Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, so in order to promote the health benefits but also the variety of top quality Welsh breakfast produce available, the Pembrokeshire branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales hosted a farmhouse breakfast on Friday, January 26, at Crundale Hall, Crundale, Haverfordwest.

FUW Pembrokeshire County Executive Officer Rebecca Voyle, who organised the breakfast, said: “I would like to thank all those who joined us for breakfast here in Pembrokeshire and all the staff and members who helped cook up a storm. It was great success and we raised a fantastic £801.22 for Alzheimer's Society Cymru and the Farming Community Network in the process.

Meirionnydd FUW kicked off their branch activities in 2018 with a visit to the younger generations of farmers in the Trawsfynydd area, accompanied by local Member of Parliament Liz Saville-Roberts. Also present during the visit was FUW Meirionnydd County Chairman, Geraint Davies, who also chairs the FUW’s Younger Voice for Farming Committee nationally, and Gwynedd County Councillor Elfed Roberts, who represents the Trawsfynydd ward.

In order to protect Welsh poultry from Avian Influenza, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has announced that the whole of Wales will become an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone from Thursday, January 25.

The announcement follows 3 separate confirmed cases in Dorset, Warwickshire and Hertfordshire this month.  To date, no cases have been confirmed in Wales in 2018.

Dr Hazel Wright, FUW Senior Policy Officer, said: “Whilst no cases have been confirmed in Wales this year, we are urging poultry keepers to follow the Prevention Zone requirements as outlined by the Welsh Government and to practise good biosecurity.”

The Prevention Zone requires all keepers of poultry and other captive birds, to undertake specific biosecurity measures.  These include ensuring that the areas where birds are kept are unattractive to wild birds; feeding and watering birds in enclosed areas; minimising the movement of people in and out of bird enclosures; cleansing and disinfecting footwear and reducing contamination.

Keepers with more than 500 birds will also be required to take extra biosecurity measures, including restricting access to non-essential people, changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles.

“Alongside additional biosecurity measures, poultry keepers are being advised to provide details of their flocks to the poultry register.  This will ensure that they can be contacted immediately in the event of an avian influenza outbreak and can protect their flocks accordingly,” added Dr Wright.

FUW members requiring more information should contact their county office for further details.  

Dr Wright added that according to the Food Standards Agency, Avian influenza does not pose a food safety risk to UK consumers. Thoroughly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, remain safe to eat.

Does it get any better than starting your day with a fresh farm egg? Not according to Montgomeryshire Farmers’ Union of Wales members Mark and Helen Williams, who kick-started the FUW’s Farmhouse breakfast week in the county.

The couple farm 40 suckler cows and 900 ewes at Pen Y Derw, near Welshpool, and diversified into egg production last year as a way to Brexit-proof their business.

This was their second time round of hosting a breakfast as part of the FUW’s campaign and serving up the eggs in the morning, Helen Williams said: “No matter how you like your eggs - sunny side up, poached, or boiled - they are a very good source of high quality protein and they are rich sources of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper.

“Eggs are also regarded as a 'complete' source of protein’ as they contain all nine essential amino acids (the ones we cannot produce in our bodies and must obtain from our diet). So why wouldn’t you start your day the eggy-way?”