The Autumn Statement delivered by Chancellor Philip Hammond today has been described as a mixed bag for rural communities by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

As part of the budget the announcement the Chancellor confirmed that the income tax threshold is to be raised to £11,500 in April, from £11,000 now and the National Living Wage is to rise from £7.20 an hour to £7.50 from April next year.

FUW Director of Finance, David Parker said: “This budget is a bit of a mixed bag for our rural communities. Raising the earnings threshold for tax and increasing the National Living Wage will come as welcome news to those on low incomes, especially in our rural communities. However, a rise in wages may not be so welcome by employers, especially as farm incomes are at an all time low.”

The Union, cautiously welcomed that the fuel duty rise has been cancelled, saving the average car driver £130 and van drivers £350 a year, but stressed that more should be done to help those in rural areas cope with high fuel costs.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “The FUW believes the rate of fuel duty needs to be significantly reduced to bring down the overall cost of fuel and with that the cost of living. Yes it is welcome news that there will not be an increase in fuel duty but really what should have happened is a cut in fuel duty.

“The high cost of fuel, including red diesel, has a serious impact on agriculture and the wider rural economy. Many households in rural Wales rely on a car due to the fragmented public transport service and the distance from suppliers and markets means rural businesses are disproportionately affected by high fuel prices. There is also less competition between fuel suppliers and many people living in rural towns and villages are facing higher prices at the pump.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is reminding all those who have an interest in farming matters and who believe that our agricultural industry is the backbone of the rural economy to make their voices heard at all levels, by messaging their elected representatives through an online lobbying tool on the Union’s website.

“Whilst our officials are out continuously lobbying key decision makers and politicians at Westminster and Cardiff level, our members can also lobby their elected politicians,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

Currently based on the #FarmingMatters campaign, members and all those who recognise the importance of a thriving rural economy can find their elected representatives on the FUW website - http://fuw.org.uk/find/ - by entering a postcode and then choosing who they want to e-mail.

There is a pre-written campaign letter available for use, but it can be amended if you so wish.

Mr Roberts added: “The more we remind politicians about the importance of farming and its role in the rural economy, the more chance there is that our rural economy will survive and prosper.”

The prepared campaign letter states that the individual wishes to highlight the importance of ensuring agriculture and our rural economy are given sufficient prominence during forthcoming discussions, negotiations and decisions following the referendum on EU membership held on June 23.

It further outlines that farm businesses, and family farms in particular, are an essential part of the economic, social, and cultural fabric of Wales; around two out of every five rural businesses are classed as being involved in the farming industry (Welsh Assembly Government, 2001), while agriculture is estimated to support over 10 per cent of Wales’ full time employees (Central Science Laboratories, 2003).

The letter further draws attention to the fact that around 60,000 people are employed on farm holdings in Wales, in addition to the thousands employed in businesses which are reliant on agriculture such as contractors, feed and machinery merchants, mechanics etc.

Wider contributions to our economy are also well documented, for example, in terms of tourism, while agriculture has been acknowledged as the single most significant contributor to an estimated £1.9 billion worth of wildlife based activity in Wales per annum (Mabis, 2007).

“Those who are submitting the letter to their elected politicians through the FUW website, urge them to recognise the degree to which farming matters to their constituency, Wales, and the UK, including in terms of food security at a time of global instability, and is asking them to do all they can to prevent the devastating impact further cuts in farm incomes would have not just for agriculture, but for our entire rural economy,” added Mr Roberts.

[caption id="attachment_6303" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW Senior Policy Officer Dr Hazel Wright[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has hosted a successful Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZs) road show for its members across Wales, in order to highlight the proposed changes to NVZs and to get members views on the consultation document.

FUW Senior Policy Officer Dr Hazel Wright said: “As stipulated in the EC Nitrates Directive, the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, have undertaken a review of the existing NVZ areas in Wales, and have assessed if any new areas need to be designated.”

Two options are outlined in the consultation, namely, the continuation of the discrete approach to designation or the designation of the whole of Wales as a NVZ. A continuation of the discrete approach would see an increase in the amount land designated as an NVZ in Wales from 2.4% to 8%.

Dr Wright added: “The Union has been involved in the review and has made its concerns clear over the past months. We have held constructive meetings with our membership across Wales and will submit an official response to the consultation by the end of December. If any of our members have not made their voice heard on this yet, I urge them to contact their county office as soon as possible.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is urging shoppers to keep their Christmas shopping local to show support for rural and local businesses.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “As we speed towards Christmas, I would like to urge you to think about your rural businesses and see if you can buy local, either for the upcoming Christmas dinner or even gifts for family and friends.

“Speak to your local butcher about meat for the Christmas period and see what your local farm shop has to offer - I promise you will find many of the ingredients you need for your Christmas dinner right on your doorstep.

“There are also plenty of small shops around that offer Welsh craft and locally designed gifts and of course the choice for local food gifts is aplenty. It really is worth having a look. These are small decisions we can make that will have a big impact on our rural economy.

“A pound spent locally will go much further than a pound spent in a chain store and it keeps our rural economies going. By supporting our local businesses we don’t help a CEO buy a third holiday home but we help a local mum and dad put food on the table, a family pay their mortgage, a little girl get those dance lessons and a little boy get his favourite team shirt.”