[caption id="attachment_6746" align="alignleft" width="300"] Father and son team - Arwel Davies and Hywel Dafis[/caption]

Nestled in the Ceredigion countryside are Blaenglowon Fach farm and Pantswllt farm, just outside of Talgarreg. The area was once thriving with milk producing Welsh farming families but due to dwindling farm gate prices and the economic downturn many have stopped farming over the years.

Still producing around 6 thousand litres of milk a day is the 320 Friesian cow milking enterprise, which stretches over 500 acres, run by father and son team Hywel Dafis (correct spelling) and Arwel Davies.

Over the last 2 years, they have seen their milk cheque being reduced by 50 percent, paying them now just 14.5 pence per litre compared to the almost 35 pence per litre their milk was fetching in 2014.

With just 8 producers left in the immediate area and each of them facing significant cuts to what they get paid for their milk, Arwel Davies estimates the loss to the local economy to be over £1 million in revenue.

“In the late 1960s there were around 50 milk producers here in the area. That has dropped down to just 8 now. Between the dairy farms here we produce approximately 12 to 13 million litres of milk each year and the money we make gets spent here in our local economy.

“The significant drop in milk price has resulted in all of us suffering financially. And with that I don’t mean just dairy farmers, but all of those local businesses who are involved in the rural economy.

“We rely on approximately 350 different companies to run our business here but we are not immune to the rollercoaster ride of the dairy market, so we have to strap

our belts tighter and get on with it.

“Of course that means spending less and will naturally filter down to all the allied industries. Overall the reduction in farm gate price means that our local economy has felt the effect of the lost income.

“So this is not just about farming; it is about the wider recognition of how Farming Matters, where supply chains are involved, how money circulates in the local economy, where people survive, where profits are made, communities are sustained and our culture continues to thrive,” he added.

Working on average 80 hours every week, 36-year-old Hywel said: “ I do this out of choice for the welfare of the stock and care of the land is the most important aspect for us as farmers. However, I feel at the moment the returns we get for the work is not at a sustainable level.

“We need to invest in our business but the way things are at the moment that is just not possible. Family farms across Wales know how to tighten their belt but I am sure you will not find anybody else who takes a paycut like this in many other sectors. No spare money means no investment and if you stand still you actually go backwards.

“And of course, you take the rise with the fall. I am confident better times will come and that we can compete with any region worldwide in terms of cost of production with excellent produce from grass based systems.”

The average 2015-16 net Welsh farm income was just £13,000, putting farmers around £2,000 below the approximate annual minimum wage.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of recognising that farming matters and how much of an impact it has on the rural economy. We need to nurture our farming sector to ensure that money keeps flowing through the rural economy and through that we protect and improve domestic food security. Look at these farming incomes, the hours our farmers put in every day, every week; they are producing wonderful food that we all enjoy and their input to the local rural economy can not be underestimated,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

“This is why we are reminding those in power that in the absence of moves which ensure markets provide sufficient income for farm businesses, that it is essential that support is maintained for sectors at levels which do not compromise either family farms or rural economies.

“Agriculture and domestic food production has to be given priority during all trade negotiations with other countries and trading blocks so that we can ensure food security for our home markets.

“Therefore we repeatedly insist that the procurement of Welsh and British produce is the default position for all public sector bodies amongst other measures.

“In addition, robust steps must be taken to ensure supermarkets and other private sector bodies support domestic producers and do not act in a way which undermines UK food production or the viability of our agricultural sectors,” he added.

[caption id="attachment_6738" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW President Glyn Roberts (l) congratulates Medwyn Evans on winning the Welsh National Trials at Tyfos Farm[/caption]

What does it take to be top-dog at sheepdog trialling? Some will say attention to detail, being perceptive, flexible, calm and collective - and yes, all of those skills were on display at the Welsh National Sheepdog Trials at the end of July and saw an exceptional group of people and their dogs qualify for the International team.

You also need to have a good command, great bond between the dog and handler and of course understanding the behaviour of sheep and dogs.

The Welsh National Trial was hosted by the Williams family, who moved to Tyfos, Corwen, over 100 years ago.

During the three day event, handlers ran 150 dogs over the course, with the aim to gain a place on the National team to represent their nation at the Society’s annual International Trial.

Throwing its support behind such a talented group of people is the Farmers’ Union of Wales, by sponsoring the official Welsh team jackets for the for the International Sheepdog Trials, (September 9-11) at Sandilands Farm, Tywyn, Gwynedd.

The jackets were presented to the newly qualified Welsh team at the end of the National Trial on Saturday July 30, by FUW President Glyn Roberts.

