The Farmers' Union of Wales today issued a warning to farmers to beware of persistent telephone calls urging them to give details of their bank accounts to make advance payments for advertising space in magazines or newspapers to be published at a later date.

"We have received a number of complaints from FUW members in recent weeks of unsolicited telephone calls - in one case 11 calls from the same source - requesting payment card details for placing an advertisement," said an FUW spokesman today.

"Anyone receiving such calls should not give any personal information such as their name, address, bank details, email or phone number to organisations or people before verifying their credentials.

"You should at all times be extremely wary of phone calls, post or emails offering business deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always question it.

"If you suspect you are a victim of such tactics call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to discuss your situation with one of their specialist advisers."

Farmers' Union of Wales members today accused conservation bodies of failing wildlife and contributing to the decline in upland birds by turning a blind eye to predation and scapegoating farmers.

The accusation came in response to claims by Ecology Matters, a Wales-based surveying and research consultancy, that intensive land use and overgrazing by sheep on Pumlumon have resulted in a significant loss of biodiversity including declines since 1984 in golden plover and red grouse numbers of 92 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

But FUW Ceredigion county chairman Fred Williams said farmers were being used as scapegoats and that conservationists were ignoring the "elephant in the room" - namely increases in predator numbers.

"Welsh ewe numbers have fallen to the same level they were at in 1982, and the numbers in the Pumlumon area have fallen by far more, with vast expanses of land now hardly grazed at all due to agri-environment rules. The area is being farmed far less intensively than it was decades ago.

"These claims are just hollow and conservationists are ignoring one of the major causes of declines in bird numbers which is increases in predator numbers."

Mr Williams said many conservationists took a "see no evil, hear no evil" approach, when it came to damage inflicted on bird populations by predators, and resorted to blaming farming practices as a default position in order to avoid uncomfortable truths.

"People have been farming livestock on Pumlumon since the Iron Age and agriculture has been an important part of the ecosystem for thousands of years."

Mr Williams cited major increases in the number of wild animals known to target ground-nesting birds, including foxes, badgers and crows, as a major problem for many endangered species.

"Badger setts are now found in areas where they never previously existed, including at levels over 1,000 feet, and analyses of badger and fox diets shows that they regularly target ground-nesting birds and their eggs.

"These animals don't exist on fresh air and water and it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to work out that doubling badger and fox numbers means doubling the amount of food they need. Unfortunately, ground nesting birds are at the top of the menu."

Mr Williams added that undergrazing was also a problem in many areas, leading to overgrowth which was unsuitable for many species, and made it easier for predators to sneak up on their prey and find nesting sites. He said that vast forestry plantations also played a role in providing shelter for predators.

Mr Williams said he also had concerns that the proliferation of red kite numbers could also represent a major problem for ground-nesting birds.

"Its great to see a species like the red kite thriving after having been brought back from the verge of extinction but we also have to take care that we don't create a massive problem for the species which red kites prey on.

"Conservationists who bury their heads in the sand and blame farming for all the ills of the world are causing immense harm to our wildlife and must wake up to the damage that allowing predator numbers to rise without check can cause."

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has slammed a decision by the Welsh Government to ignore a key recommendation of the “Working Smarter” report, despite having commissioned the report and accepted the recommendation just months ago.

In an announcement today (Tuesday June 26) the Welsh Government revealed that farming unions had been excluded from a group set up to look at ways in which the Rural Development Plan (RDP) can be used to strengthen rural businesses and Welsh farming.

Yet in February this year, deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies accepted a recommendation in the Gareth Williams “Working Smarter” report that Task and Finish groups should be established and that “both farming unions should be onboard”.

FUW’s land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams said: “In his report, Gareth Williams acknowledged the expertise and experience of the FUW and highlighted the importance of involving us in any such discussions.

“Yet, in response to a question at the FUW’s AGM, the deputy minister told members that he had used his ‘ministerial discretional rights’ to exclude the FUW.”

Mr Williams said that the decision had angered farmers from across Wales.

“We have heard the deputy minister speaking again and again about wanting to work with the farming industry, and the importance of such cooperation was an emphasis in our president’s speech at the AGM.

“This decision goes completely against that principle and is anything but Working Smarter.

“The decision to exclude the expertise of the FUW is extremely short-sighted as our staff and officials have decades of experience in dealing with the complexities of successive Rural Development Plans and ensuring maximum delivery.”

Mr Williams said that the value of the FUW’s experience had been demonstrated again and again and decisions by previous administrations to ignore FUW advice had led to numerous problems and plans later having to be changed in line with the union’s views.

“The decision to exclude those stakeholders who are most affected by the Rural Development Plan beggars belief and makes Mr Davies’ claims of wanting to work with the farming industry appear hollow,” added Mr Williams.

[caption id="attachment_3683" align="aligncenter" width="550"] FUW deputy president Glyn Roberts presents the union’s annual internal and external awards to Eifion Huws and Ffermio team members.[/caption]

Prick his finger and milk will flow out, was how Anglesey dairy farmer Eifion Huws was described when nominated for the Farmers' Union of Wales annual internal award recognising services to the union and the agricultural industry in Wales.

Mr Huws runs a 140-head pedigree Ayrshire herd at Penrhos, Bodedern and was presented with his award during the FUW's annual general meeting in Aberystwyth today (Friday June 22).

The dairy herd has an outstanding production and show record and Mr Huws is a long established and highly respected Ayrshire cattle judge.

He has been an active member of the FUW’s central finance and organisation committee for the past six years and has also been chairman of the union’s milk and dairy produce committee.

He travels the length and breadth of the country, and to Europe, representing the dairy industry in the hope of acquiring better conditions and prices for farmers.

Over the years, he has become well known in the media for his outspoken views on matters concerning the dairy industry and, recently, on the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain, of which he was a member.

His other interests include the local YFC at Bodedern of which he has held most posts including president and club leader.

He is particularly concerned about the future of Wales’ young people and their struggle to obtain employment, housing, and capital to farm in their local areas and practices what he preaches by encouraging his son Iwan, a partner in the family business, to stay at home to farm.

Eifion has represented his local branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales for many years and has been chairman of the Ynys Môn committee of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution for the past 11 years.

“His wealth of knowledge within the industry is second to none and his renowned ability to support his fellow farmers is priceless," said Dei Davies, current chairman of FUW's milk and dairy produce committee.