Latest news with #Farmers'UnionofWales
Powys County Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Calls for a moratorium on Powys council owned farm sales
Farming unions have urged Powys County Councillors to back calls for a moratorium on the sale of council farms. NFU Cymru and the Farmers' Union of Wales are supporting calls from a Powys pressure group seeking a pause on the sale of local authority-run farms. It follows a well-attended public meeting in Sarn, near Newtown in May, where council farm tenants voiced concerns over the future of holdings. Powys County Council is expected to hold a meeting next week to discuss the issue. 'These families have often invested their lives and livelihoods into these holdings, and the lack of clear, long-term strategy from the council undermines their dedication and commitment to Welsh agriculture. 'We urge the council to safeguard these vital farms and their tenants for future generations." NFU Cymru Brecon & Radnor County Adviser Stella Owen said: 'Council farm tenancies play a pivotal role in enabling new entrants and young farming families to take their first steps into farming. 'While we understand that council farm estates will change and evolve over time, it's crucial that this avenue remains open and any contraction of a council farm estate would naturally be of great concern.'
Leader Live
04-07-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
The Farmers' Union of Wales reflects on Labour's first year
This week marks the first anniversary of Labour's 2024 UK general election victory. While global tensions remain, domestic policy has been dominated by three contentious government measures that have sparked public and backbench unrest. Initially, the government's plan to scrap the universal Winter Fuel Payment caused significant concern. However, following considerable pressure, they've subsequently conducted a 75% u-turn, restoring the payment for most pensioners. Similarly, proposed changes to welfare benefits, specifically Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), faced a major backbench rebellion. As a result, these reforms were significantly watered down last week - again buckling under public and political pressure. However, the agricultural sector continues to grapple with the most contentious issue: drastic changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR). Despite the Prime Minister's earlier insistence that a "vast majority" of Welsh farmers would remain unaffected, analysis from the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) suggests up to 48% of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) recipients in Wales could be subject to the new inheritance tax proposals. If this reform remains unchanged the consequences for farmers, rural communities, and food production in Wales could be devastating. Since these proposals first emerged, the FUW has consistently stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the sector, urging the government to reconsider this ill-conceived policy. However, despite the industry's dire warnings and growing unease among many of the government's own backbenchers, these appeals appear to have fallen on deaf ears. With the April 2026 implementation deadline now rapidly approaching, the mounting strain and uncertainty facing Welsh farmers is reaching critical levels, threatening their livelihoods and the very fabric of rural communities. As the FUW has consistently argued, the aim is not to scrap the policy entirely, but to secure targeted adjustments that prevent hardworking family farms from being crippled by these changes. Rather than an approach comparable to a sledgehammer cracking a nut, the FUW has sought the opportunity to design a policy with HM Treasury that genuinely works for family businesses and effectively closes the existing loopholes that allow non-farming investors to benefit disproportionately. The old saying goes, "things come in threes." Having buckled to public and political pressure and made adjustments on both the Winter Fuel Payment and broader welfare benefit reform, the government has shown it can listen and adapt. Now is the time to apply that same pragmatic approach and revisit the changes to APR before irreversible damage is inflicted upon a sector vital to Wales and the wider UK.
Powys County Times
23-06-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Welsh Government urged to act on massive loss of abattoirs
WALES' diminishing local abattoir infrastructure has been highlighted to the Welsh Government. Several organisations, including the Farmers' Union of Wales have written to the Government raising the critical issue. The letter, addressed to Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, has been co-signed by eight organisations, including Nature Friendly Farming Network, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Pasture for Life, Plantlife Cymru, Rare Breeds Survival Trust, RSPB Cymru, the Sustainable Food Trust and the Farmers' Union of Wales. In 1990 there were 58 red meat abattoirs in Wales, whereas today there are just 15, with nine being small-medium, and five of these being classed as small. Even fewer are able to provide all of the services farmers need to sell directly to local consumers, such as butchering, packaging, processing small numbers of animals, multi-species animals, having organic certification, and the ability to deal with horned animals, or those 'over thirty months' (OTM). This issue puts Welsh farmers' ability to sell and distinguish their products from imports produced to lower environmental and animal welfare standards at risk. All co-signatures of the letter highlighted the role of grazing livestock for the management and enhancement of priority habitats across Wales, from peatlands to salt marshes, species-rich grasslands to heathlands, ffriddoedd and 'Celtic Woodlands'. Farmers' Union of Wales president Ian Rickman said: 'The FUW has been clear that if the Welsh Government wants to promote a 'circular economy' and ensure Welsh produce produced to high environmental standards can be marketed as such, then the abattoir infrastructure is an essential enabler. "The fact that Australian and New Zealand lamb imports have increased by 78 per cent, at the same time that farmers in Wales are struggling to sell their produce locally, makes no sense. "Such a situation undermines the efforts farmers are making to enhance biodiversity, nutritional value, and low carbon produce sold to Welsh consumers, as well as the integrity of Welsh Lamb and Beef's 'Protected Geographical Indication' status. Other issues facing abattoirs include 'animal by-products' which used to represent an income stream for abattoirs and contributed towards a circular economy, which are now an added cost due to disposal charges. Teleri Fielden, Farmers' Union of Wales policy officer added: 'Farmers in Wales are rightfully proud of our high animal welfare standards and the quality of life afforded to many grazing livestock. "While out of the farmers' control, short journeys to slaughter is part of this, as is access to casualty and emergency slaughter services. "However, there is only one slaughterhouse in Wales which has the 'contract' to receive BovineTB reactors, creating lengthy journeys and additional stress to both the animal and the farmer experiencing a bTB breakdown.
