The Farmers’ Union of Wales has responded with criticism to the news that 13% has been cut from the draft Rural Affairs budget.

The publication of the Welsh Government draft budget for 2024-25 has revealed that the total funding for rural affairs will be cut by a total of £62 million, around 13%, compared with the final 2023-24 budget as announced in February, to help address the approximate £1.3 billion shortfall.

Whilst it has to be welcomed that the Welsh Government draft budget for 2024-25 for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is maintained at £238 million for 2024, the overall backdrop of this budget reinforces uncertainty for the sector.

Speaking in response to the statement, FUW President Ian Rickman said: “The cuts made to Wales’ rural affairs funding in the Welsh Government’s draft budget for 2024-25 are a serious cause for concern, not least because replacement EU CAP funding alone should now equal around £440 million when taking inflation into account.

“At a time when Welsh farmers face huge uncertainty around future farm support and the actions they will be required to undertake in order to receive such support, it’s of paramount importance that the Welsh Government recognises the sustainable food our farmers produce and the contributions they make to the environment and wider rural economy when allocating funds to the rural affairs portfolio.”

The FUW recently published its report on the role of farm support in Wales’ livestock supply chains, revealing the stark impacts cuts to direct farm support could have on the wider rural economy and as such welcomed that at least some clarity was offered around the BPS.

“The level of clarity around the BPS provides some much needed certainty for our members for next year and will also allow us to provide some indicative figures for the minimum financial support they can expect to receive during the transition into the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

“We welcome the announcement which recognises the significance of the Basic Payment Scheme for around 16,000 farm businesses in Wales, and the thousands of tertiary businesses situated within rural communities which rely directly or indirectly on farms for a proportion of their income, however, the overall shortfall to the sector has to be reviewed and addressed.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has honoured the founder of Castell Howell Foods with an award for ‘Outstanding Services to Welsh Agriculture’ at a recent dinner which was held in honour of Brian Jones which was held at the Halliwell Centre in Carmarthen.

After presenting Mr Jones with the award, FUW President Ian Rickman said: “35 years ago Brian Jones and Castell Howell Foods officially started their journey to being one of the largest independent food wholesalers to the foodservice sector in the UK. 

“From the company’s inception in 1988, the business has grown to employ in excess of 800 colleagues, list a range of over 14,000 products, delivering to 5000 customers across Wales and the border counties every week.

“The work Brian has done on behalf of agriculture, food production and promotion of Welsh produce over the years has been exceptional for that we thanked him with this special award.”

Castell Howell are proud of their Welsh agricultural roots with the promotion of local and regional foods a core value. The range of Welsh dairy products, meats, dry and frozen food is unparalleled, and the company is proud to act as an intermediary for many indigenous businesses, purchasing in excess of £37 million of food and services from Welsh suppliers in the past 12 months.

Thanks to his dedication to the food sector, and supporting the communities where the business operates Brian was awarded an MBE, has had the honour of being President of both the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and Pembrokeshire Show, and is a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

FUW Chief Executive Guto Bebb added: “I thank the Carmarthen team for their hard work in pulling this event together. It has been a triumph for agriculture and we are proud to have stalwarts such as Brian Jones in our industry ranks. The award is very well deserved and I congratulate Brian on his achievements.”

The Montgomeryshire team of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has taken the farming story to Westminster in a bid to showcase the importance of agriculture and food production, as well as providing an opportunity to showcase Montgomeryshire demonstrating the sheer quality and diversity of its produce, producers and organisations.

Working jointly with Craig Williams, Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire, the Union and exhibitors had a successful ‘Montgomeryshire Day', which was hosted in the Jubilee Room in the House of Commons on Wednesday 6 December 2023.

Joining the FUW for the event were The British Wool Marketing Board, Montgomeryshire YFC, Cakes and Bakes, Craig Farm Organics, Vintage Land Rover Tours, Get Jerky, LunchLocker and Mid Wales Tourism.

The delegation enjoyed an evening at the Wales Office (Tuesday 5 December 2023), meeting with Minister of State forthe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Mark Spencer MP, Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Barclay MP, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office Fay Jones MP.

FUW President Ian Rickman said: “I would like to thank Craig Williams for the excellent opportunity to bring not just the story of farming and Montgomeryshire right into the heart of London, but also providing members with an opportunity to speak to Ministers about the farming matters that are of concern to them.” 

Union officials also met with Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the Wednesday morning, discussing funding commitments, the importance of farming to the rural economy and wider manifesto commitments including the need for food security, and Jo Stevens MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales to discuss the Unions key asks looking ahead to a possible General Election.

In the afternoon, following Prime Minister's Questions, Montgomeryshire Day welcomed guests to taste Montgomeryshire produce and speak to producers and Union officials about wider farming matters. Union President Ian Rickman also welcomed the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, highlighting the concerns farmers have in Wales.

Speaking after the event, The Rt Ho. Craig Williams MP said: “It was a pleasure to welcome all of our exhibitors and guests to Westminster. Our aim was to showcase Montgomeryshire and promote a county that is filled with wondrous landscapes and blessed with so many successful businesses, from small to large scale. 

“I would like to pay tribute to everyone who has been involved in Montgomeryshire Day, and in particular to everyone who has travelled to London. Finally, a massive thank you to the Farmers’ Union of Wales, who have been instrumental in pulling the event together.”

FUW Montgomeryshire CEO, Emyr Wyn Davies, said: “Montgomeryshire Day provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our agricultural and rural talents in the House of Commons, whilst also showing those MP’s not representing a Welsh constituency what we have to offer. 

