Wales Farmer 4 NEWS June 2013


Europe beckonsfor student awardedtravel scholarship


ALLANGYNOG farmer will soon be travelling across conti- nental Europe after winning a prestigious scholarship. Aled John, whostudies at


OFF ON HIS TRAVELS: Aled John (right) receives the scholarship award from Mark Adams.


Cautiouswelcome for microchip plan


PLANS forevery doginWales to be microchipped have receiveda lukewarmwelcome from the agricultural industry. Following apublic consulta-


tion, the Welsh Government has announced thatall dogs in Wales will be microchipped by March 2015. However,the Farmers’ Union


of Wales (FUW) says anew law is unlikelytohaveamajor impact on irresponsible dog owners. FUW deputy director of poli-


cy Rhian Nowell-Phillips said: “Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992, dogs arealready required to be identifiablein public by wearing acollar and tagwith the owner’sname and address.Irresponsible dogown- ers areaslikelynot to use a microchip as they would acollar, thereforethe wider benefits of responsible dogownership pro- moted by the Welsh Government maynot materialise.” Sheep worrying is an increas- ing problem in rural areas,as


morepeople move to the coun- tryside,soany measures which would help mitigate the problem areofgreat interest to the indus- try.


“Unfortunately, the union


does not believe thatcompulsory microchipping will have anyreal impact on irresponsible dog owners whoare unlikelytocom- plyand so the decision whether or not to microchip should remain voluntary,” added Ms Nowell-Phillips. “Less responsible dogowners


will inevitablyfind their way around anylegislation anditis forthis reason the FUW believes thatthe promotion of good prac- tice and highlighting the benefits of microchipping should be a priority over legislation.” Of the estimated 450,000 dogs


in Wales,itisestimated that some 58% arealready microchipped. This means that thereare approximately190,000 dogs thatwould need to be microchipped prior to March 2015.


Harper Adams University in Shropshire, receivedthe Gary Baker awardatarecent Worshipful Companyof Butchers court lunch in March from Master of the Butchers’ Company, MarkAdams. Aled, whograduated from


the BSc (Hons) agri-business course with afirst class degree last September,isnow employedbyAnglo Beef Processors as agraduate trainee and is taking the PgC meat business management course at the university. He intends to visit meat


plants in Germany, Austria and Poland thanks to the prize, examining carcass dressing processes and offal utilisation.


The 24-year-old said: “I’m


reallypleased to have been pre- sented with the awardfromsuch alovelyfamily. “I’m looking forwardtotrav-


elling and the experience Iwill gain as aresult of the funding.” Head of food science and


agri-food supplychain manage- ment at Harper Adams,Ralph Early,said: “Aled wasahard- working and dedicated under- graduate student whoisnow


applying his skills and making his markinavery important sector of the UK food industry. “Wecongratulate him on his


achievements and wish him well forhis travels across Europe.” The Gary Baker Scholarship


is atravelaward forstudents pursuing acareer in the red meatindustry,made by the Worshipful Companyof Butchers in memory of the late Gary Baker.


Farmerspaying pricefor fence chemicalsban


FARMERS are continuing to pay ahigh price for the outlawing of chemicals traditionally used to pre- serve timber fencing


posts. Chromated copper arsenate


(CCA) preservativeswerebanned by the European Union in 2004 on health grounds and fencing post suppliers have since strug- gled to find effective alternatives. The moreenvironmentally


friendlyproducts nowinuse need wood to be prepared carefully


By Debbie James


before treatment. Although near- ly adecade has passed since the CCA ban, none of the alterna- tivesmatch their effectiveness, according to Wales-based post manufacturer,Gary Price. Mr Price is also asheep pro-


ducer and says reliablefencing is anecessity on systems likehis. “Weuse anew tanalising


process to enhance the longevity of the posts we manufacture, but we regularly speak to farmers whohaveused stakes thataren’t


treated in this wayand they rot offatground levelwithin five years,” said Mr Price,who farms near Llandrindod Wells. “Perfectlygood fences have to


be scrapped.” The problem has been described as “costlyand time- consuming” by The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW). One company–Postsaver


Europe Ltd –istackling the issue head-on with asleeve designed to protect the most vulnerable part of afence post from rotting organisms.The sleeve heat


shrinks on to the ground line sec- tion of afence post to seal the surface and is abarrier against micro-organisms. Brothers Richardand Jim


George designed the double layer polythene and bituminous sleeve in direct response to the newleg- islation on preservatives. At arecent meeting of the


Brecon and Radnor branch of the FUW,farmers were told that the sleevesadd around 90p to the cost of astandardfencing stake and £2 forastandardfencing post.


