A busy two-day show is planned at the Farmers’ Union of Wales Anglesey stand at the islands county show next week (Tuesday August 9 - Wednesday August 10).

The Union branch is starting the event with a pre-Show ‘meet-and-greet’ cheese and wine reception hosted by the Anglesey President and Chairman Tom Jones on Monday, August 8 starting at 7pm.

“The pre-show meet-and-greet will provide an ideal opportunity for those local businesses in attendance to meet some of our members and also get us in the mood for what promises to be a busy and successful show where we will be promoting #FarmingMatters,” said FUW Anglesey County Executive Officer Heidi Williams.

Local celebrity chef Melfyn Thomas will be cooking up a storm at the Union stand on both days using a variety of local produce, which are bound to tickle the taste buds of those stopping by.

In addition, Union officials will be presenting FUW rosettes to all young livestock handlers over the course of the show.

“We have been doing this for the past 9 years. It ensures that although a child might not have won a prize, they still get a rosette to take home,” said Heidi Williams.

The afternoon will see the Anglesey branch launch a new road safety campaign in cooperation with North Wales Police.

The campaign - “Arrive alive don’t text and drive!” -  is aimed at tractor drivers and those driving farm machinery on public roads.

“Using a mobile phone, sat nav or any similar device whilst driving means that your attention is distracted from the road and that, as we all know, is incredibly dangerous.

“Studies over the years have shown that those of us who are using a hands-free or handheld mobile phone are slower at recognising and reacting to hazards - and if you’re in a farm vehicle like a tractor you all of a sudden become a very big hazard to yourself and other road users.

“Even careful drivers can be distracted by a call or text – and a split-second lapse in concentration could result in a crash. Therefor, we are working together with North Wales Police to raise awareness of the problem and are asking drivers to switch off their phones before they drive off. Even if you’re using a hands-free phone you should avoid making or answering calls when driving. And if you call someone and they tell you they are driving, ask them to call you back when they have parked up safely,” said Heidi Williams.

Creating an afternoon buzz will be Katie Hayward of Felin Honeybees, who will be at the FUW stand on Tuesday, talking about beekeeping.

Her honey will be used in the cooking demonstrations by Melfyn Thomas over the 2 days as well.

The Wednesday of the show will see the FUW welcoming an array of politicians to its stand to discuss #FarmingMatters, including Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths.

Additionally, the winner of the Welsh Colour Card competition will be announced at 11am on Wednesday and the county branch will present the winning YFC club with a cheque of £250 and the official Welsh Colour Card.

The Anglesey branch launched the competition at the start of the year in co-operation with “Snowcem Plus” and the Wales YFC.

“In Wales alone we spend millions of pounds on paint, so we thought it would be nice if we could have the colours named to represent parts of Wales such as sunsets, green meadows, beaches, mountains etc. anything basically that promotes our heritage and culture of rural areas within Wales.

“The creation of a Welsh colour card is the very first of its kind and we are pleased to have teamed up with the UK’s and Europe’s largest distributor of a famous traditional masonry coating “Snowcem Plus” to give their product a local Welsh feel,” added Heidi Williams.

Children who have participated in the FUW Anglesey primary school competitions, which are sponsored by Katie Hayward of Felin Honeybees, will receive their prize presentations on Wednesday afternoon.

Awards will be presented to the winner of the year 0 to 2 category who designed a birthday card including a bee, year 3 to 4 who drew a picture of a garden including a bee and year 5 to 6 who were asked to write a short story entitled ‘The Busy Bee’.

Amongst the individual prizes, there will also be an overall prize allowing the successful child to enjoy “Be a beekeeper experience for a day”.

The Glamorgan branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is looking forward to discuss #FarmingMatters at the Vale of Glamorgan show (August 10).

The Vale Market Community Enterprise Group (VMCE) will also be joining the FUW at its stand for the one-day show to outline plans for the refurbishment of the livestock market.

The Union has long been in support of the mart recognising that the closure of Cowbridge mart would remove a vital lifeline from the town and also make it necessary for farmers to travel far greater distances to sell their stock.

In 2013 the Union contributed to a feasibility study in a bid to convince the Vale Council that it was profitable and vital to keep the mart open.

