A group of Welsh farming and environmental organisations have jointly written to the First Minister of Wales to impress the importance of maintaining the Rural Affairs budget for 2024/25.

The letter to the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS has been co-signed by CLA Cymru, Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW), NFU Cymru, National Trust Cymru, RSPB Cymru, Wales YFC, Tenant Farmers’ Association and Welsh Organic Forum. The group are calling for budgetary certainty for the Rural Affairs portfolio ahead of Welsh Government publishing its draft budget later this month.

Welsh Government has already warned that it faces its ‘toughest financial position since devolution’. Earlier this year, Welsh Government made a number of in-year budget cuts - which included a £37.5m cut to the Rural Affairs pot - as part of a ‘reprioritisation’ of its budget to address a significant funding shortfall.

The collaborative letter reads:

“Whilst we recognise the challenges that Welsh Government must contend with, we highlight that the entire Departmental Rural Affairs Budget of £482 million represents just 2% of the Welsh Government Budget. It is vitally important that as a minimum, this budget is maintained to ensure that our obligations and ambitions in relation to food, nature and climate are achieved.

“During a period of unprecedented change, we are grateful to Welsh Government for the commitment it has shown to farming and our environment through maintaining levels of funding for the Basic Payment Scheme and the Glastir Scheme in recent years. 

“We are deeply concerned, however, that rural Wales now faces a loss of £37.5m resulting from the in-year review of budgets confirmed in October 2023, a cut of 7.9% to a budget that has not seen an increase for a decade or more. This at a time when farmers and land managers are being asked to deliver far more for society than at any time previously in an extremely challenging economic landscape.

“As farming and environmental organisations, we are clear that any further cuts to the Departmental Rural Affairs Budget, and within that the funding allocated for the delivery of support that provides stability to rural businesses, alongside measures that underpin environmental delivery, will seriously threaten and undermine our rural communities and our ability to meet our shared aspiration to be global leaders in the production of climate and nature friendly food.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has stressed the importance of clear, sector specific funding in meetings with politicians at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair whilst also highlighting the urgent need for clarity if we are to retain Wales’ family farms.

FUW President Ian Rickman said: “Concerns regarding the possibility that agricultural and rural development budgets may not be restored, or may be cut even further, are exacerbated by the fact that what funding is made available is no longer ring-fenced for direct support for farmers and specific rural development objectives.

“It is also not regulated by strict spending criteria, meaning national Governments are in effect at liberty to reduce support and reallocate funding away from rural communities without regard for the social principles which were previously upheld through UK and EU legislation. We urgently need clarity on those issues from Westminster and Cardiff.”

The FUW also discussed issues surrounding the Habitat Wales Scheme, the Sustainable farming scheme and issues surrounding the proposed National Park in North East Wales and Montgomeryshire.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has revealed the winning designs for its Christmas card design competition. Children from primary schools across Wales had been invited to submit a farming themed Christmas card design in aid of Wales Air Ambulance, the FUW’s current Presidential charity.

The competition was split into two categories – English and Welsh designs. The English category was won by Lucy-grace Humphrey, 9 years old, from Glannau Gwaun School, Fishguard. The Welsh category was won by Ynyr Wyn Lloyd, 9 years old, from Bontnewydd School, Caernarfon.

FUW President Ian Rickman said: “The competition was a roaring success once again and has attracted hundreds of entries from across Wales. The standard was very high and presented the judges with a tough task when it came to choosing the winners.

“I would like to thank every single child who entered the competition and to tell them that without their participation the contest would not have been such a success. I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff at the schools up and down the country that assisted the FUW in the running of the competition.

“It gave children in urban and rural areas of Wales an opportunity to connect with the farming industry and express their thoughts in a creative and colourful way, showing why #FarmingMatters. I believe it is vital that we as farmers maintain a strong link with young people so that they understand the way that food is produced in this country.”

The cards can be purchased either from the FUW’s head office by calling 01970 820820 or from respective FUW county offices.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to undertake a review of the costs and administrative burdens placed upon livestock keepers resulting from the current TB testing regime in Wales. The call follows an announcement by the Minister for Rural Affairs today (November 14) which outlined additional testing requirements for the Low and Intermediate risk areas of Wales.

The changes come as part of the 5 year Delivery Plan published earlier this year.

From the 1st of February 2024, pre-movement testing will be reintroduced into the Low TB Area of Wales, whilst cattle moving into the Intermediate TB Area from the High TB area of Wales, the High Risk Area of England and from Northern Ireland will need a post-movement test. 

Farmers can still move cattle that have tested clear at a government funded routine surveillance test, such as the annual herd test. 

Dr Hazel Wright, FUW Deputy Head of Policy, stated: “The announcement of further testing requirements for cattle will be of little surprise to many FUW members given the proposals contained in the last Welsh Government TB consultation. In our lengthy response to this consultation we outlined that the expected impact on cattle welfare and human health and safety due to the increased gathering and handling required to comply with additional testing proposals should be determined prior to any additional testing requirements. However we are yet to receive this information despite today’s announcement.”

As part of its consultation response on the reintroduction of pre-movement testing in the LTBA, the FUW stated that the priority for such herds should be protection against disease but only in a manner which is proportionate to the risks conferred by a given activity and the benefits gained by a given policy.

“Whilst the FUW recognises the need to protect the Low Risk Area from further disease spread, the cost-benefit of increased testing must be fully considered.  According to data provided by the Welsh Government, between 2017 and 2022 there were over 860,000 pre-movement tests. Of these, just 0576 reactors and 610 inconclusive reactors were disclosed. In the LTBA, there were just 2 reactors over this time period - one in 2020 and one in 2021 - but more than 43,000 pre-movement tests conducted. Over the same time period in the Intermediate Mid Risk Area, no reactors were disclosed from post movement testing.

“The increased costs of these new policies come at a time when the industry is facing potential reductions to the compensation paid to cattle keepers following the compulsory slaughter of cattle infected with bovine TB.

“The financial and emotional costs of bovine TB are tremendous. Analysis conducted by the FUW showed that, in 2022, the estimated total cost of TB pre-movement testing borne by cattle keepers in Wales was more than 2.3 million pounds. This is a 129% increase in industry testing costs since 2006.

“Sadly, testing costs are just a fraction of the costs borne by the industry in relation to this disease. No compensation is offered for the additional costs incurred such as lost revenue, loss of milk production, loss of breeding lines, delays to re-stocking and movement restrictions. These consequential losses suffered by a producer whose animals are compulsorily purchased can be significant and can run into tens of thousands of pounds.  

“We are therefore calling on the Welsh Government to properly analyse the cost-benefit of such proposals and to take a more rounded view of the overall impact on farm businesses prior to implementation.”

A tenant farmer from Anglesey has raised concerns around the Control of Agriculture  Pollution Regulations and the Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals with Leader of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth. 

Dilwyn Owen, who farms Porthamel Farm, Llanedwen, is a young tenant farmer on a County Council Holding. Here he keeps a herd of beef, which are sent directly to slaughter. He also grows some arable crops, in addition to having his own contracting business. 

He is concerned about the Control of Agriculture Pollution Regulations, as complying with them means making huge investments to create a new slurry store, with the landlord unable to offer any support at present.

John Owen, who has been instrumental in developing good farming practices for all farmers within Wales through his extensive work at Gelli Aur and beyond, has been recognised for his work with the Farmers’ Union of Wales – United Counties Agriculture and Hunters Society Award for services to agriculture in Carmarthenshire.  

Being based at Gelli Aur has enabled him to impart and develop his knowledge and understanding of farming practices and needs within Carmarthenshire which have benefited the farmers within the industry.