The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has today welcomed the appointment of Mrs Lesley Griffiths as the new Environment and Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary.

She takes on her new role having been Assembly Member for Wrexham since 2007 and in the last Welsh Government was Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty.

“Agriculture and rural affairs are key to our economy, and central to addressing and dealing with the major challenges of our generation.

“The FUW looks forward to working closely with the new Government in order to ensure priorities are met for rural Wales and Wales as a whole and we welcome the fact that our call for the appointment of a full cabinet member with responsibility for rural affairs has been heeded ,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

“With issues such as climate change and water management dominating agendas such as those listed in the Well-being of Future Generations Act, we are pleased to see Mrs Griffiths has been appointed to fight for the interests of our rural communities – communities for which agriculture is a cornerstone,” he added.

Mr Roberts said the previous call tied in with the FUW’s vision of a Rural Powerhouse for Wales which recognises the central role agriculture and rural areas must play in addressing the challenges of the future, while ensuring the focus does not just fall on the M4 and A55 corridors.

“I have written to Mrs Griffiths to congratulate her on her appointment and have asked for an early meeting in order to discuss those issues which are of concern to farmers and have an impact on all aspects of her portfolio,” he added.

Under the previous Welsh administration the agricultural portfolio was moved between ministers and deputy ministers a number of times following Welsh cabinet reshuffles.

“We have outlined our key concerns for the agricultural industry in our 2016 election manifesto and hope to see the new Environment and Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary deal with critical issues such as bovine TB and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones as a matter of urgency,” added Mr Roberts.

[caption id="attachment_6388" align="alignleft" width="300"] Moelgolomen farm has been in the family for over 400 years[/caption]

Nestled in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid-Wales, just a short drive outside of Aberystwyth, lies Moelgolomen farm.

The organic 750 acre holding is home to Rhodri Lloyd-Williams, his wife Sarah and their three children - six-year old Elen, three-year old Ariana, one-year old Cai, as well as 750 Welsh Mountain ewes and 25 Welsh Black suckler cows.

Helping with the running of the holding are Rhodri’s parents, Simon and Monica, who took the farm over in 1975, which has been in the family for over 400 years.

Rhodri and Sarah set up a box-scheme in December last year in a bid to diversify and to offer the community the chance to reduce food miles and purchase their food direct from the farm.

Lambs for the box scheme are butchered just down the road in Machynlleth before being boxed and delivered fresh direct to their customers.

“We’ve always done home kills of our lambs for ourselves (why would we settle for anything less?!) and over the years we started doing a few more for family, and then for friends and then for friends of friends until before long we had orders coming in from everywhere, which is why we decided to set up welshmountainlamb.com to make it easier for people to order and for customers to see where their lamb is coming from,” said Rhodri.

The family also sell their lambs via Dunbia, Llanybydder, where between 5 and 10 percent of it is sold as organic produce throughout UK supermarkets. The rest, accounting for over 80 percent, is exported to Europe.

Rhodri explains that “for organic lamb to be sold here in the UK the supermarkets want it to weigh in at over 15kg. Because our Welsh Mountain lambs don’t always come in at that weight most of it gets exported to parts of Europe where consumers prefer smaller lambs.”

The Welsh Black cattle are sold as stores at 18 months of age to an organic buyer.

[caption id="attachment_6389" align="alignright" width="300"] On top of the hill: Rhodri Lloyd-Williams shows the DR news crew around the family farm[/caption]

“We pride ourselves on our ethical and sustainable approach to agriculture and have farmed organically since 1999. We have always looked to farm in a sustainable way creating not only an environment where livestock can thrive but also one that is sympathetic to the environment,” Rhodri said.

Moelgolomen farm has been involved in a number of environmental schemes and is currently in the Glastir Scheme.

In the last few years the family have planted up over 30 acres of woodland as well as an orchard and a few miles of hedgerows to create a variety of habitats for wildlife to thrive.

“We’ve planted tens of thousands of trees in the last 20 or so years. Some in our area of ancient Oak woodland, which we stock excluded in the year 2000 and added to the original Oaks upwards of 20,000 trees including Welsh Oak, Scots Pine, Hazel, Willow, Sweet Chestnut, Holly, Cherry and a number of other native tree species.

“Since we’ve fenced the area off we’ve seen other trees self-seed such as Ash, Rowan, Beech and Birch, to leave a rich and varied woodland teeming with life,” explains Rhodri.