Leader Live
06-06-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Farmers union of Wales shares the importance of dairy
On the 1st of June, we once again celebrated World Milk Day, with the global community coming together to highlight the brilliance of milk as an accessible and nutrient rich food source that feeds billions of people around the world. In 2024, the World Milk Day campaign recorded 2.7 million social media engagements with contributions from over 100 countries. As the balance of wealth varies significantly across the globe, so do the challenges of nutrition. Malnutrition does not only describe 'undernutrition' but also includes overnutrition and micronutrition deficiencies which was reported in 2024 to affect 3 billion people worldwide. In whichever form, malnutrition, from its cruel suffering seen in poorer countries or areas enduring natural disasters or civil unrest, to those being over-fed and undernourished at the other end of global wealth, can cause irreversible effects to a child's physical and mental development. The consequence of malnutrition is associated with poorer academic performance which in turn impacts productivity and equates to a financial burden. Due to its nutrient rich content of essential vitamins, minerals, protein, calcium, iodine, riboflavin and B12, dairy is seen to play a vital role in combating malnutrition especially given its accessibility and affordability. In stark contrast to the issues of malnutrition, dairy is also considered an essential food source in fueling elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Again, due to its affordability, product range, nutrient composition and readily available protein, dairy products are an important construct in the balanced diet consumed by athletes of all abilities Here in Wales, dairy plays a huge part in our agricultural sector, and in 2020/21, it is estimated that Welsh farmers supplied 2.0 billion litres of milk. Despite its importance, the Welsh dairy sector faces considerable challenges, including the ongoing burden of bovine TB, market volatility, rising input costs, and uncertainties surrounding new environmental regulations and agricultural support schemes. These pressures have led to a notable reduction in the number of dairy farms in Wales over recent years. Nevertheless, our farmers continue to produce high-quality milk that is enjoyed across the nation, and the Farmers' Union of Wales continue to lobby for greater support for this key sector. All in all, milk is an exceptionally valuable source of nutrition for everyone. It caters flexibility in its product range and offers far more than just a great tasting food. The health benefits of consuming dairy applies to all ages and abilities and is fully deserving of this day to celebrate the power of a glass of milk, as one, with our neighbours across the globe!
South Wales Argus
30-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
MPs to quiz farming bodies on Brexit impact and trade deals
On Wednesday, June 5, the Welsh Affairs Committee will hold its first evidence session for the inquiry, "Farming in Wales in 2025: Challenges and Opportunities." The session will take place at 2.30pm in Committee Room 6 at the Palace of Westminster. The committee, chaired by Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islwyn, will hear from three of Wales's largest farming representative bodies: National Farmers' Union Cymru, Farmers' Union of Wales, and Wales Young Farmers Clubs. According to the committee's agenda, the MPs will delve into the performance of the Welsh agricultural export market since the UK's departure from the EU. The recently announced UK-EU deal, including the veterinary agreement and its implications for Welsh farmers, will also be on the agenda. Further scrutiny will be given to the trade agreements the UK has inked with Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, to assess their effects on Welsh exporters. The committee may discuss with witnesses the potential impact of the UK Government's proposed inheritance tax reforms on the sector, and what measures should be implemented to protect the future of Welsh farmers. Other points of discussion are expected to include the "Barnettisation" of agricultural funding in the chancellor's autumn budget, as well as concerns about Welsh farmers' access to skilled and seasonal labour. The session will be available to watch live on starting at 2.30pm, with Aled Jones, Gareth Parry, and Dominic Hampson-Smith providing evidence.
