[caption id="attachment_5727" align="aligncenter" width="300"] (l-r) FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones, FUW vice president Richard Vaughan, Alun Fred Jones AM, who chairs the Environment and Sustainability committee at the Welsh Assembly, FWAG Cymru chairman Tegwyn Jones, operations director at FWAG Cymru Glenda Thomas, FUW Meirionnydd county chairman Euros Puw and FUW director of policy Nick Fenwick.[/caption]

The Meirionnydd branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales organised a farm visit at Castell Hen, Parc near Bala, to discuss renewable energy schemes, Glastir, open access to the country side and a variety of other agricultural policies.

In conjunction with FWAG Cymru, Dolgellau - FUW Meirionnydd county chairman Euros Puw and his wife Haf opened the gates to their farm for visitors to see the land, stock and the hydroelectric scheme which serves the electricity requirements of the farm.

“This was an ideal opportunity for visitors to discuss the latest agricultural policies and see how the family at Castell Hen are pioneers in renewable energy,” said FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones.

“We further discussed how disappointing the sudden changes to the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) process are, and the effects of predicted future cuts on all sectors involved in hydropower.”

Castell Hen is situated at approx. 2 miles from the village of Parc near Bala and the family farm extends to 740 acres, together with grazing rights on nearby common land.

The majority is mountain land with approx. 25 acres kept annually for silage making, 60 acres improved grazing land, and 100 acres of semi improved ‘ffridd’.

High quality stock are kept, which includes 650 Welsh mountain ewes, 240 of which are crossed with Texel rams every year, with the remainder purebred.  There is also a herd of 19 Limousin cows.  Calves are sold as store between 17-23 months at the livestock market in Dolgellau.

Discussing the current Welsh Government consultation on open access to the countryside, FUW director of policy Dr Nick Fenwick told visitors to the event that:  “The FUW supports responsible access to Wales’ countryside and understands the important role access plays in terms of health and wellbeing as well as Wales’ economy.

As a union, he said, we fully support any reduction in the cost and time associated with extinguishing or moving public rights of way, but object to any increase in public access to the countryside.

Wales has approximately 16,200 miles of footpaths, 3100 miles of bridle-paths, and 1200 miles of byways. Since 1998 the area of land accessible by right to the public has increased three-fold, National Trails have been created and extended, and 4,700 miles of rights of way have been opened up under improvement plans.

“Despite this, the proportion of Welsh residents undertaking outdoor recreation frequently has not altered to any extent. The FUW therefore does not believe there is evidence that further liberalising access will achieve the objectives of improving responsible access, health and wellbeing.

“However, such moves will inevitably increase existing problems in terms of irresponsible access, damage to crops and animals, costs for farmers and tenants and the further erosion of the rights of owners, occupiers and other right-holders,” added Dr Fenwick.

Delegates heard Dr Fenwick explain that ordnance survey maps and other sources available free of charge to the general public clearly show open-access areas and rights of way, as do signs on footpaths throughout Wales, yet even when clearly signposted and close to urban areas, such rights are often little used.

He explained that current legislation does not represent any obstacle to encouraging access to those areas where rights already exist, including close to urban areas, and given the extent of Wales’ rights of way and open-access land close to urban areas, there is no evidence to suggest that a change in legislation is necessary to increase the use of existing or new rights of way.

“The suggestion that the Scottish model of access could be applied in Wales without adverse effects does not take into account the fact that Wales’ population density is more than twice that of Scotland, and that the distribution of population and geography of Wales differs significantly to that in Scotland,” he added.

The consultation acknowledges problems caused in Scotland due to dog fouling, dogs not under control, and tension between anglers and canoeists – such problems already exist in Wales and would be exacerbated by implementing the Scottish model in Wales.

“We also believe that any proposals in relation to increased public access should be accompanied by legislation which ensures owners, occupiers and other right holders who have purchased or rented their rights are compensated by the Welsh Government for the impact of any changes, including in relation to the running their businesses,” said Dr Fenwick.

Following a discussion session on renewable energy schemes, Glastir and other agricultural policies with FWAG Cymru chairman Tegwyn Jones and Alun Fred Jones AM, who chairs the Environment and Sustainability committee at the Welsh Assembly, visitors took the opportunity to see the farm and hydro-electric scheme in action.

