Members of the Farmers' Union of Wales's common land committee have expressed extreme concern about the implications of the Welsh Assembly Government's (WAG) new Glastir scheme for upland communities.

Committee chairman, Rhymney farmer Lorraine Howells, has now written to Assembly opposition environment and agriculture party spokesmen stressing the disruption that the introduction of Glastir after 2011 could cause for upland communities which rely on common land.

"While we would encourage every commoner and graziers' association to look into the possibility of getting their common into the Glastir scheme, we have major concerns about the practicality of doing this for many commons," she said.

"The introduction of the Glastir scheme represents one of the most significant changes for upland communities seen for more than half a century, and failure to enter the scheme will represent the loss of vast sums of money for some local economies."

Miss Howells explained that the vast majority of common land - about eight per cent of Wales's total land area - is categorised as Less Favoured, and 18 per cent of Welsh farmers declare common land on their Single Application Forms. "In some areas, communities are almost entirely reliant on their common grazing rights.

"Recognition of the specific handicaps faced on such land, and the risk of land abandonment and rural depopulation, led to the Hill Farming Act being passed in the immediate post-war period, and has effectively meant support for these areas since the introduction of the 1947 Agricultural Act. However, the introduction of the Glastir scheme represents the abandonment of such payments.

"The EU rules associated with agri-environmental schemes, which are far more restrictive than those which apply to Less Favoured Area payments, bring with them inherent difficulties for common land as they do not properly take into account the unique nature of common land management in the UK."

During the committee meeting members expressed concern that, while there may well be commons where the majority agree that they want, or have little financial alternatives but to sign up to Glastir, the chances of this majority being large enough to meet the 80% criteria set by WAG and the EC may be slim.

"Even if more than 80% do agree to participate, many feel that they will still not take the risk of entering the scheme and incurring penalties as a result of the actions of the minority who decide they wish to continue exercising their full legal rights to graze an individual common."

There is also the concern that those who rely upon common land for 365 days a year, because they have relatively little normal farmland, will be unable to enter the Glastir scheme without reducing their stocking numbers to the extent that their businesses become unviable, and that this will preclude participation.

Members were also concerned that the WAG's decision will mean competitors in other regions of Europe will continue to receive LFA payments which aid production, while Welsh farmers who face similar handicaps will have to make their farms less productive to access equivalent funds, thus undermining the very principles of the European Common Market.

"The FUW has long argued that the Tir Mynydd scheme should be continued, and that any necessary changes should be made over a prolonged period, by adapting the current LFA scheme, as was proposed in the relevant WAG consultation and supported by the Rural Development Sub Committee," said Miss Howells.

"We have also called for delaying the implementation of the Glastir scheme by 12 months in order to seek ways to address the numerous concerns we have; a move which would also ease the significant pressures that implementing Glastir over such a short timescale represents for WAG staff at a time of significant budgetary pressures.

"The union's reasoning for adopting these positions remains completely valid and, as various deadlines approach and changes continue to be made to the scheme, our concern that the implementation timetable is inappropriate grows.

"These concerns have already been made clear to Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones and her officials. However, the committee felt it was important to reiterate these to opposition spokesmen."

Visitors to the Farmers' Union of Wales stand at Usk Show on Saturday September 11 will be invited to fill in the Welsh Assembly Government's Glastir agri-environment scheme scorecard to discover whether they can obtain sufficient points to gain entry into the scheme.
"The promotion of local produce will be the main theme on the stand but members will also be able to have a go at the Glastir scorecard to see if they will be able to achieve enough points to enter the scheme," said FUW Gwent county executive officer Glyn Davies.
"The Usk show is the last on the regular calendar and is the show piece of agriculture in Gwent with exhibitors being restricted from within the county. Showgoers will get a warm welcome on our stand," Mr Davies added.

The Farmers' Union of Wales insurance arm FUW Insurance will sponsor the big Ceredigion rugby derby when Aberystwyth host Newcastle Emlyn on Saturday September 11.

Both teams met regularly until 2009 when Aberystwyth were promoted to the WRU National League's Division 2 and they now find themselves in the same division following Newcastle Emlyn's promotion. "So we are delighted to sponsor this eagerly awaited fixture," said the FUW's director of business development Emyr James.

"We welcome all our long standing and potentially new insurance customers to join us at the match which is guaranteed to be closely contested.

The Farmers' Union of Wales insurance arm FUW Insurance will be well represented on Saturday September 4 at Sennybridge Show at Dickens Field in the middle of the village near Brecon.

"Our exhibition unit will be present and all farmers are invited to meet FUW county representatives for a cuppa and a chat," said the union's director of business development Emyr James.

"Sennybridge Show has a truly community feel about it and the organisers say a great day should be had by all."

Items donated by Dwyfor-Meirionnydd's MP and AM are high on the list of desirables for a promise auction to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance service which is Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan's chosen charity this year.

Elfyn Llwyd has offered a tour of the Houses of Parliament with a meal for two and National Assembly presiding officer Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas will do the same at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

The event, which takes place on Friday evening September 3 on FUW deputy president Emyr Jones' family farm at Rhiwaedog, near Bala, will also include a Hog Roast and live entertainment.

Tickets at £6 are available from the FUW's county office in Dolgellau by phoning 01341 422298 or via e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The event follows a farm walk during the afternoon arranged by the British Grassland Society in conjunction with the FUW and sponsored by Hybu Cig Cymru and Farming Connect.

"Mr Jones and his two sons won the 2008 British Grassland Society's National Grassland Management competition and the farm is noted for the excellence of its farming enterprise," said FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones.

Lunch and the farm walk is free for those registering in advance with the British Grassland Society on 02476 696600 or via e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Major crop failures in the Black Sea region and the natural disaster currently devastating Pakistan should focus EU Commission thinking on food security, according to Farmers' Union of Wales' Meirionnydd county chairman Robert Wyn Evans.

Speaking today (Wednesday August 25) at the Merioneth County Show in Harlech, he said adverse weather had led to Russia's barley crop being at its lowest level in 40 years, forcing the country to ban grain exports.

In Pakistan, severe flooding has resulted in the loss of more than 200,000 livestock and 700,000 hectares of crops being submerged or destroyed.

"While our hearts go out to those affected by the terrible natural disaster in Pakistan, the recent impact of severe weather on harvests should come as a stark warning to Europe that we must ensure a vibrant agricultural sector," said Mr Evans.

"In the coming months, important decisions will be made about the future of agriculture in the EU after 2013. If those decisions do not recognise the importance of EU food and crop production, this is likely to lead to an increased reliance on countries outside the EU.

"That would not be acceptable and the recent collapses in production in major crop producing areas of the world, coupled with the decision by Russia to ban exports to protect its own people, demonstrate the danger of relying increasingly on other countries."

The EU is currently considering the future of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2013, and some fear that financial pressures within the EU will lead to agriculture and rural communities being sidelined.

Meanwhile, fears of a repeat of 2008's global food shortages have led to significant volatility in grain prices. However, market analysts have attempted to calm fears by claiming that global supplies are sufficient to meet demand.

"We do not yet know whether these severe losses in crop production will lead to the type of global food crisis seen in 2007 and 2008 but policy makers who ignore the these warning signs place every European citizen in danger," Mr Evans added.

"Food is a commodity we cannot do with out. In a world with a growing population and increased risks of severe weather Europe must have a Common Agricultural Policy which recognises this.

"The FUW firmly believes that protection of the family farm should be at the heart of the Common Agricultural Policy, and that this is the key to ensuring sustainable European agriculture and food production."