Representatives of a company which invented a sleeve that prevents fence posts from rotting and failing at ground level will address the Farmers' Union of Wales Brecon and Radnor county branch annual general meetings this month.

They will talk on the background of why, over the past 20 years, farmers have had the problem of fence posts rotting and what can be done to prevent the problem.

Savvy entrepreneurs Richard and Jim George, who spurned a £160,000 deal on the Dragons’ Den TV series, have seen sales of their anti-rot fencing post sleeves soar by 75%.

The brothers, from Malvern, Worcestershire, stunned the panel of multi-millionaires on the hit BBC 2 programme when they declined four offers for a stake in their Gloucestershire-based business.

They developed the protective fence post sleeve after the EU ruled only environment-friendly preservatives could be used to treat timber fencing.

FUW Brecon and Radnor county executive officer Aled Jones said: “This is an issue that is brought up again and again at our monthly meetings and the evenings should be very informative in explaining the background to the problem and the potential remedies.

“I would urge members to attend and also bring along a friend. Refreshments will be available.”

The meetings will be held on February 20 at Brecon Rugby Club (for Brecon, Sennybridge and Penderyn sub-branches) and on February 28 at the FUW Pavilion, RWAS Showground, Llanelwedd (for Builth, Llanwrtyd, Penybont and Rhayader sub-branches). Both meetings will start at 7.30pm.

Farmers in Snowdonia welcomed an announcement by the new North Wales Police Commissioner Winston Roddick of plans to appoint a sergeant and police officer with special responsibility for agriculture and rural areas.

There was a large attendance when Mr Roddick was the guest speaker at the Farmers' Union of Wales Meirionnydd county executive meeting which grasped the opportunity to present their views on rural policing issues.

"Members were extremely pleased with Mr Roddick's announcement to give priority to safety within the home and in public places and that funding will be available to fund 51 extra police officers," said FUW Meirionnydd county executive officer Huw Jones after the meeting.

"We were particularly pleased with the announcement that there will be a dedicated sergeant and a police officer appointed with special responsibilities for agriculture and rural issues.

"We feel the job should include collating information specific to agriculture and should also develop an expertise which will then be of use to other officers within the force.

"Having the visible presence of a police officer in livestock markets will be of great benefit. The SMS alert messaging (text) system has also worked very well in Meirionnydd.

"There is an extensive database of farmers using this system in Meirionnydd and it is important that it continues."

Mr Jones said committee members stressed there was a tremendous increase in the population of Meirionnydd during the summer in coastal areas such as Harlech, Ardudwy, Barmouth, Aberdyfi and Tywyn.

"We feel police coverage for a county such as Meirionnydd should reflect the increase in the population at certain times of year.

"Some members said there was a lack of police coverage during the hours of midnight to 6am and that there is a constant need to take particular notice when livestock is transported at this time of night. It was felt that livestock trailers should be stopped during these times much more often than is currently the case."

The committee noted Mr Roddick's suggestion that there was an opportunity for young farmers to become special constables.

"We will certainly keep this in mind in future discussions and we were pleased that several Meirionnydd YFC members were present at the meeting with their organiser Sioned Evans," said Mr Jones.

"Another issue raised during the meeting was the importance of establishing a good working relationship and links between police in North Wales and other neighbouring forces such as Dyfed Powys. An example was given of a theft on our border with Powys at Machynlleth.

"The importance of CCTV cameras in strategic places within the county was emphasised. Examples were given of thefts in areas such as Tywyn and that the main route out of the area would be the A458 towards Welshpool. Similarly, the placing of cameras on the A494 at Bala would be of great benefit.

"We were particularly pleased to hear of the Commissioner's determination that every attention is given to agriculture and rural areas and that every effort should be made to combat crime. When instances of crime do occur, swift reaction by the police is absolutely imperative."

