, Rhosygwaliau, near Bala.

The farm extends to 360 acres, with a further 400 acres of rented land, and carries a herd of 70 pedigree Welsh Black suckler cows and 1,700 breeding sheep.

Emyr Jones is a prominent member of many organisations, a deacon of his local chapel, and is a director of Meirionnydd County Show.

His contribution to agriculture was recognised when he became an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies, and received the honour of Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies in 2001.

Rhiwaedog has won several accolades over many years including the Royal Welsh Show Farm Buildings Facilities Award and the Snowdonia National Park Society Farming and Landscape Award.

Its main achievement was in 2008 when the farm won the British Grassland Societies National Grassland and Management competition in Wales and went forward to win the UK title.

He is passionately committed to the principles on which the FUW was established and has spoken frequently on behalf of the Union on radio and television during his time in office.

Responding to the announcement, Emyr Jones said: “I am very grateful for this acknowledgment and I consider it a great honour and privilege to be joining such an elite group.”

[caption id="attachment_8053" align="alignleft" width="300"] Scooping the ‘Business Development’ award was Abergavenny based Account Executive Gwen Evans[/caption]

FUW Insurance Services has today recognised its top performers with a selection of awards.

Scooping the ‘Business Development’ award was Abergavenny based Account Executive Gwen Evans, who had another tremendous year with further and significant growth in her portfolio both in terms of number of clients and income earned.

Presenting the award, FUW Insurance Services Managing Director Mark Roberts said: “Gwen has a constant and consistent focus on gaining new business and has had great success through her professionalism and very high level of customer service.

“It is with great pleasure that we present this award to Gwen for the second year running as she consistently brings new and valuable clients into FUW Insurance Services and once again has ended the year with the highest level of new business written of all the Account Executives.”

Also recognised for his achievements was Cowbridge based Account Executive Ashley Yeo, who was presented with the ‘Best Managed Portfolio’ award.

[caption id="attachment_8057" align="alignright" width="300"] Account Executive Ashley Yeo, was presented with the ‘Best Managed Portfolio’ award[/caption]

“Ashley has grown his portfolio significantly this year. Not only through organic growth but also by exceptional new business gained across all business sectors. Alongside this he runs his portfolio extremely well in all respects, and delivers excellent customer service.

“He is highly regarded and is always willing to give his time to talk through, offer advice and share his experience with colleagues. He fully deserves this year’s “Best Managed Portfolio” award,” added Mark Roberts.

Pembrokeshire farming stalwart, Brian Thomas, has been re-elected as the Farmers’ Union of Wales Deputy President, during a meeting of the Union’s Grand Council in Aberystwyth (Monday, June 19).

Brian Thomas, has been farming at Llwyncelyn Lan farm, Llanfyrnach since 1988. The family farm consists of 280 acres, 30 acres of which is woodland, and is home to a herd of 100 beef shorthorn cattle and a flock of 300 ewes, with cereals also being grow.

He is a past County Chairman of the FUW in Pembrokeshire, and has previously sat on the FUW’s central tenant’s committee. Brian was elected South Wales member of the central finance and organisation committee in 2011 and elected Vice President of the FUW in 2013.

Speaking after his appointment, Brian Thomas said: “I would like to thank those who have voted for me to continue in my role as Deputy President of the Union. It has been a pleasure to work alongside Glyn Roberts for the past 2 years and I look forward to continuing my work with him and the new FUW board of Directors.”

During the 1996 BSE outbreak, Mr Thomas lead the campaign in South West Wales opposing the importation of inferior beef into Wales.  In 1997 he led a group of 10 farmers to Tesco’s stand at the Royal Welsh Show to address them about the unfair way in which they were treating the industry.

Bovine TB is a subject which Brian is passionate about. When his herd went down with the disease in the late 1990’s he commented in interviews that the disease would be more of a problem than BSE would ever be if it was not tackled.

Unfortunately, for many he has been proved right and currently he sits on the local working group for the Assembly’s Bovine TB Intensive Action Area in North Pembrokeshire, representing farmers in the area.

[caption id="attachment_8043" align="alignleft" width="300"] Re-elected FUW President Glyn Roberts with Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths[/caption]

Well known Conwy beef and sheep farmer, Glyn Roberts, has been re-elected as the Farmers’ Union of Wales President during a meeting of the Union’s Grand Council in Aberystwyth (Monday, June 19).

Following his appointment Mr Roberts of Dylasau Uchaf, Padog, Betws-Y-Coed, Conwy, who has held the role of FUW President since 2015, said: “I am delighted to be at the helm of the FUW during this historic period.

“As President of this Union I want to see the opportunities in problems rather than see problems in opportunities. A priority for us now is to ensure that we maintain a sustainable and viable farming sector here in Wales.

“We want to see a vibrant and real future for real rural people. Many of our members fear that if farming is not high enough on the agenda of the government, Wales will turn into an open air museum. There is a real concern that if agriculture fails, we will see an increase in rural depopulation, which will not only have a sever impact on our rural economy, way of life and language but it will also cause an extra strain on our towns and cities.

“Without the right deal for farmers, our rural communities will disappear and turn into ghost towns. The objective now is to create a sustainable agricultural industry, within a sustainable rural community. If we work proactively, keeping the bigger picture in, this should be achievable.”

In 1977 Glyn successfully submitted an application for the tenancy of a 100-acre upland farm, Ynys Wen, Ysbyty Ifan and also worked part-time during this period at Dylasau Uchaf.

In 1983 Mr Roberts secured the tenancy of Dylasau Uchaf, a 350-acre farm owned by the National Trust, where he continues to farm with his daughter Beca. His wife Eleri runs a separate catering business at Ysbyty Ifan. The couple have five children, all of which have graduated from  Aberystwyth University.

Mr Roberts has been on the FUW finance and organisation committee as North Wales member from 2003 – 2004; FUW vice president from 2004-2011 and was elected as deputy president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales in 2011.

Glyn has lectured several times on agricultural issues and a personal highlight was lecturing on the Future of the Uplands at Glynllifon in 1997 and sharing the stage with head of the agriculture department of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth Professor Mike Haines and John Cameron from NFU Scotland. A personal highlight was the invitation from Franz Fischler, EU Agricultural Commissioner, to attend a meeting on future Rural Development in Strasburg in 2003.

During 2006-2008 he was the FUW’s representative on the board of Hybu Cig Cymru and from 2008 to 2015 served as non-executive director on the board of Hybu Cig Cymru by Welsh Assembly Government appointment.

In January 2001, Carwyn Jones AM visited Dylasau Uchaf and Ysbyty Ifan and Mr Roberts was responsible for preparing a comprehensive document looking at the inevitable link between agriculture and the future of rural communities, “The Importance of Agriculture in Rural Communities”.

Mr Roberts led the first FUW delegation from Caernarfonshire to Brussels to discuss E.I.D. back in October 2000.

Glyn won the National Eisteddfod Farm Management competition which involved compiling a three-year plan, and in 1992 when Glynllifon College was faced with the threat of closure, Glyn was chosen as a member of a Working Group of three to look at the possibilities of keeping its doors open.