A packed programme of events has been arranged by the Farmers’ Union of Wales to coincide with the Welsh Dairy Show in Carmarthen next week (Tuesday, October 20).

The major challenges facing the dairy industry will be to the fore when a meeting will be held at Caws Cenarth near Cardigan on Monday October 19, at 1.30pm, which will be attended by Paul Vernon, chief executive of Glanbia Cheese.

Caws Cenarth is a family business started by Gwynfor and Thelma Adams in 1987 in response to the introduction of milk quotas.

Making cheese from the milk produced by their herd was a way of ensuring that they would not go above their allocated quota of milk and the union is looking forward to discuss the future of dairy farming with them, especially now that milk quotas have been abolished.

Later on Monday evening the FUW’s traditional eve of Welsh Dairy Show function, commencing at 7.30pm and held at Carmarthen Athletic Club, will be addressed by Mr Vernon and will offer delegates the opportunity to discuss the future of the dairy industry with senior representatives from across the dairy sector in Wales.

Mr Vernon has worked in the dairy industry for the past 28 years and prior to this he held a number of senior sales positions with a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company.

He commenced working in the dairy industry with a Co-Operative based in Northern Ireland and for the past 20 years has been chief executive of Glanbia Cheese, which is head quartered in Northwich, Cheshire.

“The FUW is delighted to have attracted speakers and guest of such quality to address our dinner on the eve of the Welsh Dairy Show function,” said FUW Carmarthen executive officer David Waters.

“The dairy sector is facing immense challenges at present, with falling prices forcing many farmers to re-evaluate their businesses and having to decide whether to stay in milk production or not.

“The events that we have organised will help give farmers an insight into the way the dairy industry is likely to develop in the next few years and we look forward to what promises to be an informative day.”

[caption id="attachment_5779" align="aligncenter" width="293"] FUW Carmarthenshire county chairman Brian Richards, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart and FUW Carmarthenshire county executive officer David Waters[/caption]

EU membership and food security were top of the agenda when Farmers’ Union of Wales Carmarthen members met with local MP Simon Hart at a recent executive meeting.

Following the meeting FUW Carmarthenshire county executive officer David Waters said: “We were interested to hear the MPs view on being part of the EU and how it had significant implications on Britain and how the referendum in the near future will dictate which path is chosen.

“Mr Hart told delegates that whatever choice is made, the Government would be supportive of the need to ensure a fair price is paid to farmers for production of produce.

“While it is concerns regarding immigration which have been the main driver behind the rise in anti-EU feelings, these have merely added to longstanding frustrations about the impact of EU Regulations in terms of unnecessary bureaucracy and a loss of sovereignty,” added Mr Waters.

“As often as not, the blame for many problems is misplaced, and the real culprits are UK-based administrations which have gold-plated the rules or failed to take advantage of available derogations.

“However, concerns regarding the overzealous and proscriptive nature of many rules and requirements which originate in Brussels are well founded, as are those regarding the dangers of moving towards a federalised Europe.

“Such concerns must of course be balanced against the benefits of membership of the EU, and the dangers of exiting a market upon which so many industries – not least agriculture – are currently dependant.”

The FUW shares many of the frustrations of those who believe radical change is needed in order to address the unnecessary bureaucracy and rules which emanate from Brussels, often backed up by European auditors who have little or no grasp of common sense and equality.

Mr Waters further said that the union also recognises the value of remaining a part of one of the largest common markets and trading blocks in the world, and the irreparable damage caused to farm and food businesses as a result of our exclusion from the EU market during the BSE and Foot and Mouth disease crises stand as testament to the dangers of being locked out of Europe.

Food security was also discussed by members and farmers from across Carmarthenshire heard Mr Hart tell the meeting that it was a fine balancing act between producing a high quality product and not neglecting environmental issues, whilst sustaining rural communities.

