A farming family from South Wales have stressed the need for continued collaboration with the Welsh Government after some major opportunities were missed in the Agriculture (Wales) Bill.
Hosting a farm visit for Conservative Member of the Senedd Joel James, the Jones family stressed that the Sustainable Farming Scheme, currently still in development, must deliver on the shortcomings of the Bill if sustainable, thriving, family farms are going to be a reality in Wales for generations to come.
Lynne Jones and his family run Fforch farm. They keep 300 Glamorgan Welsh mountain sheep along with 65 breeding cows. The family started off with highland cattle to cope with the hardiness of the mountain, crossed with Short horns and salers. They have now moved on to cross them with Charolais and Aberdeen Angus bulls.
The family farm 500 acres of owned land and 500 acres of rented land which is used for grazing. Lynne is also a keen enthusiast in sheepdog trailing. His children Grug, Caryl and Arwel diversified a few years ago and launched a successful microbrewery Cwm Rhondda Ales and then went on to open Cwm Farm Shop.
Speaking after the visit, Lynne Jones said: ''Family farms in Wales are the backbone of not only the community but the rural economy too. To make our farm viable and sustainable we have diversified with wind power and the farm shop. Without these my children would all have to leave our community to find work elsewhere. It's vital our industry is supported to keep the next generation on our farms and in Wales.”
Grug added: “Without diversifying, we wouldn't still be farming today. We are fortunate to have been in a position to do so, as there are many of us to take on workloads between us. When farmers are working 12/14 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is not right that we are told to work harder. What is needed is better recognition and pay for the work we do so that we too can make ends meet. There are just not enough hours in the day. When this is prolonged; farming is an isolated job as it is, mental health becomes more and more a topic of concern. The average age of farmers is 50+, there is no incentive or accessibility for young people to start up their career in the industry.”
FUW Deputy President Ian Rickman added: “We were pleased that the Senedd recently voted to include a multi-annual support plan in the Agriculture (Wales) Bill, which will provide information about how Welsh Ministers intend to provide financial support.
“This has been a key demand of the FUW and is a provision which exists within the UK Agriculture Act. The inclusion of this amendment places farmers in Wales on an equal footing to those in England and gives some clarity to farmers when planning for their business’ future.
“However, we are also clear that when it comes to funding to agriculture, the Sustainable Farming Scheme can deliver on key issues such as the provision of a baseline payment for all farmers undertaking Universal Actions, which would be providing much needed stability.”
Mr Rickman further told the Member of the Senedd that there are strong concerns over the 10% woodland creation element included in the scheme proposal.
“That target is not achievable for every farmer, and as such would exclude some holdings from the scheme. That would be to the detriment of the overall environmental and biodiversity aims and targets,” he added.
Union officials further discussed the NVZ regulations and local procurement with Joel James.