Farmers’ Union of Wales President Glyn Roberts has stressed the importance of the Wales YFC at the virtual Welsh Labour Party Spring Conference. Addressing a fringe meeting on Friday, February 26, with Jeremy Miles, the Union President stressed that whilst financial support for the Urdd was welcome, the Young Farmers clubs in Wales must not be left out. 

Speaking after the event, he said: “Whilst we welcome and appreciate the funding made available for the Urdd as part of the Welsh Government ‘recover and rebuild’ strategy, our young farmers clubs across Wales must not be left out. Indeed they deserve to be recognised for their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic in keeping spirits high among their members through all the virtual events and meetings they have held.”

The FUW has previously voiced its disappointment at funding cuts made by councils in Wales to Young Farmer Clubs and Mr Roberts was clear that the Wales YFC must not be left behind as the country rebuilds itself after Covid.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales’ Milk and Dairy Produce committee says tenants, young farmers, new entrants and small and medium family farms will go out of business in huge numbers as a result of new water regulations, while industrial scale dairy farming will be boosted. The conclusion came during a virtual meeting of the union’s Milk and Dairy Produce Committee on Wednesday 24 February.

The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 - which are copied from decades old EU Nitrate Vulnerable Zone regulations - were placed before the Senedd on 27 January. Shadow environment and rural affairs minister Llyr Gruffydd has tabled a Senedd debate proposing that the regulations be annulled, to be held on March 3.

Speaking after the meeting, FUW Milk and Dairy Produce committee Chairman Dai Miles said: “These regulations will have massive financial and production impacts for dairy farms of all size and type, but the overwhelming view of the committee was that it will be tenants and the small and medium family dairy farms that will be most likely to go out of production as a result of these regulations. 

At a recent virtual joint meeting of the Farmers’ Union of Wales’ Livestock, Wool and Marts, and Hill Farming and Marginal Land Committees, delegates discussed a Welsh Government and Defra consultation on ending live animal exports for slaughter and introducing restrictions on transporting animals. The consultation paper has already been considered by the Union’s twelve County Executive Committees.

Delegates were of the view that Welsh farmers should not be discriminated against by a ban on exports when those in other countries and around the world are free to move animals in ways which fall well below the high standards we have in the UK.

FUW Livestock, Wool and Marts Committee chairman Morgan Jones-Parry said: “The live export issue has been a hot topic for many years, and where animals from any country are transported in ways which do not meet UK and EU rules (which are the highest in the world), causing suffering, this is clearly unacceptable.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales, jointly with Wales YFC and FUW Insurance Services , are hosting a livestock worrying webinar to address the on-going livestock worrying incidents across Wales. 

The webinar, which is open to all FUW, Wales YFC members and FUWIS customers, will take place on Thursday 25 February at 7pm via Zoom.

The webinar will hear from Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn, North Wales Police Rural Crime Team Manager and Chair of the NPCC (National Police Chiefs Council) Livestock Offences group Rob Taylor and PC Dave Allen, North Wales Police Rural Crime Team and secretary of the NPCC Livestock Offences Group, FUWIS Account Executive Gwenno Davies, Ceredigion livestock farmer Wyn Evans and Wales YFC Rural Affairs Chairman Clare James will be chairing the Q&A session.