The Farmers’ Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan revealed today he was duty bound to condemn the Welsh Assembly Government’s decision to scrap the Tir Mynydd scheme of payments to farmers within Less Favoured Areas.

"While the Union commends the position taken by the Assembly on Bovine TB, there is one recent WAG decision that we cannot condone and that is the one to abandon Tir Mynydd," Mr Vaughan told the union’s annual general meeting in Aberystwyth.

"This decision brings to an end a policy based upon principles established more than sixty years ago under the 1946 Hill Farming Act - principles that recognise the fundamental importance of maintaining Wales’s farming and rural communities in order to avoid deprivation, land abandonment, and rural depopulation.

"The abandonment of those principles in favour of environmental measures is a position that our members fundamentally oppose, whether changes in focus are driven by the European Commission or by the Assembly Government, and over recent weeks I have been approached by countless numbers of farmers who believe that their businesses and communities are threatened by the recent decision.

"The truth of the matter is that rural populations are an intrinsic part of the environment - they have created the environment. They play a key role in maintaining the environment. And the diversity of wildlife and biodiversity that we enjoy exists not in spite of farming, but because of farming."

Mr Vaughan stressed that the environment relied upon farming families and the majority of farming families relied significantly on the Tir Mynydd scheme, one of five agri-environment schemes in Wales due to be replaced by one scheme called Glastir from 2012.

"These families may well be threatened unless the new Glastir scheme is carefully crafted in a way that ensures that it is not overly prescriptive or bureaucratic and, above all else, fills the gulf created by the abandonment of half a century of handicap payments.

"We also have major concerns about the practicality for the Assembly of implementing the Glastir scheme, and I sincerely hope that sufficient staff will be available to produce perhaps as many as sixteen thousand detailed farm maps and agreements, while undertaking as many as 65 private interviews with farmers every single working day during the transition period.

"As part of the stakeholder group that will help formulate the Glastir scheme, the union is of course committed to doing all it can to ensure that Glastir is as practical and beneficial as is possible.

"However, be in no doubt that the FUW, like thousands of farmers across Wales, has major concerns regarding the Glastir scheme and the impact it will have on our rural communities. I am duty bound to condemn the decision to abolish Tir Mynydd."

Mr Vaughan reminded delegates there was no animal disease in Wales more concerning than bovine TB which costs the industry and taxpayers millions of pounds each year, and causes untold stress and suffering for all concerned.

"Following years of lobbying by the FUW, the Welsh Assembly Government and members from all political parties have taken the decision to stand shoulder to shoulder on the issue of TB in badgers, and this sends out a clear lesson in maturity and honesty to those amongst our English neighbours who threaten to undermine the efficacy of future Welsh and UK TB control measures.

"For too many years politicians have buried uncomfortable truths about TB in wildlife, pandering to animal rights extremists who, through threats and misinformation, have managed to steer government policy away from what is in the best interests of human health and the taxpayer.

"In Wales, such attempts to corrupt the democratic process are more common than ever - for example, in one leaflet that has been widely distributed by Badger Watch and Rescue Dyfed, no less than eight out of ten so called ‘answers’ to commonly asked questions are either grossly misleading or plain untrue.

"Such campaigns are deliberately designed to mislead members of the general public into lobbying against a badger cull, and I therefore hope that the Assembly’s Rural Affairs Minister and her colleagues will stand up to such disgraceful campaigns of misinformation.

"Because what has been shown in Wales is that, by grasping the nettle, by refusing to allow animal rights extremists to divide and conquer, and by being honest with the general public about the role that badgers play in transmitting TB, ways forward can be found that will reduce incidences of disease in cattle and wildlife.

"I therefore, once again, congratulate the majority of National Assembly Members, the Welsh Assembly Government, and, in particular, the Minister for Rural Affairs for the courageous stance that has been taken on TB.

"That stance stands in stark contrast to the cowardly approach that has been adopted in England - an approach based on cowering in the face of intimidation from animal rights extremists and hiding behind one ridiculously decisive statement published in the Final Report of the Independent Science Group on TB that is an embarrassment to the scientific community, and is contradicted by scientific evidence from Great Britain and around the globe.

"The Defra approach not only shows a disregard for animal and human health, but also poses a wider risk of TB transmission from wildlife and the environment, as shown by the recent escalation of TB cases in humans and animals - and all in a world in which the vaccination of children against tuberculosis is no longer routine.

"I therefore, on behalf of our cross border farms, on behalf of farmers throughout the UK, and on behalf of the future health of our cattle, our wildlife, and our progeny, call on Defra to do the honourable thing with regard to TB, rather than risk dragging the whole of the UK down."

The Farmers' Union of Wales warned today that the closure of the only major milk bottling plant in Wales could result in a withdrawal of bulk tanker collections from many dairy farms in remote areas.