In addition to the woodland Rhodri and his family have also planted a few miles of hedgerows around fields, having double fenced areas to keep the livestock out.

“We now have these wildlife corridors linking large areas of the farm allowing wild animals to travel long distances without having to venture from the sanctuary of the hedge lines,” he added.

The family have also installed a hydro-scheme and solar PV so that most of their electrical needs are generated on farm and the rest is imported from a green energy company so the entire farm is powered by renewable sources.

Speaking about their commitment to renewable energy, Rhodri says: “In 2012 our hydro scheme came online which meant for large periods of the winter (and more often than not most of the summer too) the farmhouse and all the sheds were powered by electricity generated on farm.

[caption id="attachment_6390" align="alignleft" width="300"] It’s a family affair - discussing the EU referendum round the kitchen table are DR's Europe correspondent Anna Gaarslev and cameraman Jan Vinholdt with the Lloyd-Williams family[/caption]

“As we feel so strongly about renewable technology we have subsequently switched our energy suppliers to a renewable energy company so that even when we are enjoying a dry spell our carbon footprint is minimal.”

The farmhouse lies at 600 feet above sea level with the tops of the hills stretching up to 1500 feet on the fell, allowing the stock to have a large area to roam and a great variety in grasses, clovers and herbs which helps create the distinctive taste of the Welsh Mountain lamb, and because they are left to develop naturally on the hills, the animals mature slowly to create that rich flavour and lean meat associated with their lambs.

“All our sheep lamb outside in March and April, and once they’ve left the lambing fields, after a few days they’re free to roam the hills and enjoy the views.”

And while all seems perfectly idyllic, there is something that worries the family - the upcoming EU referendum.

“I feel responsible for Moelgolomen farm - it has been in our family for over 400 years. And whilst we look at all options to be sustainable and profitable, we are just like many other family farms in Wales, reliant on not just the Single Farm Payment but also access to the European market,” said Rhodri.

The family father of three is under no illusion that things would be very different for his business if the UK chose to leave the European Union in June.

“I would almost certainly be worse off. In all honesty, leaving the EU is not going to be a smart move for agriculture and for the economy as a whole.

[caption id="attachment_6391" align="alignright" width="300"] One-year old Cai enjoys a ride with grandpa Simon[/caption]

“Over 80 percent of my produce gets exported to a market that has access to over 500 million customers - why would I want to put that at risk?

“Those who say we can set up our own trade agreements need to realise that it is not in the interest of the EU to see the UK succeed outside of the European Union and I think they would make it extremely difficult for us to trade with them.

“If it was easy for the UK to access that market after a Brexit - what is there to stop others from leaving as well?

“The thought of putting our family business at risk with the possibility of losing it is just not a chance I want to take.

“The EU is not perfect, that much we know and that’s why we are having this referendum in the first place. People are not happy with the status quo and politicians need to listen.

[caption id="attachment_6392" align="alignleft" width="300"] Head of the farm business Rhodri, his mum Monica and dad Simon, 6 year-old daughter Elen and wife Sarah[/caption]

“But what good could come from walking away from the negotiating table? Let’s do the right thing and keep the conversations open. That way we have a chance of making a change that will affect us positively.”

[caption id="attachment_6384" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW's Brian Bowen[/caption]

In 5 weeks, British citizens will decide, by referendum, whether to remain in the European Union.

In light of the upcoming referendum a sheep farmer from the Rhymney Valley has stepped forward to express his concerns about the future of agriculture, should the UK chose to leave the European Union.

Brian Bowen, who farms 2000 breeding ewes and around 150 suckler cows on the 1250 acre (rented and owned land) Pencoedcae farm, Princetown, Tredegar - at the top end of the Rhymney Valleys bordering on the south side of the Brecon Beacons- explained that for agriculture to survive, the UK is in its strongest position inside the EU.

“This referendum is of monumental importance and is a once-in-a-generation decision.

“There are certain facts that we can’t ignore when we contemplate this big decision.

“I was pleased to hear the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, outlined these in his recent debate in Brecon.

“As farmers here in Wales, first of all we need to acknowledge that Wales is a net beneficiary of EU financial support under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and we receive more in EU funding than we contribute to the EU budget through taxation.

