[caption id="attachment_4196" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Minister address FUW land use committee – from left, Richard Vaughan, FUW deputy president Emyr Jones, David Jones, President Gareth Vaughan[/caption]

The Farmers’ Union of Wales’ land use and parliamentary committee today had a full and frank discussion with parliamentary under secretary for Wales David Jones about concerns over the UK government position on the CAP reform and other rural issues.

Committee chairman Richard Vaughan said: “We had far-ranging discussion with the Minister which included concern at the UK Government’s position on the CAP, the impact of fuel duty on rural areas, the need for Broadband to be rolled throughout Wales and the power of the supermarkets.

“It is vital that the government carefully assesses the impact any monetary policy has on the rural economy as costs are generally higher in rural areas.”

On the proposed CAP reforms, Mr Vaughan added: “If the government wishes to address food security, it must ensure fair returns for farmers, either through the CAP, or from the markets and needs to tackle the imbalance of power in the supply chain.

"Failure to recognise this will decimate our food security and lead to massive social, economic, and environmental upheaval,” added Mr Vaughan.

The majority of small and medium-sized slaughterhouses in Wales could close if their operators are forced to pay for bureaucratic and costly meat hygiene inspections, the Farmers' Union of Wales fears.

The union has consulted its 12 county branches on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) move towards the full cost recovery of meat hygiene controls at slaughterhouses and found members unanimously objected to the proposals.

"There seems little doubt that the proposals will make a significant number of small and medium-sized slaughterhouses uneconomical to run as many premises estimate large increases in inspection costs," said FUW president Gareth Vaughan.

"This would result in the closure of a significant number - possibly the majority - of Welsh premises."

FUW staff have also approached slaughterhouse owners within their regions and the majority stated that if the new charging regime is introduced their businesses would be seriously threatened.

"The union has also contacted a number of slaughter industry representatives and the majority believe the proposals, if adopted, could lead to most Welsh slaughterhouses becoming uneconomical," Mr Vaughan said.

The union stressed - in its response to the FSA's consultation on the proposals - that the slaughterhouses most threatened by the proposals are those which supply independent meat outlets, such as butchers, and their closure will therefore severely undermine those outlets.

"It is estimated over 50% of cattle, 70% of sheep, 25% of pigs and 40% of poultry are slaughtered in independent, small and medium sized plants,” said Mr Vaughan.

"The proposals will undermine independent businesses and play straight into the hands of the major supermarkets, which are already too dominant over the supply chain.”

He added that farmers throughout Wales had been encouraged by Government to diversify into supplying niche and organic markets that rely on the local slaughtering of animals.

"Many of those who buy from local butchers do so because the meat they are buying is locally produced and slaughtered, and has travelled minimum distances,” said Mr Vaughan. “The closure of small and medium sized plants will therefore severely undermine these markets.

"The closure of slaughterhouses will increase the carbon footprint of meat produced and marketed in Wales, which is in direct contradiction to Government policies.

"The proposals represent a significant threat to rural employment, both in terms of those employed in slaughterhouses, and those who work in related premises such as butcher’s shops."

The union's response added that during the 2001 Foot and Mouth disease outbreak, local slaughterhouses played a crucial role in reducing the risk of the disease spreading by ensuring animals didn't have to travel significant distances to slaughter.

"They also played an important role in providing premises where animals could be locally slaughtered," the submission stressed.

“The closure of such premises would undermine the future contribution of the slaughter industry to disease control and animal welfare.”

In conclusion, the union’s response advocated a reduction in the regulatory requirements leading to proportionate inspections, coupled with an efficient regime, the recognition that it is inequitable to ask the industry to pay for unreasonable overheads, and a return to headage charges as a means by which to “significantly mitigate the catastrophic consequences of what is proposed”.

[caption id="attachment_4191" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Gwynfe show presidents Hugh and Mary Davies flank Ian Rickman - left - and Gwynfe show chairman Steve Jones[/caption]

Farmers' Union of Wales life member John Price FRAgS, who died last summer, will be remembered every year when a cup presented by the union's county branch in his memory will be awarded at Gwynfe Show in Carmarthenshire.

Mr Price, of Ddafadfa Isaf, Gwynfe, near Llangadog, was chairman of the show when he died, aged 72, at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen, on Tuesday July 6 2010.

He ran a 144-acre hill farm where he kept beef cattle and sheep and rented 66 acres of land with grazing rights on the Black Mountain.

After leaving school in 1953, he worked on the family farm with his late father until 1968 when he went to assist with the running of the Earl of Ducie's estate in South Gloucestershire. He returned to Ddafadfa Isaf in 1981.

After serving as club chairman of Gwynfe YFC in 1960 and secretary of the East Carmarthen Lamb Group, he started taking part in FUW activities in 1983 when he became Carmarthenshire county delegate on the union's national livestock, wool and marts committee and maintained regular attendance until his death.

He was the committee's chairman from 1991 to 1996, Carmarthenshire county executive committee vice chairman and chairman from 1989 to 1993 and county president from 1993 to 1995.

Between 1993 and 2004 he represented Carmarthenshire on the South Wales regional committee of the British Wool Marketing Board and served as its chairman in 1994-95. From 1991 to 2002 he was a member of the National Sheep Association's Wales committee.

He was chairman of Gwynfe Show committee twice (1997-1998 and 2003 until he died). In 2003 he was made an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies (ARAgS) for his contribution to farming and the rural community and became a Fellow in 2008.

He was made an FUW life member in 2007. During a recent function when the memorial cup was handed over, FUW county chairman Ian Rickman said John was a strong supporter of Gwynfe Show, having been chairman and a member of the committee for many years.

"For this reason the FUW decided to donate this cup in his memory to Gwynfe Show."

Carmarthenshire farmers will hear the case for and against whether the Welsh Assembly should gain more law-making powers on Monday evening, February 7, at a meeting of the Farmers' Union of Wales county executive committee at the Railway Hotel, Nantgaredig, starting at 7.30pm.

Speaking on behalf of the "Yes" campaign is Carmarthen property agent Selwyn Runnett and speaking for the "True Wales No" campaign will be farmer James Powell, of Llangynidr, Crickhowell.

The national referendum on the issue will take place on Thursday, March 3.