“Refurbishing this livestock market is a very exciting prospect. It’s not just an important vehicle to establish the SQQ (Standard Quality Quotation) of lambs to calculate dead weight price but the integration of local people who want to sustain the old tradition of a livestock market here in Glamorgan is well worth supporting,” said FUW Glamorgan County Chairman Richard Walker.

“I am very pleased to see that agricultural industry and the local community want to market their products and work together for the good of the community.

“So our stand at the show 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.

The Union is also pleased to be joined by Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns at the county show.

“We have recently met with Alun Cairns at the Royal Welsh Show and are delighted to welcome him to our stand at the Vale of Glamorgan Show. It will be an ideal opportunity to highlight how farming matters to the whole of the rural economy of Wales and that decisions in relation to agriculture cannot be taken without being seen in the wider context of their impact on traditional Welsh family farms and the economies they support,” added Richard Walker.

The FUW is extending a warm welcome to all its members to join the county staff at the show to discuss policy matters and support the counties 200 club raffle.

The Brecon and Radnor branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is looking forward to highlight #FarmingMatters at this year’s Brecon County Show (Saturday, August 6).

The event is being held at The Showground, The Watton, Brecon and attracts over 10,000 people.

FUW Brecon and Radnor County Executive Officer Aled Jones, said: “We are once again excited to represent our industry and highlight why #FarmingMatters so much to our rural economy at our county show.

“We are also encouraging visitors to post their concerns, ideas and comments about the way forward for agriculture following the EU referendum result in the agricultural post box.

“It promises to be an exciting day and we look forward to welcoming our members and friends of the Union to our stand. So if you’re around, please stop by for a cuppa and chat.”

Each year 400 horses, 100 cattle and over 400 sheep are entered to the show and the major shearing competition, poultry show, classes for goats, a novelty and exemption dog show and a dog agility competition, will provide plenty of entertainment for all the family.

This year the main ring is host to the spectacular “Portsmouth Action Field Gun Display Team” and the full program of competition and attractions throughout the day are not to be missed.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is looking forward to a busy week promoting #FarmingMatters at the National Eisteddfod, near Abergavenny this year (July 30 - August 6).

“Visitors to the FUW stand will have an opportunity to find out why #FarmingMatters so much to our rural economy and of course Welsh rural life. A warm welcome is offered to all those who are attending the National Eisteddfod and I hope to see many of our members at our stand,” said FUW Gwent County Executive Officer Glyn Davies.

Following on from the success at the Royal Welsh Show, the FUW is encouraging visitors throughout the Eisteddfod week to post their concerns, ideas and comments about the way forward for agriculture following the EU referendum result in the agricultural post box.

The Monday (August 1) of the National Eisteddfod will see the FUW welcoming the Offa’s Dyke walkers, who on behalf of the Union conquered the 177 miles in a bid to raise vital funds for the British Heart Foundation Cymru.

In addition the FUW is joining in with the Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) Lamb day celebrations.

A revival of an ancient summer tradition is set to kick off a renewed marketing campaign for Welsh Lamb in the UK market. 2016’s summer and autumn PGI Welsh Lamb campaign, run by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) will take place across a wide range of different media.

It will feature chefs and food writers as ‘lambassadors’, new booklets containing simple and tasty summer lamb recipes, competitions for consumers, and will also see events to inaugurate ‘Llamb’s Day’ on August 1, to coincide with the best new season lamb being widely available.

The idea behind celebrating Welsh Lamb at the beginning of August is to build on old feasting traditions across Europe, which commemorate this day as the first harvest festival – known as Calan Awst, Lammas or Lughnasadh.

The day will kick off a number of marketing initiatives, including demonstrations and tastings in supermarkets during August, which will build on the year-round marketing efforts of HCC in the UK and export markets.

“In the afternoon visitors to the Union stand can sample lamb dishes prepared by HCC and we look forward to the presentation of new Welsh lamb and beef recipe brochures,” added Glyn Davies..

On Wednesday (August 3) the FUW is welcoming the Abergavenny Tourist Group to the stand and on Thursday (August 4), the Union will welcome the Police and Crime Commissioner and Farm Watch co-ordinator for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert.