“Around 60,000 people are employed on holdings across Wales. And the food and drink supply chain makes up approximately 18 percent of the total Welsh workforce.

“In the past 8 years alone, EU funds have helped to create over 35,000 jobs and over 12,000 new enterprises in this very country. If we were to lose our access to the CAP - all of this would be put in jeopardy,” said Mr Bowen.

In recent interviews with the Turkish Broadcaster TRT World and German - French Broadcaster ARTE, Mr Bowen further highlighted points made by Commissioner Hogan, in that targeted CAP funding has allowed for the development of many new, vibrant industries within the rural community.

“Those in favour of leaving the EU may argue that the UK can devise a plan for an agricultural policy that serves the interests of both the farming community and society better than the CAP.

“And while this may be true it is an untested theory and there is still no actual plan B in place with flesh on the bones,” added Mr Bowen.

The FUW is aware that some published plans describe a post-Brexit British Agricultural Policy of £2 billion per year.

However, the FUW was not surprised to hear the Commissioner highlight that this would be a third less than the £3 billion we currently receive from the CAP this year, and every year up to 2020.

“What we know for sure is that the CAP provides stability to farmers and agri-businesses. This legally binding contract between the EU and farmers, under the Multiannual Financial Framework, can’t be cut by the Commission or any Government during this current period up to 2020.

“But outside the EU, agricultural spending would be subject to the same annual review by the British Treasury as any other Department .

“I honestly don’t think that Welsh farmers can compete with the city of London, doctors, nurses and schools in such a review,” said Mr Bowen.

This is especially relevant in light of the fact that the DEFRA budget is already down a third since 2010, whilst other Departments such as Health, Education, Defence and Overseas Aid are ring-fenced from cuts.

[caption id="attachment_6385" align="alignright" width="300"] Some of the sheep at Pencoedcae Farm.[/caption]

Those attending the recent debate on the CAP in Brecon, will have heard Commissioner Hogan say that when the major EU sheepmeat producers, including Wales, asked for additional focus on the sector, the Commission established a Sheepmeat Reflection Group to identify the factors which could underpin the sector's healthy development.

This, Commissioner Hogan said, should prove highly beneficial to Wales and indeed the broader UK, which is Europe's biggest lamb exporter.

When it comes to the export market into the EU, with the combined strength of 28 Member States and access to 500 million potential customers, the Union has long highlighted the benefits.

“We need to remember when we vote, that the EU is the world’s largest agricultural trader. It offers the world’s largest agri-food markets, with exports exceeding €129 billion in 2015.
“The market for EU produce has continued to expand over the past few years and will continue to do so in the future. All of which has benefited the Welsh economy,” said Mr Bowen.

Thanks to the EU, Welsh farmers now have access to markets in South Korea, Canada, Colombia, Singapore, and Vietnam.

In total, farmers in Wales have the opportunity to capitalise on over 53 trade agreements, which allow for agri-produce to be exported and imported without any red tape.

“We have also heard from Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss, that sheep farming and the British lamb industry would be under threat if the UK left the European Union.

“How can we ignore these warning? Only today Elizabeth Truss warned that outside the EU tariffs could add an additional £155 million to the cost of lamb and mutton exports, making British lamb a less attractive prospect for Europeans compared to New Zealand and Australian competitors.

“British lamb still does not have access to the US and China markets, so the EU is a particularly important export destination.

“For the sake of all our futures, I urge voters to choose carefully when it comes to placing their vote and ensure that they really have considered all of the facts.

“I don’t just say this for the benefit of my own business but for the sake of the industry,” concluded Mr Bowen.

[caption id="attachment_6381" align="alignleft" width="200"] FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) chief executive Jeremy Cooper’s apology for the charity’s adversarial and highly politicised campaigns – but says many questions remain regarding the organisation’s conduct and that of the Charity Commission, which is responsible for monitoring charities.

Mr Cooper told The Telegraph “Of course we have made mistakes in the past, and we are very sorry about that. We have to be honest and admit the mistakes and acknowledge them.”

The apology comes after years of criticism and negative publicity led to a parliamentary inquiry and an independent report recommending sweeping changes to the charity’s involvement with prosecutions.

Responding to the apology, FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas said: “For more than a decade the FUW repeatedly raised concerns about the conduct of the RSPCA in relation to its overtly political campaigns, and pursued a number of complaints with the Advertising Standards Authority and the Charity Commission, amongst others.”