[caption id="attachment_2273" align="aligncenter" width="300"] COMMISSIONER CALLS: Winston Roddick (far left) with FUW Meirionnydd president Dafydd T Ellis, vice chairman Owain Gwilym Thomas and chairman Olwen Ford.[/caption]

Farmers took the opportunity to quiz the new Natural Resources Wales (NRW) chief executive Emyr Roberts on a number of issues about the development and operation of the new body at a recent meeting of the Farmers’ Union of Wales land use and parliamentary committee.

Dr  Roberts, who was appointed in November last year, told the committee he was keen to build good relations with the industry and that the positive relationships developed over the years with existing bodies would be maintained and improved.

NRW was created through the merger of the Countryside Council for Wales and the Welsh elements of the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission and will become fully operational in April.

Dr Roberts confirmed that farmers should not see any difference in the day-to- day service they currently received from the individual agencies and he took on board a number of comments and concerns expressed by members on future engagement with farming.

Committee chairman Gavin Williams said the meeting had been an opportunity to meet Dr Roberts to discuss a range of issues such as how the new body will engage with farmers and landowners and the need for careful consideration on how powers attributed to the current bodies will be conferred to the NRW.

“Our first meeting with him was a positive one and the committee will maintain a dialogue with Dr Roberts, board members and other staff within NRW for the benefit of a healthy environment and a sustainable and profitable farming industry,” added Mr Williams.

[caption id="attachment_2269" align="aligncenter" width="300"] From left: FUW president Emyr Jones, Natural Resources Wales chief executive Emyr Roberts and FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2257" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Younger Voice for Farming Committee Chairman Darren Williams[/caption]

The Farmers' Union of Wales has urged all Welsh county councils to show greater commitment to the next generation of farmers by actively helping them secure tenancies of local authority-owned agricultural holdings.

The FUW keeps the future of the Welsh farming industry at the heart of its work and last year set up a "Younger Voice for Farming Committee".

Now the committee's chairman, tenant farmer Darren Williams, of Garthbrengy, Breconshire, has written to local authorities throughout Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association stressing that county council holdings (CCHs) are a valuable and essential route into farming across Wales.

"Many young farmers and new entrants have limited access to land, compounded by prohibitive land prices and rental values. CCHs, therefore, provide an important stepping stone into the industry for the next generation," Mr Williams wrote.

However, the FUW fears a number of local authorities are consolidating and disposing of these holdings or reducing the length of tenancy agreements to the extent that investment in holdings by tenants becomes unviable.

The new committee is concerned that councils are struggling to move older tenants on from the medium/larger sized holdings preventing the younger generation accessing them. This results in stagnation within the industry and a less dynamic local rural economy.

"It is understandable why tenants, who have been farmers all their lives, would not want to abandon the farming industry altogether.

"It is, therefore, suggested that councils should consider offering the older generation tenant one of the smaller CCHs as a retirement/smallholding opportunity, releasing the larger holdings for a new generation of tenants in order to facilitate their entry into the industry," Mr Williams stated.

His letter also mentioned that some local authorities are no longer employing an in-house land agent. "This can often result in an expensive service that delivers little for both the tenant and landlord.

"The union asks that neighbouring councils group together and employ a full time agent specifically to deal with CCHs and believes this would represent better delivery for local authorities, tenants and the public purse."

Members of the new committee are also concerned that councils no longer consider CCHs as a service to their county despite the 1970 Agriculture Act specifying that local authorities should "aim to provide opportunities for persons to be farmers on their own account by letting holdings to them”.

"We are constantly reminded of the need to encourage the youngest and brightest talent into agriculture and, for many, CCHs remain one of the only entry routes in the industry," Mr Williams stated. "CCHs must therefore be kept as a legacy for future generations."

The committee expressed further concern that if CCHs are no longer intended as "holdings for life" then councils have a duty to assist tenants to move on to larger holdings.

"If the CCH system works as it should, then these farms should hold the prospective tenants for the private sector landlords," Mr Williams added.