The deadline for expressing an interest in the Women In Agriculture scholarship funding has been extended until 5pm on 30th October 2019.

The support provides funding of up to £1,000 per applicant to undertake leadership development programmes which are set to start later this year.  It is important to note that it is unsure when the next expression of interest window will be for these grants, therefore FUW encourage any interested members to get involved.

Please see here for further information.

Consultations Pending

i) Food Standards Agency - Home Slaughter of Livestock Guidance

The Food Standards Agency have updated the Home Slaughter of Livestock guidance for England and Wales to reflect the changes to regulations.

Under the revised Animal Welfare Regulations, the home killing of an animal and any related operations shall only be carried out by persons with the appropriate level of competence to do so without causing the animals any pain, distress or suffering; on behalf of the owner, at the owner’s property, for domestic consumption.

For further information please follow click here.  The consultation closes on the 28th October 2019.

ii) Sustainable Farming and our Land
The Welsh Government's consultation on the future of farm payments closes in just six days on 30th October. The consultation paper can be viewed by clicking here.
You can respond to the consultation by emailing your comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The FUW has consulted with its County Branches and Standing Committees, and will be submitting a detailed response.

(iii) Ageing Of Sheep At Slaughter
Welsh Government, DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are seeking views on the proposal to change English and Welsh legislation for ageing sheep at slaughter for the removal of Specified Risk Materials (SRM).

Currently, SRM is removed from sheep over 12 months of age as declared through dentition (checking teeth) for preventing Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) in the interest of public health.

Instead, the consultation proposes an (optional) alternative method for the ageing of sheep at slaughter:  Sheep born in the previous calendar year and submitted for slaughter in the calendar year following their birth after an annual cut-off date of 30 June must be considered as aged over 12 months and therefore would require the removal of the spinal cord as SRM.  Sheep born in the previous calendar year and submitted for slaughter in the calendar year following their birth before an annual cut-off date of 30 June would be considered as aged under 12 months and would not require removal of the spinal cord as SRM.

Please follow click here for the consultation document.  Responses by 31st October 2019.

iv) National Development Framework

The Welsh Government National Development Framework consultation sets out the development of a twenty year plan for Wales up to 2040. It covers issues such as housing, energy, transport and the environment.

The consultation document is a comprehensive document covering all policies. The discussion document details policies on three regional areas of Wales:

North Wales

Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham local authorities)

Mid and South West Wales

Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion,Powys, Swansea, and Neath Port Talbot local authorities

South East Wales

Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf,Cardiff, Caerphilly, Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Monmouthshire

The consultation response document then asks for opinions on the propositions presented for each region. Your local county knowledge would be valuable in answering these.

There are a further seven documents covering integrated sustainability, habitat regulations, a young person's summary and an easy read document which can be accessed at the following link gov.wales/draft-national-development-framework.

The consultation has been extended until the 15th November.

v) Animal Exhibits
Animal Exhibits (AEs) are diverse and there is no current licensing regime or requirements for routine inspections, therefore animal welfare standards are not guaranteed. In addition, the Performing Animals Act 1925 requires performing animals to be registered with Local Authorities which currently have no end date, nor does the Act define what is meant by a ‘performing animal’.

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Animal Exhibits) (Wales) Regulations 2020 will introduce a requirement for AEs which meet a given criteria to be licensed by their Local Authority. The scheme will provide for checks to be made to ensure good welfare standards are maintained and that animals are exhibited in a way that encourages respectful and responsible attitudes towards all species.

The consultation outlines that (a) Keeping animals primarily for dairy farming and livestock breeding and (b) Keeping or training animals for sporting purposes would be exempt from requiring a licence (as well as other categories).

Please follow click here for the consultation document. Deadline for responses is 21st November 2019.

vi) NRW ‘Challenges and Choices’

This is the second consultation under the Water Framework Directive that will contribute to the River Basin Management Plans and the State of Natural Resource Report (SoNaRR 2).

The consultation aims to share an overview of water management challenges in different areas of Wales and ways of improving these.  Respondents can suggest actions that are required in different areas which should influence the approach to water management in the area.

NRW would like your views on the issues affecting Wales, the Western Wales River Basin District and the Dee River Basin District.  In addition:

• Any additional evidence that we should include in the preparation of the Area Statements and SoNaRR 2
• The options for resolving the significant water management issues
• Your suggestions to address the issues identified in the river basin district

Please follow click here for the consultation document.  Deadline for responses is 22nd December 2019.

Mae ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru ynglŷn â dyfodol taliadau ffermydd yn cau mewn chwe diwrnod. 

Mae modd gweld yr ymgynghoriad drwy glicio ar y linc yma.

Gallwch ymateb i’r ymgynghoriad drwy e-bostio eich sylwadau i This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mae FUW wedi bod yn ymgynghori gyda Changhennau Sirol a Phwyllgorau’r Undeb, a bydd ymateb manwl yn cael ei gyflwyno. Dyma rhai o bryderon a sylwadau allweddol cafodd ei amlygu gan aelodau’r pwyllgorau sydd werth ei ystyried.