‘Welsh Language in Agriculture’ will be the theme of the day on Friday (August 5) as the Welsh Language Commissioner Meri Huws will talk to Castell Howell Foods owner Brian Jones about the impact and importance of the language to the company and its customers.

Speaking ahead of the National Eisteddfod, FUW Managing Director Alan Davies said: “When we talk about our rural economy and as part of that of course rural life, the important role of the Welsh language, can’t be ignored.

“If you want a clear indication of the cultural importance of farming you need only consider this: in Ceredigion for example, less than 50 percent of the population now speak Welsh. But within the farming community the percentage is close to 100%.

“With this in mind Welsh-speaking further education students from rural areas of Wales, in fact all of our young people, must be given every opportunity to return to jobs and homes in their own communities to help preserve the language but also to provide them with the opportunity to contribute to our rural economy.

“Every effort must be made to motivate young people to speak Welsh and give them plenty of opportunity to use the language in their workplace.”

The FUW further maintains that older members of staff working for any organisation should be motivated and encouraged to either learn the language or further improve their Welsh language skills.

“We are always keen to highlight the importance of organisations that operate in Welsh, as we do, and serve the community through the medium of Welsh, in ensuring that young Welsh speakers are employed in their local areas.

“We must acknowledge the fact that there are changing language patterns out there but, a strong Welsh economy needs to be supported by our language, to ensure we keep our Welsh identity,” said Alan Davies.

“So our stand 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.

The proposal for consultation to relax import restrictions on Welsh and British lamb and beef into the United States of America, which could generate an extra £35 million for the UK economy, has been welcomed by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

Farming Minister George Eustice confirmed that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published the proposals, which is a significant step forward.

“This could mean that Welsh and British lamb and beef may well be available for US consumers by early 2017 and with that opens an export market to 300 million consumers for our first class quality produce,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

A 1,000-page dossier was submitted to the USDA detailing the safety and quality of British beef and lamb ahead of April’s trade talks with US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington.

“We have met with both George Eustice and with USDA representatives Stan Phillips, Counselor for Agricultural Affairs and Steve Knight, Agricultural Specialist last week at the Royal Welsh Show to discuss #FarmingMatters and as part of those meetings we also highlighted the importance of trade deals for our economy in a post-Brexit world.

“Now more than ever we need to explore other markets, and the US market is one we are keen to develop much stronger relationships with, so this comes as most welcome news. It will also help us in trade negotiations with our allies in the Commonwealth and other countries around the world.”

Defra is now co-ordinating UK farming industry comment for the 60-day consultation and liaising with relevant US trade associations to gain support for proposals.

Tucked away in the Carmarthenshire countryside you will find Rhosyn farm - home of Emma and Neil Rose, who in 2006 swapped the city life to run a self-sufficient smallholding.

Living the dream of running a smallholding, Emma and Neil have never looked back and are now renowned for their excellent pork, sausages and bacon.

The couple were delighted to be asked to become an Ambassador for Welsh Porc in 2015 to promote quality local produce.

They take pride in breeding their own stock, outdoor rearing in the most idyllic surroundings and giving their animals the best quality of care and attention during their time on the farm.

Focusing on rare and native breeds, the couple keep Herdwick Sheep, Gloucester Old Spot Pigs and Golden Guernsey Goats.

Emma, who is Chairman of the Golden Guernsey Goat Society, has focused her effort on preserving the remaining bloodlines, collecting and rehoming the different strains of males from all over the country including Scotland, Northumberland and Norfolk.

These males are taken to Innovis for Semen collection as well as used for stud.

Emma and Neil have managed to also breed two breed champion Goats, with one of their bucklings winning best in Show in Devon.

Both Emma and Neil have taken to farming like a duck to water but neither come from a farming background.

Neil, a qualified Aircraft Engineer and Emma a Programme Manager gave up the stresses of city life with only a few lesson in agriculture gained at night school for Neil.

Emma still works part time for Cosan Consulting to help fund their dreams, including the recent development of an onsite processing unit.

