FUW PRESIDENT'S TRIBUTE TO BRYNLE WILLIAMS

A genuine friend of Welsh farmers and farming in general is how North Wales AM Brynle Williams should be fondly remembered, said Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan today.

Mr Williams was vice chairman of the FUW's Flintshire branch in 2000 when he was one of the leaders of farmers' protests at Stanlow oil refinery at Ellesmere Port when week-long blockades over escalating fuel prices spread and brought the country to a standstill.

"Brynle went on to become chairman of the branch between 2001 and 2003 until he was first elected as a Conservative AM for North Wales," said Mr Vaughan.

"He was also an enthusiastic and popular member of the union's central land use and parliamentary committee at this time and I know FUW members across Wales would want me to pass on their heartfelt sympathy to all his family and friends.

"Since becoming an AM he stayed firmly rooted in his farming background and fought tirelessly for farming and rural areas. He remained a genuine friend of Welsh farmers and farming in general.

"He was always easily accessible, helpful and cheerful. His selfless devotion to securing a better future for Welsh farming will be sorely missed by everyone."

FUW HOLDS HUSTINGS AT LLANRWST

The Farmers' Union of Wales has organised a meeting tomorrow night (Thursday March 31) at the Eagles Hotel, Llanrwst, for electors to meet prospective candidates for the Aberconwy constituency in the Welsh Assembly elections on May 5.

The candidates present will be Janet Finch Saunders (Conservative); Iwan Hughes (Plaid Cymru) and Eifion Wyn Williams (Labour) plus a representative from the Liberal Democrats.

FUW Denbighshire county executive officer Marian Jones said: "We hope that this will be an opportunity for the party representatives to present their policies for the election and it will be a chance to ask questions and discuss various issues with them.

"This is an important meeting as this is the way in which the electorate can ensure the candidates are made aware of the concerns of rural areas, such as the agricultural industry, affordable housing, various services in rural areas, and local government policies."

FUW DISAPPOINTED AT CCW DECISION

The Farmers’ Union of Wales today expressed its disappointment after a specially convened meeting of the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) in Llangollen decided to proceed with the proposed extension of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The proposal will now be sent to the Welsh Assembly Government for a final decision.

The meeting received a number of presentations from parties with an interest in the proposal including FUW Denbighshire and Flintshire counties executive officer Marian Jones who spoke about the union’s objections and concerns over the impact the designation would have on farming and local communities within the area.

Following the meeting Mrs. Jones said: “It has long been recognised that farming has helped to create and maintain the landscape in this area of Wales. We are disappointed that despite the majority of respondents objecting to the plans outlined in the draft designation order consultation, the CCW has decided to pursue its proposal to extend the Clwydian Range AONB.

“The union will continue to highlight its opposition to the designation during the run-up to the Welsh Assembly Government elections,” she added.

FUW WELCOMES CULL VOTE BUT SLAMS AMS' MISLEADING STATEMENTS

The Farmers’ Union of Wales today welcomed the National Assembly’s large majority vote in support of a north Pembrokeshire badger cull but has slammed anti-cull AMs for misleading statements made during the debate at the Senedd.

FUW member and north Pembrokeshire farmer Brian Thomas, who attended the debate, said: “The overwhelming support for the policy is welcome, and gives a clear sign that the majority of AMs are prepared to grasp the nettle and act responsibly regarding a severe disease crisis, despite misleading campaigns by animal rights activists.

“However, I was stunned by the inaccuracy and misleading nature of some of the statements made by those proposing the motion to stop the cull, and it is a disgrace that such statements were made in our National Assembly chamber.”

AMs Peter Black, Lorraine Barrett, Irene James and Jenny Randerson had tabled a motion to annul The Badger (Control Area) (Wales) Order 2011. It was rejected by 42 votes to 8.

“Mr Black quoted what he described as the latest data published by the Independent Science Group in February 2010," said Mr Thomas.

“Yet that group was disbanded almost four years ago, and he chose to quote data and conclusions which he knows were superseded and corrected in July 2010."

Mr Thomas said that this was just one of a series of totally misleading statements made by the anti-cull AMs.

“People have a perfect right to object to culling on whatever grounds they see fit, but for Assembly Members to mislead the National Assembly, whether by accident or otherwise, is disgraceful.

“It is not too much to ask that those who are elected to rule Wales are properly briefed. If Assembly Members receive figures from groups such as Pembrokeshire Against the Cull, which has admitted giving out untruthful and unsubstantiated information in the past, they should be astute enough to check their facts before speaking in our Assembly."

Mr Thomas also hit out at rock star Brian May for his involvement in the anti-cull campaign.

