[caption id="attachment_7012" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW Ceredigion County Executive Officer Mared Rand Jones promotes benefits of milk and udder-things at Aberystwyth University Freshers Fair[/caption]

Aberystwyth freshers today learnt about the health benefits of drinking milk and making it part of their daily diet, as the Farmers’ Union of Wales handed out free flavoured milk samples to students on campus.

Joining the Aberystwyth University Freshers Fair was FUW Ceredigion County Executive Officer Mared Rand Jones, who said: “Drinking milk and making it part of your daily diet is so underrated and I am really pleased that we got that message across to first year students here today. Milk and dairy products have an important part to play in our daily diet as they provide an important source of protein and calcium and contain essential vitamins and minerals, all of which are needed for a balanced diet.

“There are many other benefits associated with drinking milk, some of which our students were not aware of. For example, it has been said that thanks to the many vitamins and minerals that are in milk, it can work as a stress reliever. After a long, hard day at of lectures and studying, sit down and drink a warm glass of milk. It really can help to relieve muscle tension and soothe your nerves.

“Milk is great for many things and can also help in boosting your energy. When you’re struggling to get through the day and you need a little pick-me-up, an ice cold glass of milk can help you feel revitalised in no time and is much healthier than many sugary energy drinks.”

The FUW further encouraged Freshers to make sure they buy Welsh milk and dairy products when out doing their weekly shopping.

“We also used this opportunity to encourage students to make sure they buy Welsh milk and dairy products such as butter, cheese and yoghurts. With that they support our home dairy industries and of course all those second and third sector businesses associated with agriculture. Our dairy farmers have had a rough ride over recent years and need all the support they can get - buying Welsh produce whenever we can is something everyone of us can do to support the cause and boost the rural economy in doing so,” she added.

[caption id="attachment_7013" align="aligncenter" width="300"] FUW Ceredigion County Executive Officer Mared Rand Jones and Aberystwyth University Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan[/caption]

The Meirionnydd branch of Farmers’ Union of Wales, in conjunction with FWAG Cymru, are hosting a farm visit on Monday, October 3, to showcase the way in which the Glastir scheme and use of a biomass boiler can benefit a farm business.

The event is being held at Blaen Cwm, Cynllwyd Llanuwchllyn by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Wyn Jones and family, and is due to commence at 11am.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see the land and stock, the various elements of the Glastir scheme, and the Biomass scheme. The family also has an additional business of a mobile saw mill/bench, using the waste for the Biomass boiler.

The main guest speaker on the day will be Simon Thomas AM, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for the Welsh Government Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee and there will be an opportunity for visitors to discuss the latest on agricultural policies. Joining the event will be FUW Meirionnydd County President Tegwyn Jones, who is also chairman of FWAG Cymru.

Blaen Cwm is situated at approximately 5 miles from the village of Llanuwchllyn near Bala (there will be signs giving directions from the village).  The farm is approximately 1000 feet above sea level and much of the land reaches far beyond 2000 feet.

The family farm extends to 640 acres, being mostly mountain land with only 50 acres of lower land with 25 acres of this being kept to produce silage every year. They also have 650 acres at Llanymawddwy and a 300 acre farm near Llawryglyn at Llanidloes.

High quality stock are kept, which includes 600 Welsh mountain ewes and a Welsh Mountain Ram, turned out to all of them at Blaen Cwm.  The family keep 500 ewes at Llawr y Glyn, where they use Improved Welsh Rams as well as Beltex Cross Suffolk rams.  There is also a herd of 15 suckler cows, all of which are Welsh Black, and are crossed with a Limousin bull.  Calves are sold as store cattle between 12-18 months at the livestock market in Dolgellau and most lambs are sold directly to the Randall Parker slaughterhouse at Llanidloes through local auctioneers Farmers Marts.

Blaen Cwm has been able to take advantage of agri-environment schemes over recent years, and the family see farming and conservation as going hand in hand. The farm has been in the Glastir Entry scheme since 2014 and in the Advanced scheme since 2015.

