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Wales Farmer June 2013 NEWS


Make the most of localmarts


■ Closure of meat plant prompts call


FARMERS in Wales are being urged to make use of their local livestock markets following the clo- sure of amajor meat pro- cessing business on


Anglesey. The major lamb processing


facility in North Wales,Welsh Country Foods at Gaerwen, closed in April with the loss of 310 jobs. Chris Dodds,executive secre-


tary of the Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA), said the


impact of the closurewould affect sheep producers through- out the region, buttherewere alternativesonthe doorstep in the form of the local markets. “When businesses operateon


this scale,with major reliance on the larger retailers,then thereare obvious vulnerabilities in the sys- tem when they close down,”he said.


“Livestock auctions,onthe


other hand, will always be there because they reflect the true value of the market, and offer compet- itive prices. “I would saytoany farmer


whose business has been affected by this closuretomakeuse of and support your local market. It provides aflexible and transpar- ent system in which to sell your stock, and also provides the opportunity forproducers to


contribute towardscreating afair and competitive price fortheir sheep,” he said. Simon Jones,director of


Morgan Evans and Co,which operates the Gaerwen Auction Centreonthe island, said the loss of Welsh Country Foods wasa blow to the island in terms of job losses,and the wider effects on the economy. He said: “The closureofa


major business likethis is bound to have effects elsewhereinthe livestock industry in north Wales. We would just saythatfarmers should consider making use of their local livestock auctions as a viableand competitive wayof selling their stock. Our gates are always open.” Welsh Country Foods was


owned by Dutch group VION, which announced in November


MARKETING MARTS: Brightwells auctioneer Rob Meadmore selling sheep at a livestock market.


thatitwas selling its UK food operations to focus on its core food activities in the Netherlands and Germany. The Gaerwen site wasone of twoVion-owned meatplants on


Anglesey.The sister poultry plant at Llangefni wasbought in March by the Birmingham-based 2Sisters Food Group,safeguard- ing some 300 jobs,along with sites at Sandycroft in Flintshire,


which employs 1,300 people,and at Merthyr Tydfil whereanother 1,300 jobs were saved. Welsh Country Foods wasthe


onlyone of Vion’s facilities that failed to find abuyer.


Milkprocessorsurged to comply withdairy code or faceextra pressure from industry


MILK buyers could face added pres- suretoimplement the voluntary code on dairy practice. Processors were givenuntil March


31st to comply with the code by offering fairer and morebalanced contracts to farmers,but some com- panies have not yetsigned up, prompting the Dairy Coalition to write to Wales’ farming minister out- lining its concerns. NFU Cymru deputy president


Stephen James said: “While anum- ber of large milk buyers areimple- menting the code,therestill some whohavefailed to step up to the markand makethe changes we have demanded. “Since our March deadline passed,


the coalition has been applying pres- sureinvarious ways to get processors to act. This has included calling on retailers to insist thattheir supply base offers farmers compliant con- tracts.


“This however,isn’t enough. We


need the Welsh Government, along- side the otherUKadministrations,to ramp up the pressuretoensurethe code is the success it can and should be.”


TFAdairy representative Richard Elliot added: “Our members’


MANY Welsh dairy farmers arelooking forwardtoreceiving payrises in the coming months. Glanbia, which produces mozzarella


at its plant in Llangefni, is leading the waywith a1.3ppl increase from June 1st. Also increasing their prices in June areMeadowFoods and Arla, whohave both announced a1.25ppl rise,along with the Muller Wiseman Group (1ppl) and Dairy Crest (1ppl forDavidstow contract and 1.5ppl on liquid contracts). Meanwhile,First Milk has confirmed


thatwhile it is increasing the price paid to farmers forits liquid milk pool, farmers in its cheese and manufacturing pools will not receive ahigher price. Speculation had been rife thatthe


farmer-owned co-operative wasset to cut the price paid to farmers supplying


patience is growing very thin; if milk buyers can’t be trusted to do the right thing and work with farmers to deliv- er better contracts then Government needs to step in. This isn’t rocket sci- ence,wejust want afair deal.” Farmers arealso being urged to


makeastand. RABDF chairman Ian Macalpine


said: “The message from the whole coalition to farmers is youhavethe


its cheese pool by 1.5-2p/litre. This in turn wasfuelling fears thatother processors would followsuit and could prompt anew round of dairy protests. However,First Milk


chairman Bill Mustoe has written to members confirming thatthe price will not be cut. Mr Mustoe said: “Having


increased the price by 0.4ppl from April 1st, we areholding the manufacturing pool price at the current levelof28.9ppl. “Wecontinue to have discussions with all our main cheese customers,wherethey have demonstrated agood understanding of the current


powertochange contracts.With milk supplies short and processors crying out formilk, farmers need to stand firm and demand change.” The code wasagreed between


farming and processing representa- tivesfollowing asummer of protests over milk prices,and is favoured over legislation by the Welsh Government, as proposed by the European Commission.


Community champion sought


THEvital role farmers playintheir local community is once again being recognised with aprestigious award. NFU Cymru’sWelsh Rural


Community Champion Award, now in its fifth year,seeks to rewardfarm- ers whouse what little sparetime they have away from the farmin helping their local community. Stephen James,deputy president


of NFU Cymru said: “Wewant to recognise the hardworkfarmers do offthe farminorder to help their local town or village community. Potential awardwinners could be involved, forexample,with their local agricultural show, community events,choir and all sorts of things


which playanimportant part in making athriving community.” The winner of the award, which is


sponsored by the Principality Building Society,will receive £500, with £100 each on offer to tworun- ners-up.


Principality’sGroup chief execu-


tive,Graeme Yorston said: “Wepride ourselves on supporting the commu- nities in which we operateand our members live and we aredelighted to have the opportunity to recognise individualsthatshareinthis passion. “Farmers playanimportant role


in adding value to the local commu- nity and we believe,along with NFU Cymru, thattheir contribution


should be both celebrated and rewarded.” Anyone interested in entering the


awardcan contact NFU Cymru for moredetails and an application form.Email:


sarah.jones@


nfu.org.uk, ring 01982 554200 or write to: NFU Cymru, Welsh Community Champion Award, AgricultureHouse,Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells,Powys, LD2 3TU. The application form is also avail-


able to download at www.nfu- cymru.org.uk. The closing date for entries is Friday, June 14th, and the winner will be announced at the RoyalWelsh Show.


marketenvironment.” First Milk is increasing the standard


litreprice forits liquid milk pool by a pennyto30.65ppl from July 1st.


5


Meadow Foods is the UK’sleading manufacturer of dairy based ingredient products to food manufacturers in the UK, Worldwide and we arenow looking for more milk in your area.


WANTED Dairy farmers


Meadow Foods already has milk producers in South and North Wales and is looking for new producers to meet extra demand from our customers. If you areconsidering anew milk contract to suit your business, we can help:


•Compositional or liquid style contracts •Simple achievable pricing schedules •Noseasonality option •Nocapital retention


If you areinterested in finding out moreorwould like us to send you aprice schedule please contact: Jim Bebb on 07919 118026 or j.bebb@meadowfoods.co.uk


Rough Hill, Marston-cum-Lache, Chester,CheshireCH4 9JS. Tel: 01244 629478 For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


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