Relative cuts to Wales' agricultural and rural development funding allocation announced in the latest spending review break the Conservative manifesto pledge not to cut rural funding for the second year running.

The UK budget and spending review announced on 27th October revealed that an average of £300 million a year would be allocated to Wales for agriculture and rural development over the next three financial years.

This is £37 million less than the budget allocated in 2019 - a year in which the Conservative manifesto pledged to "guarantee the current annual [Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)] budget to farmers in every year of the next Parliament.”

The FUW made strong and valid arguments in response to the UK Treasury’s decision last year to adopt a creative interpretation of the manifesto commitment and allocate a budget some £137 million less than had been anticipated, by including unspent EU funds from the 2014-2020 CAP budgetary period in its calculations.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has again been left frustrated following the statement made by the Minister for Rural Affairs on 16th November regarding a TB Eradication Programme.

The Minister announced a 12 week consultation, ‘A Refreshed TB Eradication Programme’ that outlines future policy proposals by the Welsh Government in tackling the disease in Welsh cattle.

With the incidences of TB increasing in the Low TB Areas of Wales, it is frustrating that the only response the Welsh Government has to tackle this issue is with increasing cattle controls and with greater testing burdens being placed upon hard-working farming families.

There is increasing concern about the mental health and well-being of farmers and this latest statement will do little to alleviate the emotional and financial strains.

It is disappointing to see yet another consultation reviewing payments for cattle compulsorily purchased due to TB. The FUW has made its views on this matter clear; no farmer should be over or under compensated for such cattle.

i) Major survey provides boost for Welsh red meat sector

A major survey of 1,000 consumers conducted by MRQual research on behalf of Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has revealed that Welsh-branded lamb is better-regarded than meat labelled at British.

Twice as many people answered that Welsh lamb (47%) tastes the best as opposed to British lamb (23%), 54% of respondents thought that Wales was the most natural place to rear lamb (as opposed to Britain as a whole - 27%) and 64% believed that Welsh lamb was produced on small family farms as opposed to 43% for British lamb.

ii) Welsh lamb enters Middle East hospitality sector

Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is working on a programme with importers, hotels and restaurants within the Middle East hospitality sector which saw Welsh lamb as a headline sponsor of the Leaders in Food and Beverage Awards.

The amount spent by visitors to the UAE doubled between 2016 and 2019 and work by HCC, Welsh processors and the Welsh Government led to a growth in lamb exports to the Middle East of around 400% between 2018 and 2020.

iii) Five major retailers pledge to halve environmental impact of weekly food shop

Tesco, Sainsbuyr’s, Waitrose, Co-op and Marks & Spencer have agreed to halve the environmental impact of a weekly food shop by 2030.

As part of the pledge, they have agreed to halve the food waste they produce, the environmental impact of the agriculture and seafood in shopper’s baskets, the forests that are cut down to create produce and the amount of global warming that their products cause.

A case of Avian Influenza H5N1 has been confirmed in a small backyard flock located near Chirk, Wrexham on the 1st of November. A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Restriction Zone are in place around the site where the confirmed cases were found.

For further information regarding the location and measures imposed by the Protection and Restriction zone, please follow the link below where a Declaration and an Interactive Map can be used:

https://gov.wales/avian-influenza-bird-flu-latest-update

The Welsh Government has since declared an all-Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone.

The all-Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone urges all bird keepers to maintain high levels of biosecurity.

Clinical signs of bird flu include a swollen head, blue discolouration of the neck and throat, loss of appetite, respiratory distress and diarrhoea amongst other symptoms.

If you suspect a case of Bird flu contact the local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) office immediately on 0300 303 8268.

For further information on the measures and restrictions imposed by the all-Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone, please follow the link below:

https://gov.wales/avian-influenza-bird-flu