The Farmers' Union of Wales has welcomed a restricted derogation allowing livestock burial as a step towards common sense following its request for a full derogation on March 28.

But the union slammed the EU for refusing to allow a full derogation for those affected and called for further action to help farmers hit by Arctic weather conditions.

EU Regulation 1069/2009 requires farmers to pay collectors to remove and dispose of fallen stock - a rule criticised by the FUW from the outset on the grounds that on-farm burial has been carried out safely and without adverse effects for thousands of years.

Following severe animal losses due to the weather, the FUW wrote to natural resources and food minister Alun Davies highlighting the need for an exemption to the rule and yesterday (Tuesday) the Welsh Government conceded to a limited derogation.

FUW president Emyr Jones, whose farm is among thousands severely affected by the extreme weather, said:

“We welcome this concession but have highlighted the fact that it does not cover all those who have been worst affected by the severe weather and does not go far enough to take into account the exceptional circumstances facing farmers in Wales.

“Many have lost hundreds of animals and tens of thousands of pounds. Requiring them to pay further thousands to have dead animals removed because they cannot meet very strict guidelines will be emotionally and financially devastating for many.

“We have urged the Welsh Government to take this into account and to apply the derogation for all areas of Wales which are affected.”

Under the derogation farmers in Conwy, Denbighshire, Wrexham, Gwynedd, Flintshire, Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire will temporarily be able to bury sheep, lambs and calves but will be required to provide evidence that collectors were unable to access the farm.

In relation to the burial ban, Mr Jones said:

“The FUW is fully supportive of EC membership - without EC membership our farming industry would be economically unviable and we know from experience that Brussels certainly does not have a monopoly on ridiculous regulations.

“But the burial ban is a rule which brings the EU into disrepute and we will once again be writing to the European Commission to highlight our concerns regarding the burial ban.

"Those in the EC responsible for this rule should hang their heads in shame over its impact across the UK.”

Mr Jones also highlighted the impact of the abolition of upland support after more than 60 years.

“The abolition of Less Favoured Area payments after more than 60 years could not have come at a worse time and recent events highlight their necessity.

"I fully support Alun Davies’ ambition that farmers should be able to survive without any kind of support but I have yet to meet anybody with a coherent plan as to how we would continue to feed people while also balancing the books without EU payments.

“Replacing 80% of farm incomes with savings and increases in market returns is not a straightforward task.

"Reducing costs or increasing receipts per unit by a few pennies is one thing, and we should all strive to run our businesses as efficiently as possible, but to replace £260 million or so of income across Wales will require decisive political action in support of market-derived farm incomes by both Welsh and EU authorities.”

Mr Jones said that until such a panacea was found the FUW would continue to highlight the need for a genuine Common Agricultural Policy and for a Less Favoured Area scheme to be implemented in Wales, as is the case in the rest of the EU.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has called on the Welsh Government to introduce emergency aid and a derogation to allow fallen stock burial in recognition of the severe hardships and livestock losses caused to farmers by the weather conditions.

Farmers already struggling to cope with the impact of one of the wettest years in history and a massive fall in incomes have reported high ewe and lamb loses, massive pressures on livestock housing, collapsed or unstable buildings and severe shortages of grass and fodder.

FUW president Emyr Jones, who farms near Bala in North Wales, said the weather was the worst for the time of year he had ever seen.

“With the lambing season getting into full swing and fodder and grass shortages already hitting us hard, the freak snowstorms and bitterly cold weather could not have come at a worse time,” said Mr Jones.

“Normally at this time of year we would be turning ewes and lambs out into green fields and clement weather.

“Farmers in many areas have their backs to the wall, and I dread to think what will be revealed when the snow melts. In many areas every building is being used to house livestock, and animals which have to be turned out are going out onto deep snow and arctic conditions.

“The ewe and lamb losses are heart breaking, and the lack of hill support payments this year for the first time in sixty years or so could not have come at a worse time,” added Mr Jones.

In a letter to Natural Resources and Food Minister Alun Davies, Mr Jones states: “…such adversities will exacerbate problems caused by the 41% fall in net farm incomes predicted for the 2012-2013 financial year. This is particularly the case for those in the Severely Disadvantages Areas worst hit by the snow, where net farm incomes are already forecast to be down by 60% to £10,000.

“The beginning of April is also the time when tack animals return home, and many farmers are extremely concerned about how they will be able to cope with these animals, particularly in those areas still covered in snow.

“In light of the above, I would urge you to reconsider the Union’s request for a winter feed hardship fund as a matter of urgency.”

The letter also emphasises the significant livestock losses being experienced on farms, and the likelihood that numbers will grow as those animals it has not been possible to find and rescue are revealed by the retreating snow.

“We have a ridiculous situation whereby it is illegal under EU Regulations to bury animals, and have to pay for them to be removed and disposed of,” said Mr Jones.

“However, a derogation is available in exceptional circumstances, and we desperately need this to be applied.”

Mr Jones’ letter states: “It is also imperative that a derogation be introduced to allow farmers to bury fallen stock. If this does not take place, the challenges of collecting large numbers of fallen stock from farms, coupled with the high costs of fallen stock collection, will result in more pressures on the farming industry, and may represent a significant disease risk as the weather warms up.”

The FUW has requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss the severe impact of the weather on farmers across Wales.

Well over £2,000 has been raised by the Farmers' Union of Wales Pembrokeshire branch for the union president's chosen charity - Cancer Research Wales.

President Emyr Jones was presented by county chairman John Savins with a cheque for £2,152.85 consisting of £1,244.71 from the sale of FUW Pembrokeshire calendars, £500 match funding from Lloyds TSB Foundation and £408.14 raised through donations and a raffle.

Following the presentation at a recent county executive committee meeting the branch received a further £21.14 in donations.

Mr Savins offered special thanks to Lloyds TSB's Haverfordwest-based agricultural business manager Anne Callan who helped with the production and sale of the calendar and arranged the match funding.

He also thanked all the local businesses that sponsored the calendar and Pembrokeshire organic milk producers Trioni Ltd for sponsoring the competition for children aged between four and 18 who submitted photographs - depicting Farm Life, The Countryside or Wildlife within the county - from which the images for the calendar were selected.

"The competition was a roaring success, attracting hundreds of entries from across Pembrokeshire," Mr Savins added.

"It ensured that we as farmers maintain a strong link with young people so that they understand the way food is produced in this country."

[caption id="attachment_2350" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] (from left) John Savins, Anne Callan and Emyr Jones[/caption]

Farmers’ Union of Wales Glamorgan branch members recently enjoyed a visit to JCB's world headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire, to experience the company's excavator production line first hand.

FUW Glamorgan county executive officer Rachel Saunders said:

“Many of our members were extremely interested in attending this visit as JCB are such a well-known and respected producer of agricultural machinery.

“Before the tour commenced, members and their family and friends enjoyed a film detailing the full extent of the worldwide production that JCB carries out as well as the huge range of machinery produced.

"After this, we were shown around a museum detailing the JCB history which started out as a small agricultural company, set up by Joseph Cyril Bamford, building tipping trailers leading through the decades to the global company that JCB is today.

“The trip was completed with a tour around the factory production floor and members found it fascinating to witness the JCB excavator being made from start to finish. I would like to thank Glamorgan members for their support and company on this excursion which will hopefully be the first of many similar events.”

[caption id="attachment_2346" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Farmers’ Union of Wales Glamorgan branch members recently enjoyed a visit to JCB's world headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire[/caption]