“How long would it last?” Those were the questions of December and January. Not even the most ‘disloyal’ of farmers would have ventured to give to the Union more than three months at the outside. Well now, despite the critics, despite the harsh words, and looking back, the Union, despite everything, has thrived and gone from strength to strength.”
The opening line of the first ever edition of Y Tir, published on January 1st 1957 - referencing the Farmers’ Union of Wales’ formation in the twilight of 1955.
Despite the dramatic changes we’ve seen in agriculture, society and governance over the past seven decades, the Farmers’ Union of Wales’ support of Welsh farmers has remained unwavering. Indeed, it fills me with pride that despite the drastic changes and challenges endured by the sector, the Union’s core value of safeguarding Welsh family farms remains as central to our work today as it was seventy years ago.
As we therefore mark this important milestone in the FUW’s existence, I look forward to engaging with members and the sector in celebrations and events across Wales throughout 2025. This will provide an opportunity not only to look back at the Union’s story and successes, but also the chance to consider the wider challenges and opportunities that face Welsh farming today in the twenty-first century.
Considering the upheaval and uncertainty seen within the sector in 2024, I do hope 2025 will provide greater stability for farmers than the previous 12 months. To this end, we do welcome the Welsh Government’s commitment to maintain the Basic Payment Scheme ceiling at £238m as part of their draft budget for 2025-2026. Maintaining BPS funding - which remains so crucial to so many farmers - is to be welcomed, however it's disappointing that this figure has seen no uplift again this year to allow for inflation, which has been eroding the value of our BPS payments, in real terms, for the last 10 years. Questions also remain as to how the funding for agriculture in Wales compares with the previous investment from European support programmes, as well as how agricultural funding will be ringfenced as part of a revised Welsh Government departmental structure which now sees Climate Change and Rural Affairs together.
On the topic of farming funding, all eyes will inevitably be drawn to the Welsh Government’s statement this summer on the payment modelling for the Sustainable Farming Scheme, The FUW has welcomed the opportunity to play a collaborative role in revising the SFS from the disastrous initial proposals - helping ensure the scrapping of 10% tree cover, whilst recognising common land and SSSIs. However, as we’ve made clear throughout, the devil will be in the detail, and the importance of an adequately funded scheme will not only be of paramount importance to the future of our family farms, but for rural Wales as a whole.
Funding aside, we also eagerly await developments from the Welsh Government on both the NVZs review, and the work of the TB Eradication Programme Delivery Plan. Both NVZs and bTB provide huge challenges for the sustainability of Welsh farmers, and collaborative working with the sector will be key to address the varying problems stemming from both issues.
Turning to Westminster, from an agricultural perspective much of the recent discourse has focused on the changes to the inheritance tax and APR following October’s Budget. With the frustration and anger within the sector regarding the changes continuing to boil over, we will continue to press for the UK Government to review this policy, and the detriment it could cause to family farms and the farming sector in its entirety.
On the home front here at Gurnos, Sean and I are also looking forward to another year farming in partnership, and I'm sure he will have plenty of fresh ideas to move the business forward, picked up on his recent trip to New Zealand.
As usual the weather will play a crucial role in our farming year and let's hope it's better than last year! Prices remain buoyant for our beef and lamb as we enter 2025 and long may that continue. The ewes are looking well as we start the year, but let's see how lambing goes.”Don't count your chickens before the eggs hatch “ is the phrase that aways comes to mind at this time of year. It seems relatively quiet here now that all the Wagyu calves have moved on to their new homes, and a decision hasn't been made yet about how many we will try and rear again this year, but more news on that in the coming months.
A lot has changed since 1955, but ultimately the crucial role of Welsh farmers in producing high quality food, and maintaining the environment remains as important as ever before. Alongside FUW members, officers and staff, I look forward to another busy year, continuing to ensure the needs and interests of Welsh family farms are heard loud and clear.