Qualifying to represent Wales at the International Trials were Medwyn Evans with Mac, 210 (run-off 202); Kelvin Broad with Kinloch Levi, 209 (run-off 196); Medwyn Evans with Meg, 202 (run-off 194); Alan Jones with Spot, 208; Sophie Holt with Hybeck Blake, 206; Richard Millichap with Sweep, 196; Kevin Evans with Kemi Ross, 206; Llyr Evans with Zac, 204; Alwyn Williams with Max, 198; Gethin Jones with Maddie, 202;  Glyn Jones with Roy, 202; Aled Owen with Llangwm Cap, 196; Ross Games with Roy, 202; Richard Millichap with Don, 196; Kevin Evans with Preseli Ci, 194 and Reserve Angie Driscoll with Kinloch Pippi,196.

“Each National team has 15 places and one reserve place, so competition was fierce.

[caption id="attachment_6739" align="alignleft" width="300"] Medwyn Evans will lead the Welsh team to the International Trials - The FUW proudly sponsored the team jackets[/caption]

“The 15 team members representing each of the four home countries will compete at the International Trial, and the best 15 overall competitors from all countries will rerun on the final day in the Supreme Championship to select the International Champion,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

Meirionnydd Farming Connect Development Officer Eryl Roberts, who has been involved in sheepdog trials for over 30 years and was one of the two judges at the National Trials, spoke to us about what he thinks sets the Welsh team apart from other competitors.

He said: “The Welsh team has got everything it takes to win. The handlers and dogs in the Welsh team have skill, experience, youth, the female factor and much more.

“Of course there are numerous challenges and pitfalls that they will need to overcome to ensure Wales is the country that wins at the International’.”

The International Trials Course in Towyn is very challenging and gruelling, explains Eryl.

“With a large area of land to negotiate, the dogs will have to be capable of being directed to the sheep, rather than depending on field boundaries.

“The distance in itself will be a challenge and of course the weather will play a large part in the running and quality of runs, which can have a magnitude effect on such long distances in bad weather. The Welsh Mountain sheep have their own distinct characters.

“Sheepdog trialling is loaded with obstacles, complications and impediments. Apart from the weather there are numerous challenges outside your control.  The pull of the sheep, amongst other things can be unpredictable and spontaneous. As with everything there is an element of luck but as the saying goes ‘Diligence is the mother of good luck’.”

In 2015, FUW member Aled Owen of Corwen won the Welsh National, and went on to become the Supreme Champion in Moffat, Dumffries.

This year, the Welsh National Trial was won by Medwyn Evans with Mac, earning him the role as Welsh team captain at the International Trials.

Eryl has every faith in Medwyn as team captain, saying: “Medwyn has been the Welsh captain several times and his enormous experience of dealing with Welsh Mountain sheep on the Nannau Estate will put him in good stead for the challenges ahead.

“He has a team of experienced and perceptive handlers that will endeavour to do their utmost best as solo competitors and also as Welsh team members.”

Looking forward to the International’s, Medwyn Evans, who started competing in local trials at the age of 17 but only started trialing seriously in 1995, said: “The biggest challenge for me will be getting the dogs behind their sheep without them going too wide in the qualifying. The Welsh team should have the advantage of working on the lighter Welsh ewes, so fingers crossed for us in September.”

So how is the Welsh team captain going to prepare himself for the next challenge? “Time permitting I would like to send my dogs out on big patches of land with other sheep in the middle of the patch,but I have not finished the harvest or shearing yet,” he added.

Giving a word of advice to the next generation of sheepdog trial champions, Medwyn says: “To be a good dog handler being able to train a dog is a necessity and being able to anticipate the sheep's next move. You have to watch carefully how the best handlers handle their dogs and the timing of the commands.”

FUW President Glyn Roberts, who attended the National Trials, said: “We enjoyed 3 very successful days at Tyfos. The competition was intense and I must congratulate all those who have qualified for the Welsh team.

“The motto of the Welsh football team was “Gorau Chwarae Cyd Chwarae” - “Stronger Together” and if we adopt that same mindset, especially looking at the standard of our team and how well they work with their dogs, I have no doubt that they will do well in September and I wish them all the best.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has warned of the dangers of ignoring rural communities and economics in its response to a National Trust document setting out principles for the future of farming.

Last week (4 August 2016) National Trust Director Dame Helen Ghosh set out six principles that the Trust believes any new system must deliver for the public, stating that support should be focussed on environmental outcomes.

