The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) this morning (23 November) met Plaid Cymru spokesperson on Rural Affairs and Agriculture Cefin Campbell MS to discuss details of the recently published Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru Co-operation Agreement.

It was announced yesterday (22 November) that both parties, subject to support from party members, have agreed to work cooperatively for the next three years on 46 policies where there is a common interest including second homes, tree planting, agricultural pollution, the Welsh language and the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

Speaking after the meeting with the Mid and West Wales Senedd Member, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “There were clear distinctions between the aspirations of Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru in their manifestos in the spring, but given the current balance of votes in the Senedd, Labour was willing to negotiate on a range of issues.”

The agreement states that a transition period will be introduced as the system of farm payments is reformed so stability payments will continue to be a feature of the Sustainable Farming Scheme during and beyond this Senedd term.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales is looking forward to a full programme of activities at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair (Monday 29 - Tuesday 30 November 2021), after a year of absence due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Starting the 2-day event the FUW is launching a call for action paper on carbon trading and a further call for action on payment capping. The reports set out how the respective issues should be resolved and paper copies of these documents will be available at the FUW stand, as well as on our website.

FUW Head of Policy Dr Nick Fenwick said: “Carbon trading and capping on payments are two critical issues for the industry and urgent action is required. Carbon trading issues need to be addressed to ensure Wales’ family farms can remain part of the solution, instead of a casualty of carbon offsetting.

A multi-partner supported recovery plan to reverse the decline of curlew from Welsh landscapes is being launched today (Monday, 22 November).
The Wales Action Plan for the Recovery of Curlew is written and led by Gylfinir Cymru /Curlew Wales, a broad partnership working with Welsh Government to address the chronic
decline in population and geographic distribution of this iconic bird.

Patrick Lindley, Chair of Gylfinir Cymru, said:“Wales’ breeding curlews are in significant decline and if we fail to act now this species could be on the brink of extinction by 2033. “Like much of the rest of the UK and Europe, we are facing a climate emergency and anature crisis, and the loss of breeding curlew is considered by many to the most pressing bird conservation priority in Wales.

A new survey, run jointly by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes-Wales, CLA, Farmers’ Union of Wales, NFU Cymru and Wales YFC, aims to explore the current state of digital connectivity in Wales.

Following on from the survey held earlier this year, which highlighted that over 50% of respondents from a rural area felt that the internet they had access to was not fast and reliable, the group has met with various stakeholders and hosted a webinar to discuss the issues further at the virtual Royal Welsh Show in July 2021.

The new survey will seek to explore how people feel about the level of communication between themselves and their provider, cost-value of service and further look at how proposed changes to online livestock recording systems are going to affect the farming community.