North Wales farmers were urged today to notify the region’s fire and rescue service when they are undertaking controlled burning of heather, grass bracken and gorse on their land to avoid false alarms.

Over the next few weeks staff from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service will be visiting livestock markets in Ruthin, St Asaph, Mold, Gaerwen, Bryncir, Llanrwst and Dolgellau giving away torches branded with a "controlled burning" telephone number and leaflets to remind landowners how to conduct a safe controlled burn.

"This is an excellent initiative by the fire and rescue services," said Farmers’ Union of Wales Flint and Denbigh county executive officer Marian Jones. "We always urge our farmers to notify the rescue services when they are carrying out a controlled burn.

"It is a very good idea and a welcome reminder that will not only help to avoid false alarms but also to ensure the safety of livestock and wildlife."

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are visiting the following markets on the following dates:

Ruthin - March 3

St Asaph - March 10

Bryncir - March 14

Mold - March 18

Gaerwen - March 22

Dolgellau - April 1

Llanrwst - April 14

Farmers' Union of Wales' Glamorgan and Gwent county branches have organised a joint open meeting on two topical agricultural issues to be held at the Royal Oak, Nelson, on Tuesday March 8 at 7.30pm.

Agricultural policy director Nick Fenwick will discuss the question "Common Agricultural Policy reform post 2013 - will there be any Single Farm Payment?" and two Welsh Assembly Government commons development officers Berry Coffman and David Parfitt will consider "Glastir for common land holders".

For more information contact FUW Glamorgan office on 01446 774838.

"The meeting will help inform farmers of the issues surrounding CAP reform if they decide to attend any of the four meetings being organised throughout Wales by Kay Swinburne MEP to discuss the CAP," said FUW Glamorgan county executive officer Adrian Evans.

Those meetings will be attended by representatives from the European Union agriculture committee and the European Commission.

They will take place on:

April 1 (from 6-9pm) at Glyndwr University, St Asaph;

April 8 (6-9pm) at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells;

April 27 (6-9pm) at Haverfordwest (tbc);

April 28 (6-9pm) at the Bridges Community Centre, Monmouth.

For more information call 029 20628 685 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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[caption id="attachment_4206" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Morgan Jones-Parry, far left,shows FUW president Gareth Vaughan, vice president Glyn Roberts, deputy president Emyr Jones and Jill Evans the area where chough numbers have virtually disappeared.[/caption]

North Wales farmer Morgan Jones-Parry is not so chuffed about the declining numbers of the rare chough (pronounced "chuff") bird on his farm.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds says the chough has a restricted westerly distribution in the British Isles and because of its small numbers and historically declining populations it is an Amber List species.

But Mr Jones-Parry, chairman of the Farmers' Union of Wales Caernarfonshire branch, of Ciliau Uchaf, Llithfaen, blames Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) red tape for the virtual disappearance from the area of the chough that used to be abundant along the coastal path on the northern shores of the Lleyn peninsula.

He invited Welsh MEP Jill Evans to meet other FUW officers and see how CCW's management restrictions on grazing livestock numbers for the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on land he farms at nearby Nant Gwrtheyrn has destroyed the chough's habitat.

"It's a classic example of what's happening all over the country where vegetation is allowed to grow out of control due to environmental establishments enforcing management prescriptions which haven't always been beneficial to the valuable environment they were supposed to be trying to protect," said Mr Jones-Parry.

"By walking down along the coastal path from Ciliau Uchaf farmyard to Nant Gwrtheyrn we were able to see the area where the chough, which likes to search for insects and larvae on heavily grazed land, used to be.

"The CCW designated the site as an SSSI and insisted that the numbers of livestock grazing the area should be reduced to protect the habitat of the chough. By today the species has virtually gone from the area and that is because of the overgrown vegetation."

While its black plumage identifies it as a crow, the chough has a red bill and legs unlike any other member of the crow family and readily displays its mastery of flight with wonderful aerial displays of diving and swooping.

FUW Caernarfonshire county executive officer Gwynedd Watkin said: "We told Jill Evans that it's important to ensure a better balanced approach towards food production and looking after the environment when the EC considers the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.

"Morgan Jones-Parry and his family must have been doing something right over the years that they've been farming at Ciliau Uchaf, so why insist on changing the management strategy of the land in question?

"It's important that taxpayers' money is spent in a more efficient way in future, whilst at the same time acknowledging the local knowledge and expertise of farmers in Wales."

[caption id="attachment_4202" align="aligncenter" width="300"] From left, Gareth Vaughan, FUW Glamorgan county president John Llewellyn, Lewys Hopkin, FUW deputy president Emyr Jones and Glamorgan county chairman Glyn Jones[/caption]

RECENT Rhondda Cynon Taff school-leaver Lewys (correct spelling) Hopkin has just taken a big step towards achieving his ambition to run his parent's farm within the next few years.

Lewys, of Cefn Coed, Llanharry, Pontyclun - a member of a well known local farming family - has won the Farmers' Union of Wales Walter Rowlands memorial award worth £200.

A former pupil of Llansannor primary and Cowbridge comprehensive schools, he has started working as a trainee agricultural fitter with David Evans of Llancarfan and hopes to go to an agricultural engineering college to gain his City and Guilds in agricultural engineering.

"The opportunity to train as a fitter is the realisation of my schoolboy dreams which I hope will stand me in good stead for my future farming ambitions of running the family farm," said Lewys, whose grandparents Stan and Sheila Hopkin, of Rectory farm, Llansannor, were among the first members of the FUW over 50 years ago.

"This award will help me build up a tool bag for my training to become a fitter," he added.

A member of Maendy Young Farmers' Club, he hopes to take part in stock judging and countryside skills competitions. He currently plays rugby for Llanharan.

Walter Rowlands was the FUW's first county executive officer in Glamorgan. He served the union from 1956 to 1985.

To recognise his contribution to the union, the memorial fund makes an annual award of £200 towards the cost of books and equipment to students living within the old Glamorgan county boundary who have been accepted for an agricultural course.

Presenting the award to Lewys during a ceremony at the Masons Arms Hotel, Bryncethin, FUW president Gareth Vaughan said he was delighted to see young enthusiastic people entering the industry.

"I wish Lewys every success with his future career and his aspirations to be a full-time, respected farmer with good back-up skills and qualifications."

The union's current Glamorgan county executive officer Adrian Evans said: "We are very grateful to Walter's son Greg Rowlands and his family for ensuring the continuity of this award."

Applications for next year's award must be received at FUW's County Office, 58 Eastgate, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7AB by November 30. Contact Adrian Evans or Christine Anstee on 01446 774838 for further details.