Whilst they both agree they work more hours than they ever did in their previous lives to running a farm, a butchery and catering outfit, which doesn’t leave much time for sleep, they wouldn’t change a thing.

Farming pockets of land covering approximately 100 acres, they use both the Gloucester Old Spots and Herdwicks for clearing the rough ground before returning to pasture, which certainly adds to the taste of the meat that Rhosyn produce.

The meat, which is taken for slaughter in Tregaron, is then butchered by Emma and Neil at their on-site processing unit.

Speaking about the new processing unit Emma says: “This is all very new and has been our ten year dream. We used to use the food centre at Horeb and they have been great, we could not have come this far without them.

“However, with the food centre only being open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, it was a bit restrictive. Now we can process our meat anytime and it gives us much greater flexibility.”

Talking about their pigs, Emma says: “Our Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs are free to explore their surroundings, something which I believe is key to their great taste.

“Thanks to grazing on a wide variety of nutrients and minerals from the soil, our pigs produce stronger flavours and tastier produce.

“This Gloucestershire Old Spot breed is special to us as it delivers as a dual purpose pig, both wonderful bacon and pork, but it is also one of our native breeds; one which I am keen to support and protect.

“I am passionate about being able to give each pig the care and attention it needs, and believe this is essential for producing less-stressed, tastier pork.

“Here at Rhosyn Farm, we aim to give all of our pigs the most natural environment possible. Our sows receive long resting periods throughout the year, and our piglets are encouraged to wean naturally,” she adds.

Locally, Rhosyn is most famous for its award winning sausages that come in a variety of flavours.

In 2014 they were awarded third place at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show annual sausage competition and climbed up the award ladder to first place in 2015 for their Cracked Black Pepper Sausages.

The same year their Beef burgers took second place and the Sweet Dry Cured Bacon was also recognised with a first prize.

Rhosyn can be found three days a week on the regular market in Carmarthen selling their fresh produce both raw to take away and cook at home or cooked on the grill for onsite consumption.

Emma, who travels around Wales supporting various food festivals, mud runs, dog shows and music festivals, said: “Moving my life from the city to the Welsh countryside has allowed me to truly appreciate all the benefits that Wales’ natural surroundings have to offer.

“Thanks to cleaner air and healthier conditions, I believes that pork from Wales is unique in flavour; our award-winning produce is proof of this.

“Supporting local produce gives us the opportunity to understand our food’s true origins. Demand for local produce has shaped our landscape in Wales for generations, and I hope this will continue for years to come.”

Their philosophy is to make the most of what they rear for breeding or meat as possible. Goats milk soap and goat skin rugs have proven to be very popular, and this year they intend to start to sell Herdwick Wool. Pigs ears are even available if you want to treat your dog!

Farmers’ Union of Wales County Executive Officer David Waters, said: “The climate and landscape in Wales provide a natural environment to produce quality pork and Emma and Neil are a wonderful example of how exactly that is done. Their energy and enthusiasm for their produce is inspiring.

“Our Welsh farmers often adapt their farming methods according to the time of year, giving their pigs the exact care that they need in every season. You can’t help but notice that even before cooking, the difference in quality is clear.

“Many traditional, Welsh farms - like Rhosyn farm - often have shorter supply chains, which helps to support local businesses, and is better for the environment.

“The FUW has long been campaigning for people to ‘Buy the Welsh One’ and keep food miles down and I urge all food providers to follow the example already adopted by many of our FUW members who have developed food businesses with short supply chains and transparent traceability from farm to fork.

“There are a growing number of farm-produced quality products now available at farmers’ markets, corner shops, on the internet and even at some supermarkets.

“Sadly, the consumer may have to search painstakingly for such products in supermarkets but there is a growing awareness amongst retailers that they are morally bound to offer local products. And of course there is an increasing awareness from consumers to check labels and check where their food has come from.

“With the United Nations projecting a global population of more than nine billion by 2050, increasing food chain efficiency will become ever more essential.

“Producers and consumers must be part of a food chain that feeds the world, provides fair prices to farmers and works in harmony with the environment.

“And why would you not want to support local food producers like Emma and Neil. If you want to get your taste buds going then you must simply try their goat curry and billy burgers and of course their sausages and bacon.”