THE PEMBROKESHIRE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 30 2015


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59 Farming Dairy landlords urged to review rents Lambing Live star hails social media


mixed farm near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire.


The entire family


exploded onto our TV screens in March 2010 and Kate in particular has had a successful spell in the media ever since, doing short films for the BBC’s One Show as their resident farmer, and presenting Channel 4’s Crufts, whilst continuing to farm at Great Tre-Rhew. Kate


explained, “We weren’t LAMBING has either already


Tenants under pressure: Dairy tenants suffering as prices crash. LANDLORDS of tenant dairy


farmers are being urged to review how much they charge in rents, the NFU Tenants Forum have said. The


call comes following the


recent round of farmgate milk price cuts and First Milk’s announcement that it is to delay its next milk payment to January 26. NFU Tenants


Forum national


spokesman Chris Cardell said: “I want to see all landlords be understanding towards tenant dairy farmers in regard to rent, particularly those hard pressed First Milk suppliers who are under


extreme financial pressure at this time. Obviously some of these will be on very high rents and may need some consideration from landlords in these times of trouble. Indeed some may be in a very good position to issue a rent review notice to the landlord this spring triggering a rent reduction negotiation. We would further ask that any rent reviews to increase dairy farm rents are postponed during this difficult time and landlords provide any other assistance they can to tenant dairy farmers that have been and could be so badly affected in the future.”


A call for potato farmers POTATO growers, advisers


and agronomists will meet at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel, Pembroke Dock on January 20 to get the latest technical information at Potato Council’s Welsh Potato day. The first Potato Council event of the year is a must for growers who are serious about a long-term future in the potato industry. This technical- focused event will include talks from Potato Council experts and industry leaders and a practical expert-led panel discussion The morning sessions kick off with Stu Baker from Potato Council’s marketing team who will report on current trends and consumption. Following on Brian Klass and Ged Davies of Natural Resources Wales


will be updating delegates on the Water management within the Cleddau Catchment.


After an opportunity for networking over lunch, Ken Smith of ADAS will present the latest thinking on soil and water management, while Peter Howell from NFU Cymru will discuss CAP reform and its impact on Welsh growers. The final ‘question time’ style


interactive panel session will tackle “The challenges of Potato production in Wales” where delegates will have the opportunity to ask questions important to their own business. Growers can register for the Welsh


Potato Day by calling Miya Kotecha on 07792209919.


PRAg Ltd, Mountain Farm Broadway, Broad Haven, Haverfordwest, SA62 3HU


started, or fast approaching, on farms up and down the country, but how many farmers would agree to being constantly watched by a film crew of 70 people, having millions of pounds worth of satellite trucks parked taking over all the yard – and a catering tent serving food all day and night long? “Well the food tent was certainly a bonus!” explained Kate Beavan, the star of the first ever Lambing Live series on the BBC, when she addressed a large crowd of NFU Cymru members at the Glamorgan Annual Conference earlier this week. Up until five years ago, Kate and


Jim Beavan with their family, farmed quietly in a 300 acre traditional


sure how the programme would be received, especially as it was the first ‘live’ programme on TV. Nothing had been done like this before. We were particularly nervous that consumers wouldn’t like seeing their ‘food being born’. The response we got was phenomenal however, we had boxes of letters and hundreds of emails of support after the series ended.”


Abi Reader, NFU Cymru


Glamorgan County Chairman, congratulated Kate and Jim Beavan on the superb work they have done as ambassadors


for the farming


industry in the UK. She said, “We all have to take some responsibility in marketing the work we do to the wider public and Kate has shown how that is possible. Kate and I actually met through Twitter and I believe that social media is an extremely powerful method of getting our message out there about how we produce the nation’s food and drink.”


Abi continued, “Social media is


the only way, I know, how you can talk directly to politicians, decision makers, even celebrities and use it to promote your business and the farming industry as a whole. Not only that, we all know that farming can be a lonely occupation but social media makes you feel like you’re part of a worldwide community.” Kate went on to explain to the large crowd present that having no mobile reception


meant communications


were difficult at the home farm, in Monmouthshire, however, she is a huge fan of twitter and now uses it to promote her new diversification – Kate’s Country School. With a zero marketing budget, Kate uses social media and the internet to promote her courses, including lambing, cider making, wildlife identification and animal husbandry. “The power of social media and the internet means we have visitors from all over the world coming to Great Tre-Rhiw to do the courses.”


John Davies, NFU Cymru’s Deputy President thanked Kate and Jim Beavan for being such good ambassadors for the farming industry in Wales. He gave high praise indeed when he explained his father would sneak off from their own lambing shed at home, five years ago, in order to watch the Beavan family on ‘Lambing Live’. John also thanked HSBC for their generous sponsorship of the annual conference held in the Grove Golf Club, Cornelly.


Dairy farmers facing ‘perfect storm’ THE WELSH GOVERNMENT


must do more to champion the Welsh dairy industry as it faces severe challenges in the face of a perfect storm. That was the message of the Party of Wales Shadow Minister for Sustainable Communities, Energy and Food Llyr Gruffydd as he led Plaid Cymru’s Assembly debate on the matter. Llyr


Gruffydd urged the


Government to act where it has competence and speak out in support of measures that others could introduce as the plummeting price of milk leaves the industry facing one of its toughest periods. He called on the Welsh


Government to redouble efforts to add value to Welsh milk by increasing local


processing. Llyr Gruffydd


AM wants better procurement practices to encourage consumers to choose local produce and improve


the marketing of Welsh milk. Plaid said the Governemnt should clearly state its support for broadening the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s role to include dairy farmers and back the strengthening of the Dairy Code which gives dairy farmers more protection in their contractual relations with milk processors.


The Party of Wales Shadow


Minister for Sustainable Communities, Energy and Food Llyr Gruffydd told The Herald: “Welsh dairy farmers have been severely hit recently by a chain of events that have driven their incomes down. With devastating milk price cuts at farmgate level and increasing production costs, the fortunes of dairy producers are in a very precarious state.


“Since its introduction two years ago, Plaid Cymru warned that the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator was too restricted which prevented it from


sufficiently protecting dairy farmers. “It’s time that this is addressed. The Welsh Government


should


throw its weight behind the key recommendations of the Westminster’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report to extend the remit of the organisation. It should also look at marketing and procurement practices to maximise domestic consumption of milk and milk produce.


“In the short term farmers need the best possible advice and support to manage very challenging cashflow problems, whilst in the longer term we also need to see continued investment in infrastructure to improve efficiency within the sector. “The dairy industry in Wales has


been at the mercy of a perfect storm, so it is crucial that the government does what it can to support the industry through these difficult times.”


info@prag.ltd.uk pragdirect.co.uk


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