“As a Union we know that family farms in particular are at the heart of our rural economy, caring for our landscapes and of course our culture, and they make innumerable other contributions to the well-being of Wales and the UK. That was clearly visible at Montgomeryshire Day and members across the Union will be pleased to know that their Union stressed the importance of a thriving, sustainable, farming sector in Wales with everyone they spoke to during the course of the event.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is urging its members to engage with the latest proposals of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, stating its the most important change to Welsh agricultural policy since the genesis of the Common Agricultural Policy in 1962.

The Welsh Government has today (14 December 2023) launched the pivotal consultation on the future of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, the mechanism through which farmers will receive support in Wales from 2025 onwards.

Speaking in response to the announcement, FUW President Ian Rickman said: “We have repeatedly consulted with our members on several versions of this scheme since 2018 and are now at the most critical stage of its development.

“While we have been successful in lobbying for certain crucial changes to the scheme since its inception, including the provision of a baseline payment, a number of significant barriers and questions around certain details remain.”

In response to the initial Brexit and Our Land Consultation, the FUW maintained that any future payment scheme based on environmental and public goods outcomes must also protect family farms, support rural communities and Welsh Jobs and ensure that agriculture is both sustainable and rewarding.  To fail to do so would most likely lead to serious damage to Wales’ family farms and the role they play in Wales’ economy, society, culture and landscape.

“These policy priorities continue to underpin our key asks in relation to the Sustainable Farming Scheme - this scheme must be practical for all farmers in Wales and deliver on our economic, environmental and social sustainability.

“We will be thoroughly dissecting the consultation document and will consult with members in detail on the proposals. This consultation outlines the most important change to Welsh agricultural policy since the genesis of the Common Agricultural Policy in 1962 and I therefore urge every member to engage and contribute to the Union’s response,” said the FUW President.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has paid tribute to Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford, who stood down as Welsh Labour leader today (Wednesday 13 December 2023) and will be stepping down as First Minister in March 2024.

Mr Drakeford said nominations for his successor as leader will open shortly, and the process will be concluded by the end of the Senedd Spring term, enabling the contest winner to be put to the Senedd before Easter recess. He will remain as First Minister until that time but will stand down as Leader of Welsh Labour immediately.

Commenting on the news, FUW President Ian Rickman said: “We thank the First Minister Mark Drakeford for his service to Wales and wish him the best in his future endeavours.

“As a Union we know that family farms in particular are at the heart of our rural economy, caring for our landscape, and of course our culture, and they make innumerable other contributions to the well-being of Wales and the UK. We look forward to working with the next First Minister and Welsh Labour Leader to be appointed, ensuring that we continue to see thriving, sustainable, family farms in Wales.”

A new entrant to farming on Anglesey has highlighted his concerns about the future of the farming industry to local MP Virginia Crosbie, when he welcomed her to his tenant farm Tywrideen, Rhoscolyn, Caergybi.

Cai Jones, a young farmer who set up his own holding around 2 years ago after gaining tenancy at Tywrideen, farms around 300 acres of land all of which is rented. The farm business is run in partnership with his younger brother Osian. 

The land is of less favourable qualities and the majority lies on the coastline, and the brothers are all too clear that the future of farm payments and agri environment schemes is crucial to this type of farm.

Both Cai and Osian work off the farm on a regular basis carrying out casual labour jobs on local farms to boost their income. This is in addition to keeping 450 ewes and 30 suckler cows of their own. 

“As young, tenant farmers, we need as much certainty as possible on what the future of agricultural funding is going to look like. Maintaining agricultural support is absolutely crucial to the rural economy and agricultural production,” said Cai Jones.

Union officials stressed the point that funding cuts for agriculture would have severe consequences for the rural economy and farming businesses.

“We are looking at less money not only for farms, but also for the tens of thousands of Welsh non-farming businesses that provide services and goods to our farms. With a reduction in funding, we also have to recognise the environmental goals and net zero ambitions are put at great risk. If there are no farmers to look after the land and produce food, our landscape, rural economy and food security are at great risk -  a risk that is avoidable,” added Cai.

FUW Anglesey county executive officer Alaw Jones added: “It is essential for politicians and policy makers to fully understand the economic role played by farm support in supply chains and the dangers of cuts and changes proposed by some.”

The brothers are also concerned about the trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, which open the door to cheaper food imports.

“The UK Government has been pursuing liberal trade deals that its own figures show will undermine UK food security. These deals have been shown to have negligible benefits for the UK’s economy whilst opening up UK markets to products that do not meet our own high standards. The UK Government needs to focus on trade policies that place UK food security and producers at the top of their agenda,” said Osian Jones.

In addition the Union also highlighted concerns around livestock worrying and highlighted to the MP that at present, neither the police nor other agencies are required by the Home Office to record statistics of livestock attacks or mortalities and the FUW believes that this crime remains significantly under-reported and under-recorded. 

“The inability to officially monitor the extent and impact of the issue - coupled with a lack of police powers to bring offenders to justice - has eroded confidence in reporting amongst our membership.

“The evidence surrounding the nature and extent of dog attacks on livestock means that the only way to properly tackle such crimes is by introducing new legislation which is fit-for-purpose and which recognises the significant - and avoidable - losses experienced by hard-working farming families following a dog attack.  

“It is now incumbent on the Government to protect rural communities by ensuring that these elements of the UK Kept Animals Bill are brought forward,” added Alaw Jones.