Responding to the publication, FUW President Glyn Roberts, himself a tenant of a National Trust farm, said: “While we would agree with some of the points made by the Trust, it appears to be a very one dimensional vision, with little or no reference to the wellbeing of the people who live and work in our rural areas, or the economic sustainability of our rural communities.

“Our environment, culture, communities and economy are heavily interwoven, with food production linking everything together. You only have to look at the Trust’s own farms here in Wales to see that complexity.

“The dangers of suggesting sweeping policies based upon single issues and incorrect assumptions are clear – in the worst cases the impacts would be akin to something like the highland clearances.”

Last year, the National Trust, one of the UK’s largest charities, received around £11 million under the Common Agricultural Policy, compared with an average Welsh farm payment of around £12,000.

Citing average 2015-16 net Welsh farm incomes of just £13,000, Mr Roberts said great care needed to be taken in order to avoid damaging ecosystems which depend upon a vibrant rural population and an economically viable farming sector.

“I have no doubt that the National Trust members who visit Wales want to see an economically, culturally and environmentally vibrant countryside.

“They do not wish to see areas where rural poverty has driven out the indigenous population, every other house is a retirement or holiday home, and the environment has been damaged by well-meaning but misguided anti-farming policies,” he added.

[caption id="attachment_6731" align="alignleft" width="225"] David Jones MP, Minister of State for Exiting the European Union and FUW President Glyn Roberts - highlight that #FarmingMatters[/caption]

The recent campaign launched by the Farmers’ Union of Wales on #FarmingMatters is gaining more and more recognition amongst politicians, key decision makers and the general public.

Over the last four weeks the FUW has taken every opportunity to highlight that this is not just about farming but about the wider recognition of how Farming Matters, where supply chains are involved, how money circulates in the local economy, where people survive, where profits are made, communities are sustained and our culture continues to thrive.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of recognising that a) farming matters and b) that it is vital to nurture and support Welsh producers, and thereby protecting and improving domestic food security. We have seen a high level of engagement across our social media channels and will continue to push the #FarmingMatters message at every opportunity.

“This is why we are reminding those in power that in the absence of moves which ensure markets provide sufficient income for farm businesses, that it is essential that support is maintained for sectors at levels which do not compromise either family farms or rural economies,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

“Agriculture and domestic food production has to be given priority during all trade negotiations with other countries and trading blocks so that we can ensure food security for our home markets.

“Therefore we repeatedly insist that the procurement of Welsh and British produce is the default position for all public sector bodies amongst other measures.

“In addition, robust steps must be taken to ensure supermarkets and other private sector bodies support domestic producers and do not act in a way which undermines UK food production or the viability of our agricultural sectors,” he added.

The FUW campaign on #FarmingMatters will continue to stress the importance of our rural economy in light of food security, supply chains, our children’s future and our culture.

“We must ensure that everyone in a position of Government, and opposition influence is aware of this importance. The Union will continue to brief politicians, meet with key decision makers and facilitate farm visits with our elected members, until everyone recognises the importance of #FarmingMatters,” added Glyn Roberts.

The Pembrokeshire branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is looking forward to three busy days at the Pembrokeshire County Show (Tuesday 16 - Thursday 18 August).

“We will have displays asking farmers for their views on what matters to them during the Brexit discussions and what they view as priority issues and we will highlight the impact the industry has on the wider rural community and economy, how many other businesses in rural areas rely on agriculture and the importance of the industry being financially strong and healthy,” said FUW Pembrokeshire County Executive Officer Rebecca Voyle.

In addition, FUW staff and officials will meet with Simon Hart MP, Paul Davies AM and Neil Hamilton AM during the show to discuss issues of local concern, including how the current state of bovine TB might impact on UK trade negotiations and other #FarmingMatters.

“If you’re looking to make a head start on your Christmas preparations, you can purchase Christmas cards and 2017 calendars from the RABI, who will be joining us on the Wednesday afternoon between 2pm and 3pm. All of the proceeds are going to the charity.

“I look forward to seeing many of our members at the show and extend a warm welcome to all everyone who wants talk about #FarmingMatters to join us for a cup of tea at the stand,” she added.

For those attending the show needing advice on local nutrient management initiatives and renewing agricultural waste management  exemptions, the FUW has arranged for staff from Natural Resources Wales to be at the Union stand every day of the show between 10am and 2pm.

[caption id="attachment_6720" align="alignleft" width="300"] The work suggests drastic falls in the areas used for arable production, particularly in mountainous parishes since the 1840s, and a significant increase in farm woodland in lowland and upland regions during the same period.[/caption]

A ground-breaking study comparing Welsh land use in the 1840s with current practices suggests dramatic falls in agricultural and particularly arable land use, even in Wales’ most mountainous regions.