Mr Thomas said that while the ASA had upheld complaints against the RSPCA by the FUW, the Charity Commission had, over a prolonged period, appeared to take a passive approach to the charity.

“In response to serious complaints against the RSPCA the Charity Commission was generally dismissive and at times appeared to try and brush concerns under the carpet.

“Their passive approach to the RSPCA effectively gave the charity a green light to become more militant and more political, and we would argue that Mr Cooper’s public apology is at least in part a direct consequence of this failure by the Charity Commission,” added Mr Thomas.

In 2012, the then Chief Executive of the RSPCA, Gavin Grant, described the charity as “the oldest law enforcement agency still in existence in this country”, and threatened to campaign to “stop consumers drinking milk”, if supermarkets were unable to differentiate between ‘badger friendly milk’ and milk from English badger cull areas.

Similar, more ominous threats were made during a 2012 BBC Panorama documentary on the English badger cull, during which Mr Grant said that "The spotlight of attention will be turned on those marksmen [employed to cull badgers] and on those who give permission for this cull to take place. They will be named and we will decide as citizens of this country whether they will be shamed."

In 2012, the FUW wrote to the President of the Association of Chief Police Officers expressing major concerns that ten police forces in the UK, including the North Wales and South Wales Forces, had agreements with the RSPCA which allowed the charity to access confidential and sensitive information about individuals contained in police records.

Concerns have also been expressed after the RSPCA tried to claim thousands of pounds for stabling and caring for horses which had been put down by the charity.

“A sinister shadow has been cast over the honourable roots of the RSPCA and the important work done by its employees.

“The only way in which to redeem its reputation is through full transparency, and a full investigation of the role played by the Charity Commission in allowing the organisation to fall into such disrepute,” said Mr Thomas.

[caption id="attachment_6370" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW Policy Officer Charlotte Priddy[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales, a longstanding campaigner for food products displaying clear and trustworthy information for consumers, has welcomed a decision by the European Parliament to call on the European Commission to introduce a mandatory requirement to display origin information.

Evidence shows that consumers in Wales want Welsh and British produce.

According to reports published by the European Commission 90 per cent of consumers felt it was important that origin information was displayed on fresh and processed meat and consumer surveys have revealed that the origin is an important purchase factor for milk, dairy and meat products.

In Strasbourg yesterday (Thursday, May 12) a full parliament voted to approve a non-binding resolution.

The resolution requests the commission to look again at its position and ‘implement the mandatory indication of country of origin for all kinds of drinking milk, dairy products and meat products’, as well as highlighting the need for clarity within food labelling.

The resolution also emphasises the success of voluntary labelling schemes, as advocated by the European Commission.

However, MEPs felt that this could lead to confusion for customers with the possibility of several schemes being established. The resolution argues that legislation on labelling should be brought forward ‘as a priority’.

FUW Policy Officer Charlotte Priddy said: “This is an important step in maintaining customer confidence. Transparent supply chains help to promote the safety and integrity of produce which is something we should be proud of.

“In particular, the call for a mandatory labelling of the origin of milk comes at an important time considering the dairy crisis. It will serve as a helpful factor in protecting the quality of dairy products, combating food fraud and even go some way to protect employment within the dairy sector.”

Next weekend will see the Royal Welsh Showground come to life as it celebrates rural life and smallholdings at the annual Spring Festival (21 - 22 May).

Joining in the celebrations is the Farmers’ Union of Wales as it puts its support behind those who make a living of the land by offering business and insurance advice at its stand.

The Union will be joined by FUW Insurance Services Ltd and the Wales Stronger In campaign.

“We are once again proud to be supporting this fantastic festival which will play host to over 200 businesses over the course of the weekend,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

“The FUW has always been a great advocate of those businesses who keep our rural economy alive no matter how big or small and we look forward to seeing many of you at the two-day event.

“We are here to help you with any business or insurance queries you may have, so don’t hesitate to stop by to say hello,” added Mr Roberts.

FUW Insurance Services Managing Director, Mark Roberts, said: “We are of course excited to be at the Spring Festival and look forward to meeting current and potentially new customers.

“We will have specialists at the stand on both show days to help with enquiries and questions about the variety of insurance policies available, or concerns about the type of insurance cover an individual may need. So please stop by and say hello.”