Breakfast functions all across Wales have raised over £15,000 within a week for Farmers’ Union of Wales Presidential charity the DPJ Foundation, thanks to an army of farmers and hungry breakfast-goers.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales’ 12 county branches embraced the Union’s annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week (Saturday 18 January - Saturday 25 January) in the usual, unstoppable and enthusiastic fashion and hosted 30 breakfasts across Wales.

Aiming to not only raise the profile of the sustainable, local, high-quality food farmers produce, staff, members and officials also used the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings over a home-cooked breakfast and cup of tea. 

Glyn Roberts, FUW President, said: “Our staff, members and wonderful volunteers have done an incredible job once again this year. Farming communities are close-knit and this shows what can be achieved when we all come together, with a common goal. Through these events, where we all sat around the kitchen table to talk and share our thoughts about #FarmingMatters, we’ve strengthened ongoing and permanent relationships and established new ones. 

“The money we have raised locally will go towards helping others - we must never forget that our communities are the engine room of people-powered change and that amazing things can be achieved and will be achieved. I can’t thank everyone who supported us in the run-up, during and after the events enough - together we managed to raise a phenomenal amount of money for our charity, all whilst enjoying great, local, sustainable, high-quality food.”

Farmers in Wales are being reminded that EU regulations which they must comply with to avoid fines and penalties will still be applicable after 31 January.

FUW Pembrokeshire County Executive Officer Rebecca Voyle, said: “Farmers might be tempted think the rules and regulations are to be thrown out of the window from 1 February, but that is not true, and believing this is the case could bring severe consequences.

“The UK will still be linked to the EU and will only just be starting the transition period which means little will change in practical terms and all rules still apply.”

Mrs Voyle said this included rules which are linked to the Basic Payment and other schemes.

An example is the requirement to notify Rural Payment Wales (RPW) of any changes to land.

“Please remember that you are still required to notify RPW of certain changes to land within 30 days of the change taking place in order to avoid penalties.  

“A ‘Manage My Land’ form needs to be submitted via your RPW Online account when you buy or sell land, or rent new land for which you have the management control of at 15 May.  

“In addition, if the boundary of a field is changed on a permanent basis, a field is amalgamated or divided on a permanent basis, or a field is being registered and mapped for the first time or the permanent feature area recorded in a field increases or decreases you will also need to submit a form,” said Rebecca Voyle.

Mrs Voyle emphasised that this was just one of thousands of rules and regulations that would not change, despite the UK leaving the EU at the end of January.

Farmers are being urged not to miss the opportunity to apply for the Glastir Entry and Advanced Support Scheme. The loan facility has been set up to help farmers who will not receive their Glastir Entry or Advanced 2019 payment early in the payment window. 

The scheme will operate in the same way as the BPS Support Scheme and is an ‘opt-in’ scheme. 

Applications are now available on RPW Online and the window will close on 14 February. It is anticipated that payment will be made during the week commencing 24 February, to those eligible farm businesses who do not receive their Glastir Entry or Advanced 2019 payment early in the payment window. 

The 2019 Glastir Entry and Advanced Support Scheme will pay a loan of 50% of an individual farm business’ anticipated Glastir Entry or Advanced 2019 claim value.  The Glastir Entry and Advanced Support Scheme payment will be intercepted from a farm business’ full Glastir Entry or Advanced 2019 claim once processed. 

There are some instances where a loan payment would not be appropriate, for example, a farm business may not be eligible for a Glastir Entry and Advanced Support Scheme payment if the business has an outstanding Grant of Probate or if penalties applied to the Glastir Entry or Advanced claim will not be covered by the Glastir Entry or Advanced balance payment. 

FUW Membership and Operations Manager Caryl Roberts said: “I encourage all our members, who are part of these schemes to apply for the loan. Our county staff are on hand to help with these applications or if you have any questions about eligibility - just give your local office a call and make an appointment.”

Farming in Wales has a big part to play in addressing the climate change crisis and farmers are geared up to do just that, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has said.

But addressing the key findings in the latest ‘Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK’ by the Committee on Climate change, Union President Glyn Roberts warned of the dangers of focussing on livestock production or inappropriate tree planting. 

“This report highlights some critical issues, including the need for a strong UK food production sector and the dangers of delivering UK emissions reductions at the expense of increasing our reliance on food imported from countries with far greater carbon footprints,” said Mr Roberts.

Agriculture is currently responsible for around 10% of UK emissions, with methane from livestock production making up just over half of this figure. By comparison, transport and energy make up around a half of all UK emissions.

“This means that if we stopped producing food completely in the UK, 90 percent of the problem would still be there,” said Mr Roberts.

“Agriculture alone can’t fix the global problem and it will take each and every single one of us to take a hard look at what we consume and produce in terms of food, energy, electronics, motoring, travel and make adjustments. 

“Farmers in Wales want to and are playing their part, and as acknowledged by the Committee switching away from Welsh and UK produced red meat would increase the nation’s carbon footprint because we have some of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions of meat reared anywhere in the world.”

Mr Roberts said that for this reason the FUW welcomed the fact that the Committee had backed its calls for a robust post-Brexit trade policy which reflects the lower carbon footprint of UK produce.

Commenting on the call to increase UK forestry cover from 13% to at least 17% by 2050 by planting around 30,000 hectares (90 – 120 million trees) of broadleaf and conifer woodland each year, Mr Roberts said: “Our members are fully supportive of appropriate tree planting where this does not undermine farm productivity and the environment, and regularly highlight the obstacles they come across when they try to plant trees.”