The Farmers’ Union of Wales has again been left frustrated following the statement made by the Minister for Rural Affairs, (Tuesday, 16 November 2021), regarding TB Eradication Programme.

The Minister announced a 12 week consultation, ‘A Refreshed TB Eradication Programme’ that outlines future policy proposals by the Welsh Government in tackling the disease in Welsh cattle. 

FUW Animal Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Ian Lloyd said: “With the incidences of TB increasing in Low TB Areas in Wales, it is frustrating that the only response the Welsh Government has to tackle this issue is with increasing cattle controls and with greater testing burdens being placed upon our hard-working farming families.  

Farmers from Meirionnydd have taken the opportunity to highlight the importance of the industry during a tour of four local farms with MP Liz Saville-Roberts. The visits further provided an opportunity for members of the Farmers’ Union of Wales to express their concerns about the looming New Zealand and Australia trade deals and their impacts on family farms here in Wales.

Opening the gates to their farms on the day were Huw Roberts of Y Gyrn, Llanuwchllyn; Robyn L Roberts, who farms land at Pengeulan, Llanuwchllyn; farming father and daughter team Glyn and Elain Roberts, who farm at Rhydyrefail near Parc and Arwel Davies of Pantyneuadd, Parc.

A key message during the day was that family farms make a significant and indispensable contribution to cultural life in Wales, contributing as they do in the vast majority of Wales to numerous community organisations and events, the maintenance of rural schools and the provision of jobs and economic benefits. 

Exasperated Anglesey farmers whose land is flooded every year have said ‘enough is enough’ as their land continues to flood because of inaction by National Resources Wales (NRW).

The area - deemed an Internal Drainage District - is protected by a dyke and a series of ditches and floodgates which are opened to release floodwater from the river Cefni but closed to protect the land from the ravages of high tides in the winter. 

But as the first big storms of winter arrived last week, farmers in Cors Malltraeth between Malltraeth and Llangefni were racing to rescue animals and save their livelihood from the flooded wetlands.

Farmers across Wales are being invited to sign up to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations on 2 June 2022. The occasion will be marked by lighting Beacons up and down the country and the Farmers’ Union of Wales is giving members the opportunity to support the celebrations.

There is a long and unbroken tradition in the UK of celebrating Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations with the lighting of Beacons - on top of mountains, church and cathedral towers, castle battlements, on town and village greens, country estates, parks and farms, along beaches and on cliff tops. 

In 1897, Beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, Beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen, and in 2016 Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.