"Today’s closure by the receivers of Dairy Farmers of Britain’s Bridgend plant is a great shame for the industry," said Eifion Huws, chairman of the union’s milk and dairy produce committee.

"It gives us great cause for concern that milk collections from small farms in remote areas will be threatened. Even before today’s closure of the Bridgend plant many dairy farmers in West Wales were worried whether their milk would be picked up by tankers in future.

"I fear we could soon be left with the ridiculous situation of numerous farmers having to drive many miles to deliver their milk to processors and that milk then transported back for sale by retailers in the same localities.

"We are constantly being encouraged to cut down on food miles yet we are poised to increase food miles at a time when fuel costs are rising rapidly," added Mr Huws, who is also a victim of the DFB receivership as a member of the co-operative.

The Bridgend plant was closed with the loss of 279 jobs the day after receivers announced Milk Link Ltd had bought DFB’s cheese-producing creamery at Llandyrnog, Denbighshire, which employs 170.

A Welsh dairy farmers’ leader today demanded that banks must show the same goodwill as the Government showed them during the credit crunch following confirmation that the Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB) milk co-operative had gone into receivership.

"The Government showed goodwill to the banks by helping to bale them out. Now the banks must repay that goodwill and stand by the members and employees of DFB," said the Farmers’ Union of Wales milk committee chairman Eifion Huws.

DFB employs a total of 2,200 at its cheese factory at Llandyrnog in north-east Wales and liquid milk dairy at Bridgend in south Wales plus other sites in the south-west and north-east of England and the Midlands.

"It also has 1,800 farmer members across Great Britain who supply over one billion litres to the food and drink industry who now stand to lose many thousands of pounds," said Mr Huws, an Anglesey dairy farmer and DFB member.

He added: "This is a sad day for DFB members, its staff and all its suppliers and it may stop other groups in the industry from setting up co-operative ventures which the Government is constantly encouraging us to do.

"It is estimated that the average DFB member will lose around £14,000 for their May and early June milk amounting to around £21m in total - in addition to an average farmer investment of around £25,000 which has already been lost.

"HSBC are understood to be the dominant banker for DFB members and I believe they should think very long and hard about how to help members by offering interest free loans, for example.

"After all, the loss of a much-needed milk cheque is a huge blow to all our cashflows. The question must now be put - how many more farmers can be expected to sustain such a big blow to their livelihoods?

"We wonder what will be the effect of the availability of all the extra milk for which DFB members will now be looking for a market," he added.

Farming leaders from across the dairy industry have issued a call on retailers and the food service sector to take steps to secure the future of British supply. The call comes as many dairy farmers are once again being paid less for their milk than it costs to produce it.

In a letter to all the major retailers, discounters and major food service players the NFU, Farmers for Action, Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, Dairy Farmers of Scotland, NFUS and the Farmers' Union of Wales have called for action to increase confidence among dairy farmers to stop the erosion of critical mass within the sector.

The industry-wide group says that everyone in the milk supply chain needs to make a fair profit and calls for retailers to stop gambling with security of milk supply. The letter asks for three commitments from the industry’s biggest customers:

_   Commitment to sourcing British dairy products.

_   Transparent and stable pricing mechanisms for liquid milk and cheese suppliers that offer producers a sustainable milk price.

_   Promotion of the Red Tractor on all own label, British dairy products.

The letter states: “Our message is very simple. If you want to guarantee a supply of quality British milk, cheese and dairy products you must take steps to secure it.”

Industry quotes:

NFU Dairy Board Chairman Gwyn Jones said:

“As British milk supply continues to fall, consumers are increasingly denied the opportunity of choice they deserve to purchase British dairy products; products which are produced to the highest welfare and environmental standards in the world.”

“Consumers are paying a fair price for British dairy products but that money is not distributed fairly down the supply chain. The difference between profit and loss for dairy farmers in this country is a small fraction of the overall margin on milk and dairy products, which could easily be afforded.”

Farmers For Action, Chairman David Handley said:

“In an unprecedented move by farmer organisations, this letter should leave no retailer or buyer in any doubt that we will no longer tolerate the current trend of low milk prices and the total imbalance of profits in the dairy chain.”

RABDF chairman, Lyndon Edwards said:

“British dairy farmers must receive a fair and sustainable price for their milk immediately; otherwise consumers will not have the option to buy fresh British milk in future.”

Dairy Farmers of Scotland Chairman, Iain Smith:

“Everyone involved should take this letter and its contents very seriously. Never before has there been such a level of discontent among dairy farmers –– not only in the UK –– but worldwide. UK milk buyers are only fooling themselves in using EU and world markets as benchmarks for prices if they are to expect a continued supply of milk.”