1. Mae natur ymgynghorol yr ymgynghoriad gan Llywodraeth Cymru yn cael ei groesawu.

2. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gywir i gydnabod bod rhuthro ymlaen gyda dylunio cynllun newydd mewn adeg ble nad ydym yn gwybod beth fydd amodau masnachu ac economaidd y wlad yn edrych ar ôl Brexit - felly mae’n iawn i beidio ag ymrwymo i amserlen.

3. Dylai modelu fod yn drwyadl cyn i unrhyw benderfyniad ei wneud ac bydd angen rhoi llawer mwy o ffocws ar swyddi a busnesau cefn gwlad nag beth sydd wedi cael ei gynnig hyd yma - dylai Llywodraeth Cymru a’r Cynulliad fod yn ymwybodol o holl oblygiadau posib o unrhyw benderfyniadau, er mwyn osgoi’r risg o effeithiau difrifol a fyddai’n mynd yn groes i amcanion Llesiant Cymru.

4. Mae Taliadau Gwledig Cymru Ar-lein a’r system Ffurflen Gais Sengl presennol o’r radd flaenaf. Mae angen datblygu ar hyn yn well a’i dargedu yn fwy, nid ei ddileu yn raddol ac yna ei ddisodli gyda chontractau Nwyddau Cyhoeddus a fydd yn llawer mwy cymhleth i’w weinyddu.

5. Dim ond saith o amcanion  Lles Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol mae Nwyddau Cyhoeddus yn eu cyflawni, felly dylent fod yn rhan o’r cynllun neu gynlluniau - wrth ffocysu ar Nwyddau Cyhoeddus yn unig golygir bydd llawer o Nodau Llesiant yn cael ei anwybyddu - er enghraifft ffyniant, swyddi, diwylliant a chydraddoldeb.

6. Yn y cyd-destun yma, roedd Gwenidog Cysgodol Amaeth Llafur, David Drew yn gywir i amlygu yn ystod Cynhadledd y Blaid Lafur, y dylai Nwyddau Cyhoeddus fod yn un rhan yn unig o bolisi yn y dyfodol, a hynny “...o safbwynt cyfiawnder cymdeithasol bydd [ffermwyr] angen mwy o gefnogaeth nag taliadau amgylcheddol y unig ar ôl Brexit.”

7. Mae ffigyrau Llywodraeth Cymru yn dangos fod 43% o bobl sy’n gyflogedig mewn amaethyddiaeth yn siarad Cymraeg - canran uwch i gymharu â mathau eraill o gyflogaeth. Bydd cynllun sy’n ffocysu ar Nwyddau Cyhoeddus yn fygythiad i ddiwydiant ffermio, a thrwy ddiffiniad yn fygythiad i ddiwydiant y mae’r Gymraeg yn cael ei gadw mwyaf ynddo.

8. Bydd cystadleuwyr mewn gwledydd ac ardaloedd eraill yn parhau i dderbyn cefnogaeth uniongyrchol, mae’r cynnigion cyfredol yn awgrymu bydd ffermwyr Cymru yn gorfod cydymffurfio gyda llawer mwy o reolau a chyfyngiadau, gweithio yn galetach a cholli mwy o dir amaethyddol, i dderbyn taliadau. Bydd hyn yn amlwg yn anfatais gystadleuol i ffermwyr Cymru.

9. Byddai cynllun sy’nn ffocysu ar Nwyddau Cyhoeddus yn unig yn erbyn nod Llesiant ar gydraddoldeb, oherwydd byddai’n rhoi ffermwyr sy’n  denantiaid o dan anfantais, sef ein ffermwyr mwyaf effeithlon ond hefyd ein ffermwyr mwyaf bregus. Bydd cyflawni Nwyddau Cyhoeddus yn mynd yn groes i fantias y tir feddiannwr neu dermau’r cytundeb tenantiaeth.

10. Mae cyfran helaeth o ffermydd Cymru yn dibynnu ar bori tir comin. Bydd taliadau Nwyddau Cyffredin yn lleihau mynediad at daliadau sydd ar hyn o bryd a’r gael drwy Gynllun y Taliad Sylfaenol, gan fod llawer o Nwyddau Cyffredin yn amherthnasol i hawliau cyfreithiol porwyr. Bydd hyn yn trosglwyddo’r pŵer a’r hawl i hawlio taliadau i ffwrdd oddi wrth ffermwyr gweithredol i berchenogion tir comin, sy’n annerbyniol.

11. Mae Cyngor Tiroedd Comin yn cynrychioli ffordd ddrud, biwrocrataidd a beichus i reoli rhan fwyaf o dir comin Cymru. Byddai unrhyw anghenion i ffurfio Cynghorau o’r fath i gael mynediad at daliadau yn difreinio ac yn gwahaniaethu yn erbyn porwyr o gymharu â chymheiriaid sydd ddim yn porti tîr comin- eto yn arwain tuag at anghydraddoldeb.

