The importance of staying safe on-farm and the benefits of producing food with the environment in mind, were topics high on the agenda at a recent farm visit in Meirionnydd. 

Opening the gates to their beef and sheep farm to host the event, were FUW Meirionnydd county chairman Sion Ifans and wife Gwawr. The couple farm at Brynuchaf, Llanymawddwy. 

The farm extends to 370 hectares, the majority of which is mountain land, and is a typical Meirionnydd upland farm.  

Here they keep a flock of 900 Welsh mountain ewes, and 15 suckler cows. All store stock is sold through farmers marts, with all the finished lambs sent to Randall Parker Foods in Llanidloes or via Farmers Marts at the livestock auction in Machynlleth.

The farm has also been in the Glastir scheme since 2014, and there is a long history of participation in agri-environment schemes such as Tir Cymen in the early 1990’s when Meirionnydd was chosen as a pilot area for the scheme. Thereafter, the farm joined the Tir Gofal scheme until the opportunity came to join Glastir. 

To supplement the farm income, Sion also works self-employed on a part-time basis with Farming Connect and Welsh Lamb and Beef Promotions and wife Gwawr is employed by Conwy Council as a translator. 

Welcoming a delegation of local farmers and showcasing the various elements of the Glastir scheme, Sion said: “We have always cared deeply for the environment here at Brynuchaf and think that food production and looking after the land, go hand in hand. 

“As food producers, we are subjected to all weather and are just as exposed as everyone else to climate change and the extremes it brings. 

The Farmers’ Union of Wales says the draft withdrawal deal and political declaration agreed between the EU and the UK does nothing to allay concerns present in Theresa May’s original deal, given it contains ‘no significant changes or improvements for Wales’ and will place the UK outside the Single Market.

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “From a Welsh perspective the deal is to all intents and purposes unchanged from when it was proposed by Theresa May.

“The fact that it seeks to take us well and truly out of the Single Market and Customs Union in order to pave the way for deals with non-EU countries, coupled with the UK Government’s alarming appetite for a deal with the USA, raises major alarm bells for Welsh farming and those concerned with UK food standards.”

Mr Roberts said it would clearly be a US priority in trade negotiations to secure access to the UK market for agricultural products - which are often produced in ways and to standards that fall well short of what is currently legal in Wales and the rest of the EU.

“The impact would be extremely damaging for Welsh farmers and UK food standards, and there is a real danger that the UK would be ‘deal-takers’ during the sort of negotiations this withdrawal deal and political declaration is seeking to allow.

Pembrokeshire dairy farmer Dai Miles has been elected as the new Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President at the FUW’s Grand Council meeting in Aberystwyth (Wednesday, 16 October).

Dai has been the FUW’s milk and dairy produce committee chairman since 2017 and is also one of the 4 founding directors of Calon Wen, an organic milk co-operative that not only sells on its member’s milk to processors but has created its own brand of dairy products which are available through all major retailers in Wales and UK wide via distributors. 

A self-confessed born Cardi, Dai lived in Felin Fach near Lampeter as a child and went to Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron. He is a fluent Welsh speaker and attended the Welsh Agricultural College in Aberystwyth where he received a National Diploma in Agriculture and completed a sandwich year at Godor Nantgaredig.

After college Dai spent 5 years as a Herdsman of 160 cows at Waun Fawr Glynarthen Llandysul, then a further 5 years at IGER Trawscoed working as a relief herdsman between the two dairy herds -Lodge Farm and the organic herd at Ty Gwyn.

In 1997, in partnership with his wife Sharron, the couple took on the tenancy of Barnsley Farm, a 143 acres farm in West Wales. At the time it was a stock/arable unit which they converted into an organic dairy unit starting with 33 cows and leased milk quota. 

In 2001 they took on a further 90 acres of pasture land and then in 2005 the neighbouring farm within the same estate. At the moment the couple have 120 cows and 65 youngstock. Cropping is mainly grass, however arable silage, forage rape and fodder beet are part of the rotation farming approx. 300 plus acres. 

In 2018 they purchased the neighbouring farm from the estate and installed a modern robotic milking system on the holding.

Speaking about his appointment Dai said: “One reason why I am proud to be a member of the FUW is that all members have a voice whether they farm large businesses or smaller farms. 

Carmarthenshire sheep farmer and former Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President Ian Rickman, has been elected as the FUW’s new Deputy President at a Grand Council meeting in Aberystwyth (Wednesday, 16 October).

He has been an active union member for more than 20 years and was Carmarthenshire county chairman from 2010 - 2012. He has also held the post of chairman of the hill farming and marginal land committee, a position he has held for four years. In 2017, Ian was elected as the FUW’s Vice President. 

Over the past 2 years, he has worked tirelessly to represent the Union and its members at a variety of Welsh Government meetings, at farm visits with MP’s and AM’s highlighting why #FarmingMatters and represented the Union in a host of media interviews.

Ian is married to Helen and they have three sons. The family lives at Gurnos, an upland sheep farm near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. The farm extends to 220 acres with Common Grazing Rights on the Black Mountain, and Ian is a member of the Management Committee of the Black Mountain West Graziers Association. 

Outside of farming, he was Chairman of Governors of Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach and also enjoys rugby. He is a keen follower of the Scarlets and is an active Welsh learner.

Appointing Ian to his new role, Union President Glyn Roberts said: “Ian has already done so much for our industry, representing the views of our grassroots membership, holding Government to account and working tirelessly to spread the #FarmingMatters message.