“Brian May describes TB as a ‘‘virus’’. This is so inaccurate it is like describing cattle as a species of fish, and shows that everything else he says should be taken with a massive pinch of salt.

“People who have strong views and are obsessed with single issues tend to be blinkered when it comes to looking at the facts and inevitable get things seriously wrong.

“Thankfully, the majority of AMs have taken a step back, properly assessed the evidence, and supported the cull.”

FUW OPPOSES CLWYDIAN RANGE AONB PLAN

The Farmers' Union of Wales has strongly opposed plans by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) to extend the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and will continue to lobby the case at a special meeting with representatives of the council in Llangollen on March 28.

At this meeting CCW will decide whether or not to send its proposals to the Welsh Assembly Government for the final decision and FUW Denbighshire and Flintshire counties executive officer Marian Jones and the union's Denbighshire branch president Glyn Jones will deliver a presentation on their objections.

In its response to CCW's draft designation order consultation the union objected to the plans, fearing that sustainable development, both on-farm and within rural communities, will be stifled by further planning controls applied to designated areas.

Given the number of existing designations in the area, the union strongly believes that any further designation would only serve to increase the bureaucracy and red tape endured by farmers.

Mr Jones said: "It has long been recognised that farming has helped to create and maintain the landscape in this area of Wales and it is the farming systems employed by generations of farmers which have created these cherished landscapes that attract numerous visitors to the area every year.

"Rather than considering further designation, we believe that more effort should be made to encourage a partnership approach to conservation through positive policies, such as agri-environment schemes, encouraging diversification and working with rural people."

The union's response also highlighted concerns that the stricter planning controls would adversely impact on the family farms within the area.

"Succession is an on-going concern within the farming industry with a lack of young people willing to take on the management of farms. Stricter planning controls within the AONB will only compound these problems," added Mr Jones.

FUW MEMBER WINS WOOL BOARD ELECTION

[caption id="attachment_4274" align="aligncenter" width="350"]Bedwyr Jones Bedwyr Jones[/caption]

THE Farmers' Union of Wales' official candidate, Bedwyr Jones of Gwastadanas Farm, Nant Gwynant, near Beddgelert, has won the British Wool Marketing Board's (BWMB) North Wales regional seat election. 

Mr Jones received 11,386 votes - 1,827 more than the runner-up in a four-cornered poll - compared to second-placed Huw Evans' 9,559 votes. Two other FUW members - Steven Smith, of Castle Caereinion, near Welshpool (5,783 votes) and John Foulkes, of Penymynydd, Anglesey (3,063) - were third and fourth respectively. 

Mr Jones, a 39-year-old beef and sheep farmer, is the current chairman of BWMB's Welsh regional committee. 

He has been farming in partnership with his wife Helen at Gwastadanas Farm since 1996 when they were successful with their application for the tenancy of the 3,000-acre farm on the side of Snowdon. 

They inherited a flock of 1,600 Welsh Mountain ewes and 14 suckler cows when they moved in to Gwastadanas. They then bought Bodrwnsiwn Farm, Ty Croes, on Anglesey in 2002, a 200-acre lowland farm, after which their livestock numbers increased to 2,000 breeding Welsh Mountain ewes and 400 New Zealand Romney X ewes. 

All ram lambs are either fattened or sold as breeding rams in the popular annual sale held at Gwastadanas when around 50 Welsh Mountain rams and 20 New Zealand Romney rams are sold. Some cross ewe lambs are sold on for breeding purposes whilst the rest are either fattened or kept within the breeding flock at home. 

Bedwyr Jones is a sheep man through and through. He was brought up on the family farm in Cerrigellgwm Isaf, Ysbyty Ifan, near Betws y Coed, where he and his brothers were given an excellent grounding in farming by their father Hywel Jones. 

Bedwyr set up a successful sheep contracting business at a very young age, and later helped the BWMB with their wool press project which looked into the haulage costs of transporting wool around the country. 

For the last seven years Bedwyr has represented Caernarfonshire on the BWMB and has been chairman of the Welsh regional committee for just under two years. 

He is also chairman of the Prenteg branch of the FUW and is vice chairman of the union's central upland and marginal land committee. He has also been chairman of Beddgelert School's board of governors.

Welcoming the election result, FUW president Gareth Vaughan said: "I am well aware that Bedwyr is keen to represent North Wales on the BWMB's central committee, and will work towards ensuring that the establishment works efficiently to the benefit of all wool producers in obtaining the best price possible.

"He will also concentrate his efforts on ensuring effective collection of all wool produced in North Wales in an attempt to lower the costs of the BWMB to a minimum."

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