Pressing home winter problems


THE massive problems thatthe prolonged winter has created for Wales’ farmers have been pressed home to aleading Welsh politi- cian.


NFU Cymru representativesin


Brecon and Radnor met Liberal Democrat mid and west Wales AM William Powell, whospeaks forhis party on the Environment, SustainableDevelopment and RuralAffairs. The meeting, which washosted


by Brecon and Radnor NFU Cymru


county chairman,


HANDOVER: Outgoing chairman Glyn Jones (right) congratulates Richard Walker on his election as the county chairman of the FUW’s Glamorganshire branch.


Glasnant Morgan, on his farmin Talybont-on-Usk, provided the ideal backdrop forWilliam’sfact- finding visit, with snowthathad fallen morethan three weeks pre- viouslystill in evidence on the nearbyhills and mountains. The combination of snowand


Richard walksinto new chairman role Sheep rustling warning Award for prince


wind hit Glasnant’sfarm, and manyothers in the county hard, creating real difficulties when it


inevitablyIand agreat number of farmers likemewill have less stock to sell later this year and into next year on account of the manyanimals thathavealready been lost to the exceptional weather.”


VALE of Glamorgan farmer RichardWalker has been elected as the newcounty chairman of the Glamorganshirebranch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW). Mr Walker,aged 39, of Flaxland Farm,Llancarfan, runs the lowland familyfarmofa mixed herdofCharollais cross Texelsheep and finishing cattle, and is also heavilyinvolved with


arable contracting in the area. “I feel privileged to be taking


over the reins from our highly respected outgoing chairman Glyn Jones and Iamlooking for- ward to all the challenges and opportunities thatthe role will bring over the next year,” said Mr Walker. He has been Glamorgan YFC


county chairman and is currently MaendyYFC vice-president.


WITH sheep rustling costing the industry in Wales astaggering £700,000 in 2011, Welsh farmers are being urged to takeaction to protect their livestock. Figures released by NFU Mutual,


based on insurance claims,show 69,000 sheep worth morethan £6mil- lion were stolen across theUKin 2011. With such asharp rise in sheep


rustling, farmers arebeing urged to takepreventative measures to protect their livestock.


Along with staying vigilant and


reporting anysuspicious activity to the police,farmers should ensuregates are completelysecurewith strong fences and gates fitted with locks.Feeding ewesawayfromroadside locations and varying feed times each daycould also help prevent sheep rustling. Distinguishing sheep with branding


fluid is apossible deterrent thatcould help secureyour flock, making it easier to spot them, and making them less appealing to rustlers.


For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


THE Prince of Wales has been recognised forhis out- standing contribution to the sheep sector. The National Sheep


Association (NSA) has awarded the 2012 George Hedley Memorial Award, to Prince Charles forhis holis- tic approach to supporting the sheep sector. NSA Wales/Cymru chair- man David Pittendreigh


came to the day-to-daytask of tending to the livestock and it lead to inevitablelosses. After the meeting Mr Morgan


said: “The impact of such aharsh winter coming on the back of a very poor harvest and growing season last summer will be felt for some time to come. “Farmers have been left dependent on expensive bought in feed to see their animals through the last fewweeks as they wait for the weather to warm up and for the grass to start growing, leading to mounting costs. “Thereare also impacts which


have yettoworktheir way through the


system, and


WEATHER WOE: Brecon and Radnor NFU Cymru county chairman Glasnant Morgan with Liberal Democrat mid and west Wales AM William Powell.


said the prince had along- held commitment to upland sheep farming. “The breadth of his pas-


sion forthe sheep sector and the number of initiativeshe champions showwhy he is such adeserving winner of this award,”headded. The winner of the


George Hedley Memorial Awardisvoted forannually by NSA representatives.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28