FUW Vice-President, Eifion Huws:

“The fact that our respective organisations have come together and issued this stark warning demonstrates the seriousness of the situation. We all know of the devastating consequences that have resulted from short-sighted decisions in the financial industry. We are calling on leaders in the dairy supply chain not to make similar mistakes that will have long term repercussions for British food and farming.”

Chairman, NFUS, Jimmy Mitchell:

“NFUS fully supports all producer organisations joining forces to promote the interests of all dairy farmers. We also believe strongly that the future of the British dairy industry depends on an effective supply chain which ensures fair returns for all parts of that chain. Only when this becomes a reality will producers have the confidence and enthusiasm to invest and reverse the decline in production.”

Farmers’ Union of Wales vice president Brian Walters today warned the general public not to be misled by a leaflet entitled "Stop the barbaric and senseless badger cull".

Responding angrily to the Badger Watch publication, Mr Walters, an organic farmer from West Wales, said: "The leaflet is so wildly inaccurate it begs the question that it is either drawn up by people incapable of understanding simple facts or it is deliberately dishonest."

Following numerous complaints about the leaflet - published by Badger Watch and Rescue Dyfed and widely circulated in the Dyfed area - the FUW has posted a three-page factsheet on its website highlighting why it believes claims made in the document are "untruthful".

"As far as I’m concerned, Badger Watch Dyfed should withdraw the leaflet and issue a public apology," said Mr Walters

"We all have the right to express our views, but to publish such statements in order to get the general public to lobby politicians is disgraceful and in my view highlights the depths to which some people will stoop to mislead public opinion."

The FUW’s factsheet, published in response to the leaflet campaign, claims that eight of the statements made in 10 "answers" to frequently asked questions are misleading.

Included among these are the claim that TB is spread almost exclusively from cattle to cattle, which the Advertising Standards Agency has already ruled breaches rules on "truthfulness" following a case brought by the FUW against the RSPCA more than three years ago.

The factsheet also highlights gross inaccuracies in the statistics used in the leaflet, stating that one figure quoted "is out by 500%".

"This is not the first time that an animal rights pressure group has been caught misleading the general public on the clear link between badgers, cattle and TB," said Mr Walters. "It is important that the general public scrutinise statements made by this type of organisation.

"Last year, Welsh families had to suffer the deaths of eight thousand cattle due to this disease epidemic, and it is high time that animal rights groups took their fair share of the responsibility.

"For years they have misled politicians and the general public into ignoring the epidemic in badgers, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of cattle, costing the taxpayer millions, and causing prolonged and agonising deaths for badgers.

"The majority of Welsh politicians from all parties have accepted the scientific evidence, and attempts to put the democratic process off course through campaigns of misinformation should be stamped out.

"To treat the general public with such contempt is frankly disgusting."

Welsh dairy farmers have told Conservative politicians the EU’s decision to scrap milk quotas by 2015 will have a destabilising effect on their sector of the industry.

Farmers’ Union of Wales leaders delivered the stark message when they met Assembly shadow rural affairs minister, North Wales AM Brynle Williams, and Welsh Conservative candidate for the European Elections Kay Swinburne on the dairy farm of union members Harry Williams and his son Robin at Cilcain, near Mold.

A number of important issues were raised affecting the current problems in the dairy industry and Dr Swinburne pledged that if elected on June 4 she would keep in regular contact with the FUW and its members to work for the benefit of Welsh agriculture.

Brynle Williams said Harry and Robin Williams had invested heavily in their farm over the past few years but the problems facing the dairy sector - decreasing farm gate prices and increasing production costs - were making it difficult for them to make a sensible return on their investment.

FUW milk and dairy committee chairman Eifion Huws reminded the gathering that the union’s president Gareth Vaughan had already called for a national debate on the impact abolishing milk quotas will have on the Welsh dairy sector.

Last November the 27 EU agriculture ministers agreed to lift quotas by one per cent per year before scrapping them altogether in 2014-2015.

"Mr Vaughan has also written to Assembly rural affairs minister Elin Jones informing her the issue has attracted growing attention on the Continent during recent months, and prompted significant debate at a meeting of the EU Council of Ministers," said Mr Huws.

"The FUW is well aware of growing concern amongst many farmers in Wales, and in other parts of the EU, that the full implications of the abandonment of the quota regime have not been properly recognised by the European Commission.

"Many believe that such a change would have a destabilising effect on an industry that is already suffering as a result of market volatility, and would have a particularly adverse impact for family farms.

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"With the recent volatility of milk prices, there is a real need for the Welsh Assembly Government to engage in further discussions on the impact that abolishing the quota regime will have for the Welsh dairy sector," added Mr Huws, who runs a dairy farm on Anglesey.