“There has been a hydro scheme at the farm since 1937 to produce electricity for their own use.  The scheme was updated in 2003 and they are also currently in the process of setting up a new separate hydro scheme. It was very interesting to see how the scheme works and I would like to thank the Puw family for hosting this event and Birch Farm Plastics for sponsoring the refreshments on the day. It has been a most informative and enjoyable day,” added Mr Jones.

[caption id="attachment_5728" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The delegation see the hydro-electric scheme water pool.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5729" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Inspecting the pump-house are (l-r) FWAG Cymru chairman Tegwyn Jones, FUW director of policy Nick Fenwick, FUW finance and organisation committee member for North Wales Dewi Owen and FUW Meirionnydd county chairman Euros Puw.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5730" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The water reservoir for the Hydro-electric scheme.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5723" align="aligncenter" width="300"] (r-l) FUW president Glyn Roberts with former FUW president Emyr Jones, his wife Lyn and singer Dafydd Iwan.[/caption]

The Meirionnydd branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has honoured former FUW president Emyr Jones with a special celebratory dinner held at the Ship Hotel in Dolgellau, on Friday September 25, to thank him for his service to the industry.

Mr Jones, a Bala beef and sheep farmer stood down as the FUW president following 15 years’ loyal service to the organisation at national level in June.

He was Meirionnydd county chairman from 1998 to 2000 when he was elected to represent North Wales on the union’s central finance and organisation committee. He was elected national vice president in 2002, deputy president in 2003 and president in 2011.

“I would like thank all the staff and members of the union for their support over the past 15 years and I offer my heartfelt thanks to all those people, both inside and outside our industry, for their valuable help through all the good, and sometimes difficult, times,” Mr Jones said.

Mr Jones is married with three children. A Welsh speaker, he was born and brought up on the family farm Rhiwaedog, Rhosygwaliau, near Bala.

The farm extends to 360 acres, with a further 300 acres of rented land, and carries a herd of 60 pedigree Welsh Black suckler cows and 1,700 breeding sheep.

FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones, who organised the event, said: “We enjoyed a very successful evening and I would like to thank all those who attended in honour of Emyr Jones. Emyr is and has been a stalwart of the union and we thank him greatly for all he has done for not just the union but agriculture as a whole.”

He is a prominent member of many organisations including the Welsh Mountain Sheep Society, Welsh Black Cattle Society, and is a director of Meirionnydd County Show.

He is a former chairman of Meirionnydd Grassland Society and has been a member since the society was founded 30 years ago.

His contribution to agriculture was recognised when he became an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies, and received the honour of Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies in 2001.

Rhiwaedog has won several accolades over many years including the Royal Welsh Show Farm Buildings Facilities Award and the Snowdonia National Park Society Farming and Landscape Award.

Its main achievement was in 2008 when the farm won the British Grassland Societies National Grassland and Management competition in Wales and went forward to win the UK title.

Mr Jones also devotes a great deal of time to community life, being a former chairman of his community council. He is active with his local show at Llangower and is also a deacon of his local chapel.

He is passionately committed to the principles on which the FUW was established and frequently speaks on behalf of the union on radio and television.

[caption id="attachment_5720" align="aligncenter" width="169"] Rhydian Owen.[/caption]

The recent announcement by Defra on how £26.2 million pounds of EU aid will be distributed throughout the UK has been labelled ‘disappointing and frustrating’ by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

According to Defra, dairy producers in Wales will receive some £3.2 million of the total allocated to the UK, with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland receiving £15.5, £5.1 and £2.3 respectively. The Welsh Government has already confirmed that payments will be based upon how much milk a farmer produced in the 2014-15 production year.

Newly elected FUW milk and dairy produce chairman Rhydian Owen, said:  “The aid is aimed at helping alleviate the current cash flow problems experienced by dairy farmers and to recognise the prolonged period  of low and below cost of production farm-gate prices received by this sector.

“Whilst this support is welcomed, the distribution of available funds throughout the UK should have been targeted towards those producers and regions hit worst by the dairy crisis.

“The farm-gate price of milk received by many Welsh dairy producers is far lower than in other regions of the UK mainland, and a distribution which took account of the disparity in milk price would have seen help going where it is most needed,” added Mr Owen.

Despite Northern Ireland receiving a ‘boosted allocation’ to reflect their the lower prices, this principle was apparently not extended to the UK mainland.