FUW Carmarthenshire county chairman Brian Richards added that: “When we talk about food security we have to make sure not to ignore our home markets. Research by the New Economics Foundation has shown that for every £1 spent on seasonal, local ingredients, a further £1.19 of economic activity can be generated.”

Each year, £2.4bn is spent by government bodies on food, and while procurement of UK agricultural produce by some authorities has improved significantly over recent years, there remain significant numbers which fail to support British agriculture, choosing instead to accept produce from countries which often fail to meet the UK’s high production standards.

Mr Richards further added that the FUW believes that future governments must proactively encourage and facilitate public and private sector procurement of UK produce in a manner that supports small, medium and large processors and cooperatives.

The union further believes that any future government must instigate procurement policies which encourage the creation of new companies and cooperatives which allow smaller businesses to tender for procurement, in order to bring benefits in terms of local employment and redressing imbalances that currently exist throughout the supply chain.

[caption id="attachment_5770" align="aligncenter" width="300"] FUW president Glyn Roberts (r) with deputy minister for agriculture Rebecca Evans (l)[/caption]

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Glyn Roberts has described a meeting with deputy minister for agriculture Rebecca Evans as ‘extremely positive’ but warned that major challenges needed addressing over the coming months and years given the current state of farm incomes.

Mr Roberts said it was important that the long term challenges facing the industry were planned for, and that the strategic framework for Welsh agriculture and Rural Development Programme (RDP) are key to addressing these challenges.

During the meeting, held on October 5, a broad variety of issues were discussed, including the latest developments of the RDP, Bovine TB and the recent Welsh Government consultation on access to the countryside.

“With farmgate prices and farm incomes at their lowest for around a decade, Welsh farmers are facing major challenges, with cash flow becoming a major problem for many.

“The fall of around 6 percent in the sterling value of Wales’ Basic Payment budget adds to existing pressures, as is the likelihood that the complexity of the new EU regulations will delay farm payments being made in full.”

Mr Roberts said he was disappointed that the European Commission had not gone further in terms of the concessions, which would have allowed payments to have been released earlier, due to the financial problems facing the industry.

“The fact that all administrative checks and controls must be completed before advance payments can be made in October and the volume of work this represents under the new rules, means hopes raised for the release of early payments following the emergency EU summit last month, were unfounded.

“Nevertheless, we welcomed the deputy minister’s commitment to do everything possible to ensure 70 to 80 percent of payment values are released in December, and urged the Welsh Government to continue that work.”

The announcement that Sainsbury’s has committed to extend its British lamb season until at least January 2016, has been welcomed by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

Welsh sheep farmers have been hard hit this year as the poor exchange rate between the pound and the New Zealand dollar coupled with Chinese buying policy changes, saw a flood of lamb imports arrive in Britain, hitting Welsh lamb prices already damaged by the rate of the Euro to the pound.

“The fall in lamb prices, drastically reduced farm incomes and frustrations over the volume of imported lamb on supermarket shelves saw farmer anger reaching boiling point this summer,” said FUW president Glyn Roberts.

“Extending the British lamb season to January next year is therefore a move that must be welcomed and we congratulate Sainsbury’s on making that commitment to their lamb producers.

“We strongly urge other supermarkets to follow suit and make use of the plentiful superb quality Welsh lamb that is available. A message we have been bringing to discussions with supermarkets all through the summer and one will continue to highlight in meetings with retailers.

“As part of our ‘It’s more than lamb’ campaign we are joining Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat promotion Wales (HCC) at their Wales based roadshow locations to further spread the word of this great product to consumers for the rest of the year.

“Lamb prices had fallen drastically over the summer months, with prices down by around 20 percent compared with the same period last year and such falls came against a background of predicted falls in net hill and lowland livestock farm incomes of 41 and 24 percent.

“There is a lot more work left to be done to engage consumers more effectively with Welsh produce but this offer by Sainsbury’s is definitely a step in the right direction.”