The FUW has branded European Commission proposals which would restrict Welsh arable farming as 'bad for farming, bad for food, and bad for the environment' following a meeting of its arable, horticulture and cropping committee.

Under the EC proposals, Welsh farmers with more than three hectares of arable land would be required to plant at least three crops, irrespective of whether those crops are suited to their land or businesses, with no one crop taking up less that 5 and more than 70 percent of the land.

Newly elected committee chairman Maelgwyn Davies, who farms around 65-70 acres of barley, wheat and maize for cattle feed, said: "The proposals take no account of the fact that on large numbers of Welsh farms growing three crops would be impractical, uneconomic and bad for the environment.

"It would mean farmers in Wales becoming less able to grow crops for their own use, thereby undermining farm self sufficiency, as well as restricting our ability to respond to market prices and demands.

"The draft regulation does not properly recognise the priority of ensuring food security, which has been identified by the Commission as a priority. In fact, it would undermine food security at a time when it is acknowledged that global food shortages are inevitable.

"The idea of farmers with more than three hectares of arable land having to grow at least three different crops, with no one crop being grown on less than 5 percent and more than 70 percent of the land is completely unrealistic for large numbers of Welsh farms due to our climate and topography.

Mr Davies said the proposals would also have a negative impact on the environment.

"The growing of arable crops is encouraged under agri-environmental schemes and by wildlife organisations, because they add to the diversity of food sources which are available for wildlife. These proposals would push many mixed farms away from undertaking mixed farming, thereby having a detrimental impact on the environment.

"Not only would this be damaging to local environments -- it would also have a broader impact on the global environment in terms of our carbon footprint, since it would reduce our ability to grow crops locally for our own use, leading to more feed being imported from countries which have poor environmental track records."

[caption id="attachment_3542" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Maelgwyn Davies - left - with John Savins.[/caption]

Ceredigion farmer Maelgwyn Davies was today elected the new chairman of the Farmers' Union of Wales arable, horticulture and cropping committee.

The committee held its inaugural meeting at the union's head office in Aberystwyth.

Mr Davies, 56, of Panteryrod, Llwyncelyn, near Aberaeron, helps run the family farm's commercial herd of sucklers, a small herd of pedigree Charolais cattle that they intend to increase, and Welsh ewes.

The farm also produces barley, wheat and maize for cattle feed and diversified in 1995 by setting up a go-cart track.

John Savins, 45, the union's Pembrokeshire county chairman, was elected the committee's vice chairman. He runs a herd of 200 suckler cows on his 530-acre farm at Boncath, Pembrokeshire, and also farms around 120-acres of barley.

"By establishing an arable, horticulture and cropping committee we are now able to voice our concerns to the Welsh Government and discuss future plans of action," said Mr Davies.

"Today we discussed crop diversification proposals under the new CAP reform, biotechnology and food security. I look forward to the work this committee can do for the union and its members in the future and hope that we will work closely with the Welsh and UK Governments on arable farming issues," he added.

The Farmers' Union of Wales today welcomed deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies's commitment to review how the Welsh Government has implemented the Glastir agri-environment scheme and listen to suggestions on improving the process in the future.

"The success and popularity of schemes such as Tir Gofal, Tir Cymen and, latterly, Tir Cynnal illustrate how farmers are quite happy to enter well-designed agri-environment schemes which balance environmental management and enhancement with agricultural production," said chairman of the union's land use committee Gavin Williams.

"Therefore, we welcome the Minister's review, so that we can develop a scheme which will meet both farmers' and the Minister's aspirations for sustainable farming into the future.

"Having participated in the previous Rees Roberts review of the scheme, we hope that the terms of reference for this review will be far broader, to enable a more fundamental approach to addressing the perceived barriers to uptake for the benefit of all," Mr Williams added.

Farmers' Union of Wales president Emyr Jones today welcomed the Welsh Government's "Working Smarter" report which lists numerous recommendations to cut red tape for farmers.

The report by Institute of Directors Wales chairman Gareth Williams makes 74 recommendations and emphasises how they should be delivered.

Mr Jones said: "Gareth Williams is to be commended for undertaking this work over such a short period, listening to the industry's concerns and highlighting areas where major improvements need to be made which are in all our interests.

"Deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies's working smarter initiative is something that we all see eye to eye on and the report contains a host of real win-win proposals which would reduce costs and bureaucracy for both farmers and government bodies.

"The next step will be to ensure that the momentum built up by Mr Williams over the past nine months continues and that each of the recommendations is implemented at the earliest possible opportunity."

The recommendations are aimed at:

* Improving communication with the farming community; 

* Improving the Single Payment application process and customer experience; 

* Reducing the overall number of farm inspections while adequately addressing risk; 

* Safeguarding animal health and welfare while establishing flexibility of livestock movement; 

* Reducing and simplifying farm records, including those covering livestock identification and movements, and medicine purchase and usage; 

* Improving understanding of, and compliance with, environmental regulations; 

* Making it easier for farmers to diversify their farm businesses. 

The recommendations are grouped into 20 "quick wins" which Mr Williams has suggested should be delivered by the 2012 Summer Recess; 35 "short term solutions" to be delivered by the 2013 Summer Recess; and 19 "medium term solutions" to be delivered by the next Assembly Elections in 2015.

The report can be found at:

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/farming/workingsmarter/workingsmarterreport/?lang=en