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(from left) FUW Meirionnydd county branch president, Robert Wyn Evans, Welsh Government director of agriculture, food and marine, Andrew Slade, shadow minister for sustainable communities for Plaid Cymru, Llyr Huws Gruffydd AM and Hafod y Llan, Nant Gwynant farm manager and former FUW director of policy Arwyn Owen.[/caption]
Meirionnydd members of the Farmers’ Union of Wales discussed the current state of the agricultural industry and its future direction at the recent county annual general meeting (January 30) at Clwb Rygbi, Dolgellau.
The meeting was chaired by FUW Meirionnydd county branch president, Robert Wyn Evans and speakers for the evening included shadow minister for sustainable communities for Plaid Cymru, Llyr Huws Gruffydd AM, Welsh Government director of agriculture, food and marine, Andrew Slade and Hafod y Llan, Nant Gwynant farm manager and former FUW director of policy Arwyn Owen.
FUW county executive officer Huw Jones, who gave a short report of the branch’s activities during 2014 at the start of the meeting, said: “Once again we have had a strong representation of members from all parts of the county. The meeting was an ideal opportunity to consider the future of the industry in the short and medium term.
“Amongst the many subjects we discussed was the outcome of the Moorland Judicial Review in the context of the Basic Payment Scheme, and the current modelling work undertaken in preparation for future payment methods. We discussed the possibility of an extended transition period, and also the possibility of a tiered system of payments.”