[caption id="attachment_6672" align="alignleft" width="300"] Royal Welsh Show 2016. Wednesday.
Scarlets rugby team support welsh dairy farmers! at the Royal Welsh Show, players having a milkshake.
L/R Will Boyde, Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, Steff Hughes and Hadleigh Parker, pictured at the FUW stand.[/caption]

In a bid to promote the benefits of drinking milk and to raise awareness of the importance of supporting the Welsh dairy industry, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has once again teamed up with the Scarletts Rugby team at the Royal Welsh Show.

Handing out free milk drinks to children, FUW Dairy Spokesperson Eifion Huws said: “Milk and dairy products have an important part to play in our daily diet as they provide an important source of protein and calcium and contain essential vitamins and minerals, all of which are needed for a balanced diet.

“Indeed, the exclusion of dairy products from the ‘sugar tax’ demonstrates the role such products play in a healthy diet.”

“In addition, with an increasing amount of research into milk as a recovery and re-hydration aid for athletes, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting milk may be just as effective in these areas as some sports drinks,” commented Eifion Huws.

However, despite the recognised benefits of milk and dairy products in a balanced diet, dairy producers in Wales remain in need of urgent support.

“In the absence of moves which ensure markets provide sufficient income for dairy farm businesses we have to ensure that support is maintained for our sectors at levels which do not compromise either family farms or rural economies.

“The decision to leave the European Union means that agriculture and domestic food production needs to be given priority during all trade negotiations with other countries and trading blocks now and post-Brexit and that most certainly is critical to the survival of the our Welsh dairy industry.

“In light of the continuing dairy crisis it is essential that robust steps are taken to ensure supermarkets and other private sector bodies support domestic dairy producers and do not act in a way which undermines our UK dairy food production or the viability of our agricultural sectors in general,” added Eifion Huws.

[caption id="attachment_6669" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW TB Spokesperson Brian Walters, Adrian Thorne Head of APHA Wales Bovine TB Epidemiology Team, Ian McGrath Cheshire Dairy farmer and member of the DEFRA Bovine TB Eradication Advisory Group for England , Professor Christianne Glossop Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales and Peredur Hughes, Chair of Welsh Government Animal Health and Welfare Group[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has hosted a seminar on bovine TB entitled ‘TB Perspectives, Science, Practicalities and Policy’ at the Royal Welsh Show to explore the way forward for bTB control in Wales.

The seminar provided Union members and stakeholders with the opportunity to raise important matters of concern and to hear the different perspectives of expert panel members.

The meeting was chaired by Peredur Hughes, Chair of Welsh Government Animal Health and Welfare Group.

The panel included Professor Christianne Glossop Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, Ian McGrath Cheshire Dairy farmer and member of the DEFRA Bovine TB Eradication Advisory Group for England and Adrian Thorne Head of APHA Wales Bovine TB Epidemiology Team.

Following the seminar FUW Bovine TB spokesperson Brian Walters said: “The panel answered a range of questions relating to those issues currently facing Welsh cattle farmers, including potential mechanisms for dealing with the wildlife vector, and I must thank our panel members for putting the spotlight on bovine TB here at the Royal Welsh show today.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has hosted a panel discussion, in conjunction with the Care Council for Wales, about working together to make our rural communities more resilient.

Chairing the meeting was Care Council Chief Executive Sue Evans.

Panel members included Cllr Gareth Roberts, Gwynedd Council cabinet member for adult services, Glyn Roberts, Farmers’ Union of Wales President, Sara Moseley, Director, Mind Cymru and Sarah McCarty, Director of Workforce Learning and Development, Care Council.

Speaking after the meeting, FUW President Glyn Roberts, said: “Many people in rural Wales can be quite isolated. The FUW, through its county office structure helps to keep in contact with members and those who might feel isolated and promotes the economic and social well-being of rural areas in many ways.

“Because of the structure we have, we can speak to our members and that is important as it alleviates some of the pressure. By listening and checking on their emotional well-being we can support them in times of crisis. For many years we have supported farmers who were under severe stress because of for example a bovine TB breakdown, cattle being removed from the farm or unnerving letters arriving through the post from Government.

“As a Union we are there to help and support the rural community in any way we can. Another way we provide such support is by working with framing charities such as RABI, Farm Crisis Network and the Addington Fund.

“We also support many other charities that are invaluable in our rural communities such as Wales Air Ambulance, Cancer Research Wales, Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith, and the British Heart Foundation Wales.

“All the FUW does is about #FarmingMatters, reminding people that #FarmingMatters and helping those in need with #FarmingMatters.

“The family farm is recognised as the powerhouse of our rural economies and the most appropriate source of UK agricultural produce and if you want a clear indication of the cultural importance of farming you need only consider this: in Ceredigion, less than 50 percent of the population now speak Welsh. But within the farming community the percentage is close to 100%. The FUW supports and promotes the use of the Welsh language.

“The FUW has also long been a strong supporter for the YFC - let’s consider the value of the Young Farmers Clubs playing such diverse and vital roles in their communities where they also protect our culture and language so very effectively. There can be no doubt that farming holds these groups together and makes them a real force in our rural communities.

“Only this week we have asked for legislation to be drafted that mandates the procurement of British produce by the UK public Sector. This will support rather than spite the sectors which lie at the heart of our rural economies and bring many benefits to our nations.”

Sue Evans, Chief Executive Care Council said: “We are very grateful to the FUW for allowing us to host the discussion here today, and for also taking the time to bring their expertise and reflections to the panel.

“The FUW work very closely with their members and are therefore able to bring an additional and very important perspective to the discussion.

“We know that rural communities face their own complex challenges and so the input of the FUW along with all our other panel guests will be crucial as we develop our care and support strategy for Welsh Government, which will be particularly important for those living in rural areas.”

[caption id="attachment_6664" align="alignleft" width="300"] FUW Vice President Brian Walters, FUW F&O Member Dewi Owen, FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, FUW President Glyn Roberts, FUW Vice President Richard Vaughan and FUW F&O Member Brian Bowen[/caption]

A delegation of Farmers’ Union of Wales officials have today met with Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths at the Royal Welsh Show.

The positive discussions focused on farming matters, including succession planning and share-farming, as well as the issue of bovine TB and how best to prepare the industry for life post-Brexit.

Speaking after the meeting, FUW President Glyn Roberts, said: “This has been a peculiar  show week for us all - we are in unchartered territory and the level of uncertainty across our industry and that of our allied industries was felt in every meeting we have had so far.

“Meetings with banks, solicitors, chartered surveyors and land agents, highlighted the real concern out there and reinforced the need for more clarity.

“Our assets should be the will to change and move forward with life post-Brexit. But what we need government and those in power to understand is that agriculture acts like the nucleus in a cell. The cell - or in other words our rural economy - will only thrive if the nucleus as the centre of all operations, the role filled by our agricultural industry, is working well.

“We are where we are and it is important that we as an industry change with the times. We must as individuals and as an industry adapt to new circumstances and actively help to shape a better future.

“In every change there are opportunities  and we will continue to identify these and lead the argument and planning for a brighter, prosperous and sustainable agricultural industry in Wales.”