Annest O’Neill of Ysgol Treferthyr, Criccieth and Rhian Morgan of Ysgol Llandinam, Newtown beat off competition from hundreds of entries from across Wales in the Farmers’ Union of Wales Christmas card design competition. Their designs were chosen as the winners of the Welsh version and the English version respectively.Now, both girls’ designs which had to include a scene from a farm will be printed and sold by the Union in aid of the DPJ Foundation which supports mental health in farming communities. The winners received Gift Cards as a prize as well as a cash prize for their schools.

Annest, who won the Welsh version, submitted a design of a Christmas scene of farm animals receiving a gift from Santa and a special Christmas box addressed to the Union.

 Rhian’s design features an agricultural  twist on a traditional nativity scene with farm animals asleep in the manger under the legend, ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the farm, every animal was sleeping, it was so calm.’

 Though Annest was unable to attend, Rhian travelled to the Royal Welsh Winter Fair to be awarded her prize from FUW President, Glyn Roberts.

 Mr Roberts said: ”I was extremely impressed with the standard of work this year, and especially that of Annest and Rhian. There was a lot of innovative thinking and artistic talent on display and I was proud the FUW could arrange this, and for such a  worthy cause.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has today re-launched its call for action on payment capping at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair (Monday 29 November). The Union has supported the capping of direct agricultural payments, after farm employee wages and other factors are taken into account, since 2007, on the grounds that this maximises the amount of money going to typical Welsh family farms and rural communities.

Speaking from the showground, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “In 2015 the Welsh Government introduced reductions for higher farm payments and an ultimate limit on the amount a farmer could claim through the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) - a system known as payment capping.

“Also introduced in 2015 was a ‘redistributive payment’ system which reduces payments for farms with larger areas and increases the amount of money small and medium sized farms receive - an approach that benefits the vast majority of Wales’ family farms.”

Farming in Wales is best placed to help tackle the climate and nature crisis but a level playing field is needed. That was the key message from Farmers’ Union of Wales Deputy President Ian Rickman, as he addressed a COP Cymru 21 webinar on Thursday 25 November.

The webinar, titled ‘Fields of ambition - farming at the centre of sustainable land use for the future’ also heard from Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales), National Farmers Union Cymru and the National Sheep Association. 

The panellists discussed integrating trees into farming systems, working towards Net Zero by improving farming’s productive efficiency, the role and use of carbon calculators, grazing for biodiversity, sustainable food security, the opportunities and risks of the carbon market, and how Welsh agriculture is uniquely placed to be a world leader in sustainable food production.

Speaking at the event, Ian Rickman told the audience: “Our ambition at the FUW for genuinely sustainable land use to tackle the climate and nature crises is twofold. Firstly we need a just and fair transition for all farms and farm types. Everyone needs to play their part, and should be given the opportunity to do so. And secondly- we need to focus on land sharing as opposed to land sparing, using land for a multitude of benefits instead of ‘releasing’ it from agriculture.”

Farmers’ Union of Wales Gwent county chairman Wayne Langford and Union officials recently discussed carbon trading, the future of agricultural policy and the on-going bovine TB crisis with Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Climate Change Delyth Jewell MS and Peredur Owen Griffiths MS.

The meeting was held at Mr Langford’s farm Penrhyn, Nantybwch,near Tredegar. The family farm is a sheep and beef holding and Wayne and his wife Tracey look after a flock of around 300 Welsh mountain sheep, and a herd of cattle on the common in summer and on the farm in winter. The farm is also part of the Glastir Commons contract.

Touring some of the fields with the MS’s, Wayne raised the issue of large companies buying up farmland across Wales. He said: “Welsh farms and large land parcels are being purchased by private individuals and companies. They are predominantly from outside Wales and intend to use the land for tree planting as part of carbon offsetting initiatives and investments aimed at capitalising on the growing market for carbon credits.