Carmarthen sheep farmer and Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President Ian Rickman, whose hill farm Gurnos, near Bethlehem, Llandeilo, lies at over 1000 feet in places, has highlighted the important role sheep play in maintaining the countryside.

500 Llandovery white faced ewes, which are due to lamb during the next two months, call these lands their home. Ian fears that the consequences of not grazing the mountains would have a devastating impact on the environment and tourism.

The farm extends to 220 acres with Common Grazing Rights on the Black Mountain, and he is a member of the Management Committee of the Black Mountain West Graziers Association.

To showcase just how much #FarmingMatters and to discuss wider issues of concern, he held an open day in February, welcoming Jonathan Edwards MP, Adam Price AM, Dafydd Llewelyn Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Councillor Gareth Thomas, various business representatives and many local farmers.

A charity Mouse Race, arranged by the Brecon and Radnor Branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, has raised £590.50 for Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and The Farming Community Network.

The well-attended event was held at Brecon Rugby Club on Friday February 9, with the mice keeping everyone on their toes with a few very close races.

Speaking after the event, the FUW’s Brecon and Radnor County administrative assistant Anwen Price, who arranged the charity night, said: “I would like to thank everyone for their support, sponsorship and the very generous donations we had for the raffle. It was a fun evening and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. The money raised is going to 2 worthy causes and we look forward to holding more of these fundraising events during the year.”

The County Office kindly thanks all the race sponsors for their very generous donations: McCartneys, The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Smithfield Tractors (Builth Wells), Ted Hopkins Ltd, Dave Powell (FUWIS) and all those who have donated raffle prizes, including Hay & Brecon Farmers, Price Farm Supplies, Carrs Billington, and to Brecon Co-op for kindly donating the produce for the Welsh Hamper, and Brecon Rugby Club for hosting the event and their raffle prize donation.

Goat farming couple Meg and Damian McNamara of Moat Village Farm, New Moat, Pembrokeshire, have been recognised for keeping the countryside vibrant by the Pembrokeshire FUW Countryside Business Award 2017.

The award, a £200 cash prize, perpetual trophy and a year’s free membership of the FUW, is presented every two years to someone who, 40 years of age or under, has developed their own business in rural Pembrokeshire.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that it would ‘take the time to get right’ Wales’s post Brexit land management policies, and has emphasised the need to thoroughly investigate the implications of all proposals and scenarios.

Speaking at a farming conference in Birmingham earlier today (February 20),  Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said the transition period to a new system “...must be a real one, it must be well planned and it must take place over a number of years. There is too much at stake economically, socially and environmentally to not get this right.”

Responding to her comments, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “Within days of the June 2016 EU referendum we had issued a call for a realistic post-Brexit transition period for farming, and for future policies to be developed slowly and investigated thoroughly, so the Cabinet Secretaries comments are naturally welcome.”