The Farmers’ Union of Wales is looking forward to what promises to be an exciting and busy Royal Welsh Winter Fair, with the launch of the FUW election manifesto, free farm business advice, a farm security advice service and the Christmas card design competition winner announcement all happening at the union’s stand.
Farmers looking for advice on issues such as BPS, renewable energy, pylons, tenancy rights, compulsory purchase and rural property issues should visit the FUW stand, which is located in Livestock Hall 1, to book an appointment for a free 40 minute slot with Agri-Advisor agricultural solicitors, Davis Meade Property Consultants and Land Agents and LHP accountants, auditors and business advisors.
“If things are tough or worrying our members, we don’t want them to bury their heads in the sand. I would urge any farmer worried about issues that could impact the farm to take advantage of the free appointments available at our Royal Welsh Winter Fair farm surgeries. Continuing uncertainty about the single farm payment, coupled with unpredictable meat and milk market prices, means that planning for the forthcoming year is essential and could help avoid future problems or penalties,” said FUW marketing and membership manager Caryl Gruffydd Roberts.
The FUW will also be launching its election manifesto at the stand on Monday of the show at 2pm.
“While some politicians and civil servants perceive that it is only farmers who, during the course of the Winter Fair, will be discussing low incomes, cash-flow problems and the possible date on which much-needed Basic Payments will be released, it couldn’t be further from the truth,” said FUW president Glyn Roberts ahead of the Winter Fair.
A walk around the showground and a few chats with some of those running the hundreds of trade stands should quickly set the record straight when it comes to the wider importance of agriculture to Wales’ economy as a whole, and in particular the central role it plays in our rural economies.
“Put simply, there is a great deal more than just farm incomes riding on the release of payments and it is the need for political recognition of this that will be the focus of the FUW’s 2016 election manifesto,” added Glyn Roberts.
On a domestic level, numerous rules currently being consulted upon and discussed in Cardiff Bay have the potential to reduce farm incomes, while at the other end of the spectrum our exit from the European Union would change agriculture beyond recognition – but not just agriculture: our rural economies and communities as a whole.
Glyn Roberts further added that despite this being apparent to many of us, the lack of data on the contribution of agriculture to Wales’ rural economies is lamentable, meaning politicians who advocate or accept unquestioningly changes which impact on agriculture do so without any real understanding of the wider impacts of such changes.
This is why the FUW’s manifesto calls for detailed work which will identify the full impacts of changes, so that those who advocate them know exactly what they are calling for, and contingency plans are drawn up for eventualities which may be beyond our control – such as our exit from the Common Market and the EU.
Monday November 30 at 12.30pm will also see the announcement of the winner of the FUW annual Christmas card design competition and the union is excited to be selling the cards in aid of British Heart Foundation Cymru, who will also be at the stand from 9.30am to 12 noon of both show days.