Wales Farmer APRIL 2014 NEWS


‘Insulting’ TB plans criticised


Compensation proposals draw angry response


PROPOSALS to change the Bovine TB compensa- tion system in Wales are ‘insulting’ and a ‘step too far’, farmers across the


country have said. The Welsh Government is cur-


rently consulting on plans to replace individual valuations


with standardised tables for com- pensation for cattle that have to be slaughtered because of TB. However, at a county NFU


Cymru meeting in Clwyd, farm- ers said some of the comments in the consultation document are ‘quite insulting’. Clwyd county chairman Ivor


Beech said: “In one place the document states that the current system ‘does not provide suffi- cient incentive for farmers to keep disease out of their herd’. This is an outrageous statement. “Despite receiving compensa-


tion for slaughtered cattle follow- ing a positive test, farmbusiness-


Farming and environment link is crucial


IS THE agriculture industry the environment’s problem or part of the answer? That was the ques- tion asked at the Ceredigion NFUCymru annual conference. Dr Prysor Williams, Bangor


University’s lecturer in environ- mental management is a farmer’s son from Pandy Tudur, near Llanrwst, who is closely involved with running the family farm. He said: “We hear daily about


the clash between agriculture and the environment. “However, the industry is


more important now than ever before in helping to tackle the big environmental issues that face the world including climate change, loss of species, food secu- rity and lowcarbon energy. Agri- culture can influence all these environmental issues and this


puts the industry in a strong posi- tionmoving forward. It therefore has to be part of the answer.” Dr Williams explained to


farmers at the conference held in Ciliau Aeron, that a recent study has calculated the monetary value of the things received from the environment. “The study puts farming in a


very strong position because the industry has an influence on lots of the factors valued. As well as food, the agricultural industry provides many benefits to society which, previous to this study, hadn’t been valued; such as fuels and the storage of water and car- bon.” Dr Williams said it is especial-


ly important to explain the value of farming in environmental terms to decision-makers.


Young entrants scheme to return


A GOVERNMENT-BACKED scheme to support new blood in Wales’ farming sector is to run for a fourth year. The Welsh Government has


allocated £1.8 million to the next phase of the Young Entrants Support Scheme (YESS). The scheme has been so suc-


cessful since its launch in 2010 – helping 520 young people with £7.1million of grants – that it has been copied in Scotland. The Welsh scheme supports


farmers under 40 who are based inWales. Theymust either be set- ting up as head of the holding for the first time, or have established themselves as head of holding in


the previous year. Grants are available for capital expenditure and there is also a mentoring service delivered by farmers. Wales’ farm minister, Alun


Davies, said new and young entrants were key to the future success of Welsh agriculture. “We are working hard to build


a farming industry that has the skills, ability and knowledge to become more profitable and pro- fessional, while also keeping our traditional skills and culture alive,” he said. Expressions of interest can be


made now and the application window will open on September 1st.


INFORMATIVE: Guest speaker at the Ceredigion NFU Cymru county conference Dr Prysor Williams with county chairman Wyn Evans.


“Many who try and say how


agriculture should be practised don’t have the complete picture,” he added. “It’s important for the indus-


try to work with those people so that the right balance is struck between food production and delivering the wider environmen-


tal benefits to society. That iswhy the industry has got to be part of the answer in the future.” Ceredigion’s


newly-elected


county chairman, Wyn Evans, ended the conference by thank- ing Prysor for his informative presentation and also HSBC Bank for sponsoring the event.


Plans to maintain rural postal services


FARMERS and residents in remote regions of Wales could have letters and parcels collected by their posties in the future under plans being considered by the Royal Mail. It follows a campaign by north Assembly Member


Wales


Antoinette Sandbach, to secure postal service in rural parts of northWales if village post offices are closed or services relocated to larger shops. Ofcom rules insist that 85% of


the population should not be more than half a mile from the nearest post box. Ms Sandbach said she needed


to be sure that her constituents would not be disadvantaged


under the government’smoderni- sation plans for postal services simply because they live in remote locations. In a letter to Ms Sandbach,


Royal Mail’s chief executive, Moya Green, has given an assur- ance that there was an obligation on the company to provide suffi- cient access points or other means of access for those living in very remote or isolated loca- tions such as farmhouses. “For our customers in deep


rural areas we would consider collecting while on delivery. We remain committed to providing a high level of delivery and collec- tions services to our rural servic- es,” the letter added.


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


es suffer a heavy financial burden having to bear the consequential losses from the shortfall in milk sales or blood lines from a herd breakdown, as well as the cost of movement restrictions placed on affected farms. These costs are not compensated for and, in some cases, run into tens of thou- sands of pounds.” The plans were also discussed


byNFUCymru members in Bre- con and Radnor, when farmers expressed their concern that tab- ular valuations would overvalue poor animals and undervalue quality stock. County chairman Stuart


Morris said: “We do not believe that the 51 different categories of animals that the Welsh Govern- ment propose to have in the valu- ation table will ever truly reflect the diverse values of different animals. “These vary enormously


according to breed, age, sex, bloodline/pedigree status, sea- sonality and organic status. Nei- ther will they be able to take in to account geographical differences in prices that do arise.” Members voiced their opposi-


tion to the proposals and urged the Welsh Government to recon- sider its plans.


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