Staff at the Farmers' Union of Wales Anglesey office have gone the "extra mile" and recruited more new members last year than any of the union's 11 county branches.

Presenting staff awards at the FUW's recent annual business conference in Aberystwyth, deputy president Glyn Roberts said the union's effective stance on major issues, reflecting the views and needs of the industry, should attract new members.

"The practical support and advice available from our county office structure is undoubtedly one of the best services to be found within the industry.

"FUW Insurance Services continues to attract new business. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to go out and seek new members at every opportunity and clearly the winner of this award for 2013 has gone the extra mile."

A special award was made to Montgomeryshire area officer Nia Wyn Evans who collected the most FUW Insurance Services new customer leads during the four days of last year's Royal Welsh Show.

Awards were also made to Llanrwst-based area officer Caryl Edwards (best performance against target) and Newtown-based area officer David Lush (best managed portfolio).

[caption id="attachment_2770" align="aligncenter" width="165"] NEW MEMBERS AWARD: Anglesey county executive officer Heidi Williams[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2771" align="aligncenter" width="300"] STAFF AWARD WINNERS: From left, FUW area officers Nia Wyn Evans, David Lush, Caryl Edwards with FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales today urged farmers to attend two Rural Development Programme (RDP) consultation events organised by Wales Rural Network to contribute to the final draft of the RDP 2014-2020 document.

The events will be held on March 10 at St David’s Hotel, Ewloe, Queensferry, Flintshire CH5 3YB and March on 12 at Hafod a Hendre, Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, Powys LD2 3SY.

FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams said: “The union is encouraging farmers to attend at least one of these events to ensure that they can express their views on where the rural development resources should be spent over the next programme.

“Following the Minister’s decision to top slice 15% of Pillar 1 payments to fund rural development measures, it is extremely important that farmers get engaged in the consultation to ensure that they can help shape the proposals to benefit their businesses.”

Those interested in attending the events need to pre-register via registration page at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wales-rural-development-programme-2014-2020-consultation-events-registration-9297804985?aff=es2&rank=2&sid=ce1d7cae927111e3973a123139104db1

Farmers can also obtain further information on the events by contacting Welsh Government senior information officer Cath Midgley on 01686 620253/ 07817 405520 or via e-mail on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

North Wales farmer Gwenno Pugh, the first female winner of the popular S4C series Fferm Ffactor with its prize of a new Isuzu D-Max Yukon 4x4, has driven the vehicle away with free insurance for a whole year - thanks to FUW Insurance.

"We're pleased to be associated with Fferm Ffactor and Gwenno's fantastic achievement and sponsoring the insurance on her new Isuzu is part of our determination to support young farmers across Wales," said Farmers' Union of Wales north Meirionnydd area officer Eirian Lloyd Hughes.

"Sponsoring the insurance on her new vehicle also gives us the chance to show that we can offer competitive insurance rates for all rural-based businesses.

"FUW Insurance is supported by a panel of specialist agriculture and commercial insurance companies and our field force of 32 area officers and management team work closely with farmers to make sure they have the cover needed to protect their businesses.

"Our staff understands the needs of the rural community and will be there when needed to give all our rural business customers a professional, locally-based service."

Gwenno, 28, farms sheep, cattle and pigs with her husband Gwion on their farm in Talsarnau, near Harlech, and also helps her father, FUW member Selwyn Hughes, on his farm at Tyn Llan, Penmynydd, Anglesey.

She said: "I entered the competition just hoping to become the first female contestant to reach the final but to go the extra step and actually win was an unbelievable feeling.

“It was such a privilege to become the first woman to win Fferm Ffactor since the series began in 2009. I'm delighted with my new Isuzu and getting free insurance from FUW really is a wonderful bonus," said Gwenno.

FUW member and Fferm Ffactor contestant Dylan Jones also won a new Yahama Grizzly 450 EPS ATV farm bike, a Logic OXR off-road trailer and - courtesy of FUW Insurance - a year's worth of insurance following a quad race during the series.

Dylan, 42, a part-time farmer from Bodffordd, Anglesey, completed the course quicker than the remaining contestants at the halfway stage of the 2013 Fferm Ffactor series.

[caption id="attachment_2766" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dylan Jones with his FUW Insurance covered Yahama Grizzly ATV farm bike and Logic off-road trailer[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2767" align="aligncenter" width="300"] FFERM FFACTOR WINNER: From left: Gwion Lockett of R J Williams Ltd, Izuzu dealership at Talsarnau, with FUW area officer Eirian Lloyd Hughes and Fferm Ffactor 2013 winner Gwenno Pugh at the wheel.[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales today advised Welsh farmers to follow Natural Resources Wales (NRW) guidance to help them manage slurry storage and spreading given the recent wet weather.

FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams said: "The NRW guidance offers advice on best practice and legal requirements to help farmers deal with the problems caused by full slurry stores and waterlogged land.

"The current atrocious weather conditions are making life difficult for farmers. The storms and heavy rain of the past two months have left them with full slurry stores and waterlogged fields unsuitable for spreading.

"The NRW guidance provides farmers with advice on creating short-term extra storage and, if this is not an option, guidance on spreading slurry whilst minimising the pollution risk and meeting legal guidelines."

The guidance can be found on the NRW website: naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

More than £4,100 has been raised by Farmers’ Union of Wales members, staff and supporters at 13 breakfast functions held in aid of union president Emyr Jones’s children’s hospice charities T? Hafan and T? Gobaith during this year's Farmhouse Breakfast Week.

Kitchens in Ceredigion, Anglesey, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Caernarfonshire and Meirionnydd were filled with mouth-watering aromas as part of the union’s promotion of locally-produced Welsh food.

The various events highlighted the union's enthusiastic support for the Farmhouse Breakfast Week campaign organised since 2000 by the Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA).

FUW president Emyr Jones said: “The union is a keen supporter of HGCA's campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast and demonstrate the rich variety and quality of breakfast foods available in Wales and the rest of the UK.

“I would like to thanks everyone for their very generous support, which has made these breakfast functions such a success.

"We have raised a fantastic amount of money for the charities and managed once more to showcase what excellent food we produce here in Wales,” added Mr Jones.

[caption id="attachment_2756" align="aligncenter" width="300"] From left, FUW area officer Dei Charles Jones, FUW Meirionnydd county vice chairman Euros Puw, FUW president Emyr Jones, S4C's Fferm Factor winner and special guest Gwenno Pugh, FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts, FUW Bala branch chairman Dylan Davies and Meirionnydd YFC county chairman Dylan Jones.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2757" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Enjoying their breakfast at Hendrearddwyfaen, Ty Nant (from left) Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Gruffydd with FUW Denbighshire and Flintshire county executive officer Rhys Roberts and breakfast hosts Ifor Owen, his wife Nan and son Gwion.[/caption]

The future of the farming industry and how it can support the development of young farmers to ensure a prosperous future was discussed at a recent meeting between Farmers’ Union of Wales officials and Wales YFC staff.

Challenges such as CAP and bovine TB plus ways to help young people in rural Wales become more active in their community to establish vibrant rural businesses were considered.

A key area for the YFC movement is educating children from primary school age about the endless opportunities that rural life can offer as well as educating youngsters about the farming industry.

The FUW is fully supportive of the YFC 2050 goal of ensuring every child in Wales undertakes a farm visit whilst in primary school.

FUW president Emyr Jones said: “Once again we had an excellent meeting with Wales YFC and it is good to hear about some of the new initiatives it has planned.

"The work the federation has done so far with the lamb initiative must be recognised as a great step forward for young farmers and the union is, of course, supportive of any similar future ventures."

The Wales YFC lamb initiative works in partnership with Dunbia and Sainsbury’s and gives YFC members the opportunity to supply Welsh lamb to Sainsbury’s stores in Wales, all year round.

The initiative is open to members and associate members aged 16 to 40.

“Education and business opportunities are vital for our young people and I was glad to talk about the success of the Llyndy Isaf Farm scholarship which Wales YFC runs,” added Mr Jones.

"I can only encourage those eligible to make sure that they apply for the scholarship and attend the open days in March and April."

The Llyndy Isaf Farm scholarship  is a partnership between Wales YFC and National Trust Eryri which gives a YFC member the chance to live and run their own farm for a whole year.

The scholarship gives someone the opportunity to become skilled at decision-making, business management and animal husbandry.

Llyndy Isaf is a 614-acre upland livestock unit in the Nant Gwynant Valley in Snowdonia.

[caption id="attachment_2753" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] From left: Wales YFC chief executive Nia Lloyd, FUW senior policy officer Hazel Wright, Wales YFC rural affairs vice chairman Ceri Davies, Wales YFC rural development officer Sarah Price, Wales YFC rural affairs chairman Iwan Thomas, FUW president Emyr Jones, Wales YFC vice chairman Iwan Meirion and Wales YFC chairman Kate Miles.[/caption]