Wales’ two farming unions have launched a joint principles paper aimed at placing Welsh food, farming, livelihoods, communities and our environment on a firm post-Brexit footing.

The paper, entitled ‘A Welsh way forward’, was revealed by Farmers’ Union of Wales President Glyn Roberts and NFU Cymru President John Davies at a briefing session for Assembly Members and Welsh Government staff on Wednesday, October 24, at the Pierhead Building in Cardiff. The event was kindly sponsored by Paul Davies AM.

The publication comes in response to the Welsh Government’s current consultation on future rural and land management policies – entitled ‘Brexit and our land’.

Since the consultation was launched, both Unions have held meetings throughout Wales, engaging with thousands of farming businesses, as well as those from a wide range of allied industries such as agricultural merchants and contractors, auctioneers, vets, processors, accountants and financial advisers.

Based on their respective consultation engagement programmes, the Unions have gained an unrivalled mandate to speak on behalf of rural Wales.

Delegates of the Farmers’ Union of Wales Younger Voice for Farming committee enjoyed a whistle-stop tour of Montgomeryshire farms, exploring two very different enterprises.

Their first stop took them to Pen Y Derw, near Welshpool, where FUW members Mark and Helen Williams, farm 40 suckler cows and 900 ewes, as well as running a successful egg production unit.

The poultry unit, which is home to 16,000 free range hens and has been up-and-running since June 2017, provides the family with an additional income, as well as offering extra part time employment in the area.

Younger Voice for Farming Chairman Geraint Davies said: “Mark and Helen are a real credit to our industry. We are so thankful to them for taking time out of their busy day and for showing us around. We were left with lots of food for thought.”

The group went on to join the Farmers Weekly Awards 2018 Sheep Farmers of the Year, John and Sarah Yeomans at Llwyn y Brain
Adfa, Newtown.

The control of sheep scab in Wales is one step closer following the production of an industry-led sheep scab report which is set to be launched on Wednesday, November 7.

The report is a collaborative project between individuals from the farming unions, veterinary practitioners and other leading industry and stakeholder experts and was written in response to growing concern over the levels of sheep scab infestation in Wales.

The recommendations of the Welsh sheep scab industry group, which are contained in the report, have been passed to the Welsh Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group and to the Cabinet Secretary, Lesley Griffiths.  

Group members are now calling on the Welsh Government to provide the funding needed to implement the recommendations outlined in the report.

Sheep scab is an insidious problem and has significant welfare implications for infected sheep.  Previous attempts to eradicate this disease have had limited success and this is largely due to treatment regimes which have attempted to control this disease on a farm-by-farm basis.