A total of 21 rural officers from all four Welsh police forces were given vital first-hand experience of farming recently by attending a “Farm Awareness” course at Coleg Sir Gar in Carmarthenshire, the first course of its type ever run in Wales.

Sponsored by the Welsh Government, the day gave Welsh officers the knowledge required to attend farms in the course of their daily duties with the confidence of understanding farming and importantly the dangers of this rural working environment.

The day started off with a session covering the different types of farming in Wales and the real issues that face the industry, from the impact of rural crime to governmental rules and movement licences of livestock.

The officers were then able to experience being around livestock by assisting in the gathering and the counting of sheep and also to understand the dangers that can be presented by working with cattle both indoors and outdoors. Different types of farm machinery were also on the agenda with health and safety covered and how to make farm vehicles safe if required to do so in an emergency, with some officers given the chance to drive tractors and experience first-hand their capabilities.

Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has recently launched a practical guide for farmers to make livestock farming in Wales even more sustainable.

The ‘Perfecting the Welsh Way’ document outlines ways in which farmers can reduce their carbon footprint. It is believed that on-farm measures, such as animal breedings and grassland management, could cut emissions from the Welsh sheep sector by 20% and that increasing carbon sequestration in soils and renewable energy generation could have an even bigger impact.

According to independent academic research, Wales is already one of the most sustainable places in the world to produce red meat, with its non-intensive farming based on abundant rainfall and grass growth.

The new document is aimed at helping the industry to improve further, to contribute to achieving the Welsh Government’s target of net zero by 2050, and ensure that consumers are given the choice to buy the most sustainable lamb and beef possible.

A major focus is grassland management. Grazed grassland, which is the large majority of agricultural land in Wales, can act as a carbon sink. Effective management of grassland will ensure both correct nutrition for cattle and sheep, while also helping to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

There is not one ‘silver bullet’ to making the most of Welsh agriculture’s potential to contribute to mitigating climate change, but a range of measures can lead to a substantial sustainability gain.

The ‘Perfecting the Welsh Way’ report can be viewed here: http://meatpromotion.wales/environment

The UK Government has published guidance documents to those in the horticulture, haulage, butchery and poultry sectors who want to overcome staff shortages through immigrations procedures.

The Seasonal Worker route allows employers in the edible horticulture sector to source workers for up to six months.

The Seasonal Worker route can also be used to sponsor poultry production workers between 11th October 2021 and 31st December 2021, workers undertaking haulage driving involving transportation of food goods between 11th October 2021 and 28th February 2022 and workers undertaking specified pork butchery work who must apply no later than 31st December 2021 and who can stay for up to six months.

This version of the guidance is valid from 1 November 2021: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workers-and-temporary-workers-guidance-for-sponsors-sponsor-a-seasonal-worker

The agreement in principle of a trade deal with New Zealand has shown a willingness by the UK Government to undermine UK farming and food security in return for negligible benefits to the economy.

The UK Government’s own figures show that the deal will generate just £112 million in additional exports for UK firms compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The deal will allow New Zealand to increase their exports of food to the UK, representing a major threat to Welsh and GB farmers as well to UK food security.

In the first year, the deal would allow a 30% increase in the amount of New Zealand lamb that can be imported to the UK duty free (i.e. without tariffs), with this figure rising to 44% after five years, followed by further increases and ultimately the removal of all limits after 15 years.