According to Scottish rural affairs minister Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Government were not consulted on the allocations between devolved administration, raising concerns that the English administration announced the Welsh allocation with little or no consultation with Welsh Government, or consideration of the additional pressures on Welsh producers.

“More detailed discussions should have been held on how the aid package was to be targeted to help those who need it most,” said Mr Owen.

“In other words, many Welsh dairy producers will now be wondering whether they have been ripped off following the English announcement. Nevertheless, it is now imperative that this one-off aid payment is distributed swiftly and with as little bureaucracy as possible.”

The union says the one-off aid payment – averaging around £1,800 per Welsh dairy farm – should be recognised as a package of limited short-term relief after a period of sustained low process, rather than a move which will address the ongoing impact of low farm-gate milk prices.

“The FUW remains dedicated to working with industry, processors and retailers to identify those measures which will aid in more fair and transparent contracts, management of EU over supply and ultimately a stronger position in the marketplace for producers,” added Mr Owen.

The Meirionnydd branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has organised a farm visit to take place on Monday September 28 at Castell Hen, Parc near Bala, to discuss renewable energy schemes, Glastir and a variety of other agricultural policies.

In conjunction with FWAG Cymru, Dolgellau - FUW Meirionnydd county chairman Euros Puw and his wife Haf are opening the gates to their farm at 11am for visitors to see the land, stock and the hydroelectric scheme which serves the electricity requirements of the farm.

FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones said: “We look forward to welcoming our president Glyn Roberts, FWAG Cymru chairman Tegwyn Jones and Alun Fred Jones AM, who chairs the Environment and Sustainability committee at the Welsh Assembly, to the farm and hope that many of our members and friends of the union can join us.

“This is an ideal opportunity for visitors to discuss the latest agricultural policies and see how the family at Castell Hen are pioneers in renewable energy. There has been a hydro scheme at the farm since 1937 to produce electricity for their own use. The scheme was updated in 2003 and they are also currently in the process of setting up a new separate hydro scheme.”

Castell Hen is situated at approx. 2 miles from the village of Parc near Bala and the family farm extends to 740 acres, together with grazing rights on nearby common land.

The majority is mountain land with approx. 25 acres kept annually for silage making, 60 acres improved grazing land, and 100 acres of semi improved ‘ffridd’.

High quality stock are kept, which includes 650 Welsh mountain ewes, 240 of which are crossed with Texel rams every year, with the remainder purebred. There is also a herd of 19 Limousin cows. Calves are sold as store between 17-23 months at the livestock market in Dolgellau.

“Castell Hen has been able to take advantage of agri-environment schemes over the years, and the family see farming and conservation going hand in hand. The farm was part of the Tir Cymen Scheme when Meirionnydd was chosen as a pilot area in the 1990’s, and thereafter the farm was part of the Tir Gofal Scheme until joining Glastir Scheme in 2014,” added Mr Jones.

The farm has also been fortunate in being chosen for the Glastir Advanced Scheme which is run concurrent with Glastir Entry since January 2014.

The farm Castell Hen, or ‘Styllen’ as it is known locally has been farmed by Euros’ family since 1790, and he and his family have lived there since 2001 when he took over the business from his parents.

Mr Puw left the Welsh Agricultural College at Aberystwyth in 1986 to come home to farm. He is married to Haf, and they have 3 children; Gweno 22, Owain 20, and Ceredig 16. Gweno works with Farming Connect in Aberystwyth; Owain is studying agriculture at Aberystwyth University, and is presently visiting New Zealand as part of his agricultural course in Aberystwyth; and Ceredig has just completed his GCSE’s recently and will soon start a furniture renovation course at Aberteifi College. Mrs Puw works part time at Ysgol y Berwyn, y Bala as a personal assistant, which includes 6th form activities.

Mr Puw carries out a great deal of agriculture contracting work within his local area such as harvesting, big bale wrapping, fertiliser spreading etc to supplement the farm income. He relies heavily on members of his family in this venture which includes his brother Iolo who is a carpenter living locally.

“On behalf of the FUW and FWAG Cymru – I would like to extend a warm welcome to those interested in learning more about renewable energy and seeing the Glastir scheme in action. There will be light refreshments available, kindly sponsored by Birch Farm Plastics, and FWAG and we look forward to what promises to be a most informative and enjoyable day,” added Mr Jones.