FUW Meirionnydd County Executive Officer Huw Jones said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to all to join us for what promises to be an informative day out on farm and to see the benefits of using a biomass boiler for themselves.”

For those interested in attending the event, please contact the FUW Dolgellau office on 01341 422298. There will be light refreshments kindly sponsored by Birch Farm Plastics.

Welsh Assembly Members are today being reminded of the importance of tackling bovine TB effectively, by the Farmers’ Union Wales. The reminder comes five days before the issue of bovine TB is being discussed at the Assembly on Wednesday, September 28.

In a statement, FUW President Roberts said: “I would like to remind all Assembly Members of how critical it is that Welsh Government implements a strategy that effectively tackles bovine TB in both cattle and wildlife, without that happening it is hard to see how we can secure trade deals with European Nations post-Brexit.

“The total number of Welsh cattle slaughtered in 2015 due to bTB  has gone up by 27% from 2014 and now counts for  8,103 cattle slaughtered a year. That’s 675 cattle per month, 169 per week and 24 cattle slaughtered every day!

“I implore our elected members to not ignore those figures and to listen to the advice the Welsh Government has previously received.”

The 2012 report of the Bovine Tuberculosis Subgroup of the EU Task Force for Monitoring Animal Disease Eradication details that the European Commission have recognised the link between badgers and bovine TB transmission to cattle. The report also stressed that moving from a cull to a vaccination programme meant that the eradication programme in Wales had lost momentum.

Mr Roberts said that the official advice received by the Welsh Government in 2011 estimated that culling badgers in the Intensive Action Area could be expected to save farmers and government £31,000, whereas vaccination was likely to lead to a net cost of £3.5 million.

“As expected, the badger vaccination programme in the Intensive Action Area has not worked, and Welsh Government must grasp the nettle and tackle the disease in wildlife.

“Let me be absolutely clear: controlling the disease in both the cattle and badger populations remains imperative to achieving bovine TB eradication in Wales - this is for the sake of our future, our children's future and with that securing trade deals for the UK as whole in light of our exit from the European Union,” added Mr Roberts.

[caption id="attachment_7003" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sian Gwenllian, AM for Arfon, FUW’s Caernarfonshire County Chairman Tudur Parry and FUW Caernarfonshire County Executive Officer Gwynedd Watkin[/caption]

The Caernarfon branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has met with local Assembly Member for Arfon, Sian Gwenllian, to discuss #FarmingMatters.

Amongst the many topics on the agenda, Union officials discussed the future of trade agreements, post-Brexit incomes, and the threat to trade negotiations posed by bovine TB.

“I would like to thank Sian Gwenllian for meeting with us and for the wide ranging discussions we had. With regard to the imminent trade negotiations with the EU and other regions, we made it clear that the UK’s current reliance on imported food means there will be considerable political pressure to secure cheaper food supplies from outside the UK in order to avoid food price inflation.

“So to avoid those food price rises, it is really important that new trade policies give Welsh producers maximum benefits, both in terms of export and domestic markets. We have to ensure that absolutely everything is done to make sure that supermarkets and other private sector bodies support our producers here at home and that UK food production and the viability of our agricultural sectors is not undermined,” said FUW Caernarfonshire County Chairman Tudur Parry.

Talking about post-Brexit incomes, Union officials reminded the Assembly Member that during the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak Welsh Farmers lost £65m (£98m in today’s terms) mainly through the export ban and that around 75% of Welsh farm incomes come from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Tudur Parry added that to keep already low incomes where they are in the absence of the CAP, profitability of production would have to quadruple.  Mr Parry drew attention to Brian Gardner’s ‘Preparing for Brexit Report’, which predicted that the numbers of small and medium sized family farms would decline post Brexit, with rationalisation of the sector into much larger units. UK food self-sufficiency would fall and a much greater share of the agricultural commodities consumed in the UK would be imported from places such as N and S America, Australia and New Zealand.

