Procurement and renewable energy were at the top of the agenda when farmers from Glamorgan came together recently to question election candidates ahead of the Welsh Assembly elections.

Attending the meeting were Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour), Glenda Jones (UKIP candidate for Ogmore by-election), Andrew RT Davies (Conservatives), Denis Campbell (Liberal Democrats) and Tim Thomas (Plaid Cymru).

The event was held at St Mary’s Hotel, Bridgend and was chaired by FUW Glamorgan County Chairman Richard Walker.

There was a strong call for the next Welsh Government to ensure that more Welsh produce is sourced for hospitals and schools.

FUW Glamorgan County Executive Officer Rachel Saunders said: “Our food produce is grown and reared to the highest welfare standards across Europe. It should be a priority that home grown food is served at our dinner tables before imported food products fill our supermarket shelves.

“Welsh and UK produce should be available in our schools, hospitals, local authorities, leisure centres and nursing homes throughout the year. And it should be the first choice for supermarkets, restaurants and everyone else who has a role to play in the food chain.

“What we need, now more than ever, is a full commitment to local procurement. Our farmers have suffered enough from low farmgate prices over the years and they deserve to be fully supported by our home governments.”

The call for local procurement is underpinned by the FUW election manifesto and reminds all government departments and public bodies that they have a duty to support government priorities in terms of boosting Wales’ farming and food industry and sourcing local produce is definitely one of them.

Renewable energy as an option of diversification for farmers was also hotly debated on the night.

Following the meeting Richard Walker, Glamorgan County Chairman for the FUW, said : “For hundreds of years Wales’ mining, arable and woollen industries relied on renewable energy in the form of water and wind power, and by the end of the industrial revolution in the mid-19th Century no hamlet, however small, was complete without some form of mill.

“The revolution in renewable energy, brought about by recognition of the need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, has resulted in the development of new commercially viable sources of renewable energy, such as solar panels, as well as improvements in the efficiency of wind and water power.”

Despite Wales’ being perfectly suited for some forms of renewable energy generation, the percentage of electricity generated in Wales from renewable stands at just 10 percent – 5 percent lower than the UK average, and the lowest of all the UK devolved regions.

Whilst the Union remains neutral in terms of the divisive issue of large-scale wind farms, as laid out in the FUW election manifesto, we fully support the development of appropriate on-farm renewable energy sources, and believe Wales has only scratched the surface in terms of the contribution Welsh farms can make to green energy production.

“The decision in 2015 by the UK Government’s Department for Energy and Climate Change, which has responsibility for major national energy projects, to suddenly and drastically reduce support for renewables not only compromises our ability to help mitigate climate change, but has also led directly to farmers and others losing significant sums already invested in unfinished projects,” added Mr Walker.

In light of this the Union further called on the next Welsh Government to seek alternative and innovative ways in which funding can be provided in order to develop on-farm energy production and identify those barriers to on-farm energy production which fall within the remit of Welsh Government.

The Union further calls on the next Welsh Government to reduce bureaucratic burdens which prevent or add to the financial and time burdens which prevent developments for on-farm energy production.

Other questions put to the candidates focused on how RDP money is spent in Wales, what business rate relief schemes each party would propose to introduce and members stressed the fact that more support was needed for young farmers in Wales.

[caption id="attachment_6081" align="alignleft" width="300"] Your local County Executive Officer will help you fill in your SAF form – make an appointment today.[/caption]

If you’re struggling with your SAF (Single Application Form) - don’t worry. Members of Farmers’ Union of Wales staff across the country are helping farmers with their 2016 applications.

The industry will remember from last year, the extremely complicated process of completing the SAF forms – struggles that FUW members of staff have experienced first-hand when helping members fill out their forms.

Having completed over 1000 SAFs already since the application window opened in March, FUW staff are not only well trained but very well practised in dealing with the complex application process.

FUW Managing Director Alan Davies said: “The SAF completion process is probably the single most important form completion exercise being carried out by Welsh farmers since 2004, and the financial repercussions of errors on the forms are severe.

“Since the Welsh Government mandated that all applications should be done online, we've focused on providing the best possible service to our members.We can also do this for non-members, once they join the Union!

“Our staff are well trained and up to speed with the process, so I encourage our members and first time form fillers to contact their local office as soon as possible to book an appointment if they need help in filling out the form.”

The 2016 SAF will be used to request the allocation of BPS entitlements for New Entrants or new Young Farmers, and to claim Basic payment Scheme.

Completed SAF together with any necessary supporting documents must be submitted to the Welsh Government by Monday 16 May to avoid late submission penalties.

Following the publication of the most recent Eatwell Guide, the Farmers’ Union of Wales was incredibly disappointed to read that the new guidance reduces the recommended intake of the dairy food group from 15 percent - as specified on the previous Eatwell Plate - to just 8 percent of daily intake.

In a letter to Public Health England, the Union requests proof under the Freedom of Information Act, in regards to the evidence used in determining the status of dairy in the Eatwell Guide and a list of the experts who were consulted.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “Dairy products 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.”

This new guidance comes at a time when the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Dairy have highlighted the nutritional benefits of dairy produce.

It is therefore extremely disappointing that dairy industry representatives were not consulted before this new conflicting guide was released; especially as the guidance is potentially harmful to the sector.

The FUW continues to promote the nutritional value of dairy. Indeed, the importance of dairy can be seen when looking at dietary guidelines across the world.

Many countries, including America, Australia, France and Ireland, have adopted a prominent and positive policy for dairy produce and the implementation of a 3-a-day dairy policy in the UK was supported by the APPG on dairy.

In its letter to Public Health England, the Union has asked for proper consideration to be given to this 3-a-day policy in order to highlight the nutritional benefits of dairy and to mitigate current concerns surrounding the decline in dairy consumption.

FUW Milk and Dairy Produce Committee Chairman, Rhydian Owen said: “The Union fully understands the need for a healthy and balanced diet and, as such, is bitterly disappointed in this most recent public health campaign which reduces the significance of the dairy food group.

“A robust evidence base is required when issuing dietary guidance and the FUW seeks to improve the openness and scrutiny provided when ‘evidence’ for nutritional standards is obtained.

“Given the above we have written to Public Health England, on behalf of our members, to request that they make known the documents used to inform their decision.”

The Gwent branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has organised a hustings on Tuesday April 26, at Abergavenny Rugby Club, commencing at 7.30pm.

Speaking at the hustings are candidates for the Monmouthshire constituency, Nick Ramsey (Conservative), Catherine Fookes (Labour), Jonathan Clark (Plaid Cymru) and Veronica German (Liberal Democrats).

Representatives from the Green Party, UKIP, and an independent candidate are yet to confirm, but all said they would be available on this date.

FUW County Executive Officer Glyn Davies said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our members and friends of the Union to join us for this important event.

“It is paramount that we make an informed decision on May 5 and I urge you not to miss out on the opportunity to speak to your local election candidates.”

For more information contact the Abergavenny office on 01873 853 280