The Farmers’ Union of Wales has today launched their agricultural post box at the Royal Welsh Show (Monday, July 18) and is encouraging visitors throughout the show week to post their concerns, ideas and comments about the way forward for agriculture following the EU referendum result.

The FUW has made it clear since the referendum result was made public that the exit strategy from the European Union must be carefully planned and should under no circumstances be rushed.

In line with public opinion, the family farm is recognised as the powerhouse of our rural economies and the most appropriate source of UK agricultural produce and therefore it is critical to the rural economy as a whole that #FarmingMatters are at the top of the priority list of those who are shaping the future post-Brexit.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “It is the future that matters. We must give it 100 percent and create the best outcome for the whole of Wales. Every crisis is an opportunity to find positive solutions and we must find those positive solutions.

“That is why we are calling on our members, farmers and all those second and third sector businesses that are directly or indirectly involved with agriculture to make their voices heard and help us in shaping the future for a strong, prosperous, rural economy post-Brexit.

“I would ask all those who visit the show this week to stop by our pavilion and fill in one of our comment cards and post them in the grass-roots ballot box. We will be revealing the result of the suggestions, concerns and ideas on Thursday (July 21) during our ‘Developing the right solution for agriculture in Wales’ seminar at 11am, to which I would like to invite you all.”

The message from the FUW is clear - Rural Wales needs to be recognised for the part that it can play in building a vibrant Wales and we aim to lead that argument to ensure that everyone realises that #FarmingMatters, especially in a world post-Brexit.

Being connected to the internet and having access to 21st century creature comforts like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat is something many people can’t live without anymore.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales understands how important it is to be connected in this day and age and has put its money where its mouth is by sponsoring the free WIFI at the Royal Welsh Show 2016.

“The range of services and opportunities which are exclusively available through the internet has grown significantly over the past decade, and access to broadband is now regarded as a necessity by the majority of UK businesses and households, but many of those living in rural areas are still without such essential 21st century essentials,” said FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas.

He added that the FUW is fully supportive of moves which encourage the use of online services where they are available and practical in order to reduce administrative burdens and minimise the risk of errors but that more needs to be done to facilitate these options - and key to this is of course access.

Brian Thomas added that: “The FUW has demonstrated its support for online services in terms of our support for RPW Online and the instrumental role we have played in helping our members submit their SAF applications online from the outset.

“However, with access to broadband still well below the national average in many of our rural areas, and farm businesses representing the highest proportion of those with no broadband access, it is essential that the limitations of online services and communications are recognised, and that rural access to broadband is increased.”

The FUW maintains that, given the rate at which the rules relating to agriculture change, and the penalties associated with breaching those rules, it is essential that such changes are communicated to the industry in an accessible format.

Aside from legislative requirements, farms without broadband are also placed at a significant commercial disadvantage in terms of, for example being unable to receive reports from slaughterhouses, being unable to make full use of farm and business software, not having access to online movement records and animal histories, not having access to online resources relevant to animal health, such as that relating to TB and being unable to access information and guidance relevant to their businesses.

For those who have had to diversify into non agricultural businesses, there are also major commercial disadvantages for farms which do not have broadband access, including being unable to properly market products via the internet, being unable to process orders submitted via the internet and tourism, function and events organisation industries are also at a disadvantage, where customers and clients expect and demand broadband access.

“In addition, those who are letting self-catering cottages are placed at a significant disadvantage, as WIFI availability is now required to successfully market their businesses.

“Children are unable to access broadband for their school and college work and anyone who wishes to work from home or explore diversification enterprises, are finding themselves in unfavourable circumstances.

“A lot of work has been done over the past four years to improve services for broadband access and a lot of money has been invested by Welsh Government to improve the ‘superfast’ service – however that service is still not reaching all farmers and rural businesses across Wales,” said Brian Thomas.

The FUW affirms that access to broadband and decent mobile phone coverage is critical in helping Wales become the rural economic powerhouse it needs to be in a world post Brexit and is looking forward continuing discussions with key players and decision makers throughout the course of the Royal Welsh Show week.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has called on the Welsh Government to take the lead in initiating plans for more sustainable and supportive public procurement policies ahead of Brexit.

Speaking at the FUW press conference on Sunday July 17, Union President Glyn Roberts said: “It is within the gift of both the Welsh and UK Government to start planning for more sustainable and supportive public procurement policies - an issue I have already raised with both the First Minister Carwyn Jones and the former Prime Minister David Cameron.

“Hiding behind state-aid rules is no longer an option: our schools, hospitals, armed forces and all other public services deserve access to the top quality produce that we grow here in Wales, and our farmers and rural economies deserve recognition for what they produce.

“I am therefore calling today for immediate action to initiate draft legislation which will mandate 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 innumerable benefits to our nations.”

Glyn Roberts added that in these current times of austerity, there are real concerns that our Governments do not have the capacity to deal with the day-to-day work, let alone the planning needed for Brexit, but in the FUW’s mind undertaking such groundwork is not an option - it is a necessity.

“And this is where The Farmers’ Union of Wales can play such an important role; we know and understand the challenges faced by family farms in Wales. We understand that they have a huge part to play in the wider rural economy and we know that #FarmingMatters,” stressed the Union President.

Glyn Roberts strongly pointed out that the reason #FarmingMatters was because it matters to our food security, matters to our supply chain, matters to our children and also matters to our culture.

He added that: “We must ensure that everyone in a position of Government, and opposition influence is aware of this importance. This week, next week and always -  our commitment is to promote the importance of #FarmingMatters to our economy.”

The current status of bovine TB in Wales could put future trade deals at risk, the Farmers’ Union of Wales warned at its Press Conference on Sunday (July 17) ahead of the Royal Welsh Show.

Addressing the conference, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “We know that the current rates of bovine TB may represent a significant threat in terms of meat and dairy exports once we are outside the EU, and there is a real risk that our current TB status could be used against us during trade negotiations.

“This means that we have to proactively address the problem, otherwise we might jeopardise all UK trade negotiations with Europe.”

The FUW’s longstanding policy on proactively managing the wildlife disease reservoir has been well publicised; what has now changed is that failing to implement that policy may lead to the loss of our export markets post-Brexit - the Union President added.

The FUW is now calling on the Welsh Government to initiate a proactive badger management policy at the earliest opportunity to ensure that Wales does not risk losing access to foreign markets.

Glyn Roberts warned: “Let me be absolutely clear here - if we do not sort out the long running problems with Bovine TB we will be putting the UK’s Trade policies at complete risk - we will not be able to trade with the European Union without fixing - or having a clear programme to fix - the issue of Bovine TB.

“This is not just about Dairy - it will impact all sectors. The Welsh Government has it in its powers now to take proactive action and on behalf of all of us who wish to export in the future, I demand that they do take action now. This is not an issue for individual farmers to apply for licenses. It needs a centrally planned and managed solution.

“It is now time for the Welsh Government to accept that they already have powers and responsibilities and they cannot now hide behind EU regulations. It is definitely time for action.”

As the FUW predicted, throwing millions of pounds at badger vaccination in and around north Pembrokeshire has yielded no results whatsoever.

“The clock is now ticking - how fast, we don’t know, but it is ticking, and we need to see our Welsh Government taking the sort of aggressive proactive approach to the disease in wildlife they have taken towards cattle.

“If they don’t, then there is a significant risk that our export negotiations will be at an end before they start,” stressed the FUW President.