“This further exposes producers to global marketplace price and supply volatility as factors such as adverse weather, disease and poor harvests contribute to fluctuating supply. The adverse impact would extend up and down supply chains and to the rural economy in general, having a particularly extreme impact for small and medium sized towns where the agri-sector is a large contributor to the wealth of such areas,” said Tudur Parry.

“In addition we reminded Sian Gwenllian that the FUW called for an Individual Member’s debate on the subject of bovine TB and welcomed the support for the motion the Union has received to date. We also urged her to throw her support behind the debate, which is taking place on Wednesday 28 September.

“Every single AM needs to recognise that the problem of bovine TB in Wales will have catastrophic consequences for our future trade negotiations if the disease status in our wildlife is not addressed as a matter of urgency.

“We made it clear that this debate is an opportunity for cross-party co-operation on an issue which has significant emotional and financial implications for many farmers in Wales and we need the support of the whole Assembly to achieve a change in policy,” added Tudur Parry.

The FUW further emphasised the importance of honouring current Glastir agreements and any new schemes agreed prior to Brexit.

The Wales State of Nature Report 2016 provides welcome recognition of the important role played by farmers in conservation, but places misguided emphasis on some environmental factors, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has said.

Responding to the report, FUW Land Use Committee Chairman Gavin Williams said: “While we would certainly not agree with some of the assertions made in the Welsh State of Nature Report, I welcome the fact that it is far more balanced than the UK report in terms of recognising the positive role of farmers in conservation, and the validity of concerns we have been raising for decades.”

Amongst those concerns are the fact that under-grazing – sometimes as a result of agri-environment scheme rules – is having a damaging effect on many species and habitats, said Mr Williams.

“It is heartening that 67 percent of the priority species assessed in the report are classified as stable or increasing in numbers. However, for those species which are not performing so well we do need to consider what actions must be taken.”

Mr Williams said that a proper assessment of the factors influencing such declines should be undertaken.

“The various state of nature reports across the UK recognise factors such as increases in avian and mammalian predators, and the abandonment of grazing, burning and cutting, all of which have a negative impact on species and habitats.

“There is a growing recognition of the environmental damage that under-management and the loss of farming has had, and would have if we were to see farming becoming even less financially viable, and these concerns are starting to be reflected in reports such as this.”

However, Mr Williams said there were still those who reach for the farming scapegoat whenever they are faced with problems, and remain in denial about uncomfortable truths such as the fact that growing numbers of predators are dining out on some of our most endangered species.

“Politicians and environmentalists need to be honest with themselves and the general public about factors such as predation, otherwise they risk causing further damage to the environment.”

Mr Williams emphasised that despite some differences, there was a vast amount of common ground between the farming community and the authors of the report, and that the FUW would continue to work with other bodies in order to secure an economically and environmentally sustainable future for Welsh agriculture.

“Our Farming Matters campaign emphasises the fact that farming is important to everything we have and do in Wales, and that includes our environment and the species which make Wales such a unique place,” he added.

The Ceredigion branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales held a successful 24 mile Tractor Run on Sunday September 18, in aid of British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru, raising £540 for the charity.

The group of 27 tractors left Gwili Jones, Maesyfelin, Lampeter and traveled through Cwmann, and over the mountains to Llanddewi Brefi. The route continued across the Teifi Valley to Olmarch and the last leg went through Llwynygroes and Silian.

FUW Ceredigion County Executive Officer Mared Rand Jones said: “I am very happy with how much money we have managed to raise for our first ever tractor run – everyone enjoyed the route, so we can now build on it for an even bigger event next year!

“It was amazing to see so many people join us in the fight against heart disease. It was for such a good cause and I hope that we managed to  raise awareness of how much of a problem heart disease is across Wales and the whole of the UK.

“I would also like to thank all those businesses who have donated prizes for our raffle on the day, all those who have participated in the tractor run and helped to make this event such a success.”