[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.

[caption id="attachment_4199" align="aligncenter" width="300"] From left, FUW president Gareth Vaughan, Scarlets’ players Salesi Finau and Scott Quinnell with 15-month-old 600kg Welsh Black bull Gwarcwm Aron 23rd, Trevor Jones and past FUW president Bob Parry before the Heineken Cup match against Perpignan in 2003.[/caption]

A Welsh Black bull will be paraded around the pitch when the Scarlets entertain Ulster in a televised Magners League rugby match at Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, on Friday evening February 18.

The event will be a repeat of two previous parades by Welsh Black bulls on the Scarlets' former Stradey Park pitch before Heineken Cup matches against Colomiers in 2001 and Perpignan in 2003 to draw attention to the prolonged French ban on UK beef imports following the foot and mouth disease outbreak exactly 10 years ago.

This time the bull will be the highlight of a unique occasion when the Scarlets team up with the Farmers' Union of Wales to provide a special farming theme at the stadium before Friday evening's match.

The bull will be supplied by FUW stalwart and past Welsh Black Cattle Society president Trevor Jones and his son Huw, of Bow Street, near Aberystwyth.

They have won scores of top prizes and championships at numerous agricultural shows since 1960 including the Royal Welsh show, Pembrokeshire show and the former United Counties show.

Among other events planned before the Ulster match are a display by Meirion Owen’s Quackpack, farm livestock displays, milking a life sized model of a cow and YFC mascots Tiff and Taff kicking goals in wellies.

The Scarlets’ Supporters Village will also house a farmers' market with plenty of local produce on offer. A few spaces remain available for local farmers to set up a stall and they should contact Scarlets' communications officer Nerys Jones on 01554 783910 or 07970 601597 for details.

And in a special promotion with the Scarlets, FUW members can obtain half price admission to the match (£10 for adults, £5 for children) on presentation of a voucher - printed on page 2 of the February issue of the union's "Welsh Farmer" newspaper - which is valid up until the 7.05pm kick-off.

FUW president Gareth Vaughan said: “We are very pleased to be taking part in this special farming theme event. Let’s hope the Welsh Black bull will give the Scarlets more luck than they had at the Bull Ring in Perpignan during last month’s Heineken Cup match!”

Scarlets commercial director Rupert Moon said: “I am delighted to be working again with the FUW after I was involved with them when I worked for the WRU and a Welsh Black bull was paraded on the Millennium Stadium before the Wales-All Blacks match in November 2006.

"That was a great advert for the quality of Welsh livestock which was seen across the world and I'm sure our special farming theme for the televised match against Ulster will boost the profile of farmers throughout Wales once again.”

[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.