12. Dylai Cymru ddilyn yr UE drwy geisio cryfhau meini prawf y Ffermwyr Actif, gan mai ffermwyr actif sydd yn cyfrannu mwyaf o safbwynt cefnogi’r economi wledig, creu cyflogaeth, gwario arian ar fusnesau eraill Cymru, amddiffyn y diwylliant Gymreig ac ehangu’r amgylchedd. Mae llai o weithgarwch yn golygu llai o’r buddion yma.

13. Rhaid gofalu dros ffermydd teuluol a chynhyrchu bwyd ac dylai hynny fod wrth wraidd unrhyw bolisi yn y dyfodol: dylai Cymru wneud popeth y gallai i osgoi’r dirywiad mewn ffermio teulu a ffermydd teuluol a welir yn enwedig mewn ardaloedd yn Lloegr, ble mae cwmnïau mawr i bob pwrpas wedi cymryd drosodd mawr helaeth o ardaloedd er anfantais i gymunedau gwledig a diwylliant.

14. Rhaid capio taliadau er mwyn helpu amddiffyn enw da unrhyw gynllun ac i sicrhau bod arian yn cyfeirio tuag at ffermydd teuluol yn hytrach na chaniatáu’r math o daliadau diderfyn y mae buddsoddwyr a chwmnïau wedi cymryd mantais arnynt yn Lloegr, er anfantais ffermydd teuluol, cymunedau ac enw da’r PAC yn gyffredinol.

The Welsh Government's consultation on the future of farm payments closes in just six days. The consultation paper can be viewed by clicking here.

You can respond to the consultation by emailing your comments to FfermioCynaliadwy.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The FUW has consulted with its County Branches and Standing Committees, and will be submitting a detailed response, but key concerns and comments highlighted by Committee Members include the following, which you may wish to consider:

1.  The consultative nature of the Welsh Government's consultation is welcome

2.  The Welsh Government is right to acknowledge that rushing forward with designing a new scheme would be foolish at a time when we do not know what the trading and economic landscape will look like after Brexit - so is right not to propose not committing to a timetable

3. Modelling should be very thorough before any decisions are made and must place far more focus on rural jobs and businesses than has happened to date - the Welsh Government and Assembly must be aware of all the possible implications of any decisions to avoid the risk of severe adverse impacts which would contravene Wales' Wellbeing Goals

4.  The current RPW Online and SAF system is state of the art. We need to develop this into something better and more targeted, not phase it out and replace it with Public Goods contracts which would be many times more complex to administer

5.  Public Goods deliver against only some of the seven Future Wellbeing of Generations goals, so they should form part of a scheme or schemes - focussing only on Public Goods means many Wellbeing Goals will be ignored - prosperity, jobs, culture and equality for example

6.  In this context,  Labour Shadow Farming Minister David Drew was right to have highlighted at the recent Labour Party Conference that Public Goods should only be one element of a future policy, and that "...from a social justice point of view [farmers] would need to be supported with more than just environmental payments after Brexit."

7.  The Welsh Government's figures show 43% of people employed in agriculture speak Welsh - well above the percentage of any other type of employment. A scheme focussing on Public Goods would threaten the farming industry, and by definition threaten the industry in which Welsh is most preserved

8. Competitors in other countries and regions will continue to receive direct support, whereas the current proposals imply that Welsh farmers will have to comply with many times more rules and restrictions, and work harder and lose more agricultural land, to get payments. This would cleary place Welsh farmers at a competitive disadvantage

9.  A scheme focussed only on Public Goods would breach the Wellbeing goal of equality because it would disadvantage tenant farmers who are our most efficient but also our most vulnerable farmers. This is because delivering Public Goods often or invariably goes against the interests of a landlord or the terms of a tenancy agreement.

10.  A large proportion of Welsh farms rely on common grazing. Public Goods payments would reduce the access to payments currently inherent to the Basic Payment Scheme, as many public goods are unrelated to the legal rights of graziers. This would transfer power and the right to claim payments away from active farmers to the owners of common land, which would be unacceptable

11.  Commons Councils represent an extremely costly, bureaucratic and burdensome means by which to manage most Welsh commons, and any requirement to form such Councils to access payments would disenfranchise and discriminate against graziers compared with their non-commoner counterparts - again leading to discrimination

12.  Wales should follow the EU by seeking to strengthen the Active Farmer criteria, as active farmers deliver most in terms of supporting the rural economy, creating employment, spending money on other Welsh businesses, protecting Welsh society and enhancing the environment. Less activity means less of these benefits.

13.  Protecting family farms and food production must be placed at the heart of any future policy: Wales should do all it can to avoid the declines in family farming and family farms seen especially in parts of England, where large companies have effectively taken over vast areas to the detriment of rural communities and society in general

14.  Payments must be capped in order to help protect the reputation of any scheme and to ensure money is directed at family farms rather than allowing the sort of unlimited payments which investors and companies have taken advantage of in England, to the detriment of family farms, communities and the reputation of the CAP in general.