“A summary of preliminary comparisons between Welsh land use in the 1840s and 2015 in Wales’ non-LFA, DA and SDA areas” summarises initial findings from a study co-funded by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

The study compares agricultural land use in six Welsh parishes, as recorded in tithe records in the 1840s and digitised through the Heritage Lottery funded Cynefin project, with equivalent anonymised data recorded in the 2015 Integrated Administration Control System (IACS) – records which must be updated annually by farmers under Common Agricultural Policy rules.

Cynefin Project Manager Einion Gruffudd said: “There are striking similarities between the data recorded in tithe records some 175 years ago and the data recorded annually by farmers on the IACS system. Both are linked to detailed maps and include field numbers, field areas and land uses as well as other comparable data.

“The tithe maps and records are being transcribed and digitised by an army of more than 900 volunteers through the cynefin.wales website, meaning comparisons with data extracted from the modern IACS database can be made at the click of a button.”

The initial comparisons have been made between areas recorded as arable; meadow and pasture; and woodland in six parishes distributed throughout Wales – a total area of 34 square miles (88km2); two parishes in each of Wales’ non-Less Favoured Area (non-LFA); Disadvantaged Area (DA) and Severely Disadvantaged Area (SDA).

[caption id="attachment_6721" align="alignright" width="300"] The original 1840s tithe map of the mountainous north Wales parish of Dolbenmaen, Caernarfonshire, overlaid with crop use data extracted from the Cynefin database. The map shows the large proportion of fields used for arable production (yellow) at the time.[/caption]

The comparison suggests a fall in the proportion of land given over to those three main land uses of 20%, from 74% in the 1840s, to 59% in 2015, with the fall greatest in the SDA areas considered – down from 65% to 42%. The fall is lowest in the DA areas considered - down from 82% in the 1840s to 76% in 2015.

Particularly pronounced reductions are seen in the areas devoted to arable production since the 1840s in all land categories; an overall reduction of 85% for all areas (from 2561ha in the 1840s to 385ha in 2015), and a reduction of 80% (from 573ha to 114ha), 82% (from 1427ha to 261ha) and 98% (from 561ha to 9ha) for non-LFA, DA and SDA areas respectively.

The total area of farm woodland for all land categories was found to have increased significantly by 56% (from 264ha in the 1840s to 415ha in 2015), comprising an increase of 76% (from 77ha to 136ha), 0% (115ha – no change) and 123% (from 71ha to 159ha) for non-LFA, DA and SDA areas respectively.

FUW head of policy Nick Fenwick, co-author of the report, said: “These are preliminary findings relating to just six parishes, and there is a great deal more to do in terms of deciphering and analysing the data.

“However, the results appear to confirm known patterns in terms of changes in land use within different areas, and suggest that the scale of those changes are drastic, particularly in terms of the reduction in cultivation.”

He said careful account should be taken of such results by those considering and advocating changes in land use, particularly for environmental purposes.

“While these comparisons span a period of around 175 years, many of the most significant changes, such as the abandonment of arable production and the creation of vast forestry plantations, occurred over the last century, and particularly after the Second World War.

[caption id="attachment_6722" align="alignleft" width="300"] The original 1840s tithe map of the parish of Llanfechain, Montgomeryshire, overlaid with crop use data extracted from the Cynefin database, showing the prevalence of arable production.[/caption]

“In our experience, many of the restrictions placed on farmers for environmental reasons have been introduced with little or no reference to historical land use, while some seem to be based upon inaccurate preconceptions about farming rather than evidence.

“In many cases restrictions are based upon highly inaccurate habitat maps which bear little relation to reality, and nobody has bothered to ask the families who have been farming the land for centuries about how their farming practices and grazing patterns may have changed.”

Mr Fenwick said that while environmental management had brought major benefits in some areas, restrictions in others, particularly in terms of the removal of grazing livestock, have caused huge damage.

[caption id="attachment_6723" align="alignright" width="300"] Graph showing the large proportion of land given over to arable production, even in the uplands, and the degree to which that proportion has declined.[/caption]

“The information digitised through the Cynefin project is invaluable in terms of establishing a baseline for measuring at a large scale how the environment and land use have changed over the years.

“It will also help provide a clearer picture as to whether it is really appropriate and in fact potentially damaging to the environment to penalise people for ploughing fields that their forefathers were ploughing routinely and growing crops on from the 1840s well into the 1950s,” he added.

A copy of the report can be accessed here: FUW Cynefin Study Preliminary Findings