The UK government's decision to hand over more CAP Pillar 2 funds than any other EU member state showed its professed support for rural development is empty rhetoric and that the UK had effectively negotiated against the interests of its own agricultural industry, Farmers' Union of Wales policy director Nick Fenwick told the Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum seminar today.

Dr Fenwick also told the seminar on "Implementing the Common Agricultural Policy and the future of UK farming" that the UK and Wales needed to look at what countries like Ireland were doing as they are key competitors within the UK market and in the EU.

In the presence of other speakers including Scottish Government's agriculture and rural development deputy director David Barnes, Tenant Farmers Association chairman Jeremy walker and Leeds University agricultural law professor Prof Michael Cardwell, Dr Fenwick highlighted the need for all regions within the UK to stop looking inwards and learn from other member states.

Speaking afterwards, he added: "The inward looking island mentality seems to dominate the UK's negotiating position and general approach to CAP, whereas UK governments need to take account of the fact we are competing in a common market and look outwards."

Commenting on the forthcoming Welsh consultation on implementing CAP reform in Wales, Dr Fenwick urged the Welsh Government not to make any binding decisions until the text of the final regulations had been considered carefully and the Welsh budget confirmed.

"The Welsh Government has a duty to explore all the available avenues carefully and with real figures before making any decisions."

[caption id="attachment_2520" align="aligncenter" width="276"] Farmers' Union of Wales policy director Nick Fenwick[/caption]

Hot topics during the Farmers' Union of Wales Anglesey county branch's annual general meeting at Tafarn-Y-Rhos, Rhostrehwfa, were cattle movements and restrictions plus the importance of keeping all farm-related records.

Guest speakers, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency's Steve Sagar and Welsh Assembly Government farm liaison officer Janet Phillips, gave short presentations on rules and regulations involving animal movements and restrictions together with penalties likely to be applied whilst having on-farm inspections.

FUW county executive officer Heidi Williams said both speakers gave very informative presentations and endeavoured to simplify the rules and regulations into layman’s terms.

Mrs Williams also gave her annual speech, producing facts and figures for the performance of the county branch office during the past 12 months.

She said it was most important to entice new and young members into the union and look after those that had supported the union and paid their annual subscriptions for years.

FUW president Emyr Jones said he was very proud of Anglesey’s performance and that the county was thriving both from the farming and insurance aspects.

Eleven-year-old Anglesey schoolboy Joe Williams beat a strong entry of over 40 competitors at the recent Royal Highland show to win the young handlers championship.

Joe is the son of Farmers’ Union of Wales members Melfyn and Lynne Williams, of Brynsiencyn, and grandson of the immediate past president of the union's Anglesey county branch Huw Williams (popularly known as Huw Bugail).

Entries were in three age sections - under 9s, 10-11 and 12-14. Joe initially was placed first in his age group and won the championship by beating the first prizewinners from the other sections.

Joe travelled to the show with Melfyn and Hugh and his win capped off a superb week for the Penygroes flock with the family business J H Williams & Son also winning the male North Country Cheviot championship.

[caption id="attachment_2515" align="aligncenter" width="639"] YOUNG HANDLERS CHAMPION: Joe Williams with his three-crop ewe from the Llwyncrwn flock of Julie Earl, Carmarthen[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales today repeated its demands for a total ban on Chinese (sky) lanterns after firefighters revealed they believe a huge blaze at a plastic recycling factory on the outskirts of Birmingham was started by one.

"Only six weeks ago the union expressed its disappointment that a government-funded study failed to properly reflect the dangers Chinese lanterns pose to property and livestock," said FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams, who farms on Anglesey.

Mr Williams was referring to a study jointly commissioned by Defra and the Welsh Government, and carried out by ADAS, into the risks of sky lanterns and helium balloons to livestock health and welfare; the environment (including litter); fire risk; damage to marine life and consumer safety.

Despite conceding that the evidence they received reflected widespread concern from farmers and others over the dangers of sky lanterns, they failed to support calls for a ban on Chinese lanterns.

After consulting its members throughout Wales, the union received numerous reports of lanterns being found in fields that were being grazed, about to be grazed, or cut for silage or hay.

Other more serious reports received included a lantern found smouldering in a barn containing hay and straw and a cow injured following a stampede started by lanterns floating over fields containing livestock.

"The materials used in the construction of these lanterns pose a danger to livestock, particularly if the wire or bamboo from the frame of the lantern is chopped up during the silage making process and contaminates feedstocks.

“We have also repeatedly warned that sky lanterns pose a considerable fire risk and this latest incident demonstrates why there should be an outright ban on the manufacture and sale of sky lanterns, and that their release should be made illegal in the UK.”

Around 200 firefighters were tackling the blaze today at Smethwick where about 100,000 tonnes of recycling material and a factory unit were set alight.