Farming

Dairy crisis update

Published

9 years ago

February 4, 2015

Rebecca Evans

THE DEPUTY MINISTER FOR FARMING AND FOOD, Rebecca Evans, visited Dyffryn farm in Powys to meet owner Jonathon Wilkinson and Russell George AM

discuss some of the issues facing the sector.

Discussion covered a range of topics, including the current situation facing the dairy industry in Wales, restrictions on cattle movement and changes to the Basic Payment Scheme.

The Deputy Minister said: “It was really useful for me to speak with Jonathon and his colleagues about the issues affecting them and their businesses. It is important I continue to meet and speak face-to-face with farmers to hear their concerns.”

A recent reduction in milk prices and the prices paid to farmers has put further pressure on dairy farmers and the Deputy Minister was keen to explore how the Welsh Government can continue to help improve resilience in the sector.

“This is of course a difficult time for dairy farmers across the UK. Confidence on dairy farms had been building over the last year, with a better milk price and lower cost of production, leaving a margin on production. But we have seen further turbulence recently and a return to volatility in milk prices. By working together with the dairy sector and dairy industry as a whole, I remain convinced that we can ensure our vision of a modern, professional and profitable industry in Wales can be achieved. I am keen to explore how resilience can be increased in the Welsh dairy supply chain and am expecting to receive a report back to me on the Dairy Review in the coming weeks. We are also considering how we may increase processing capacity in Wales, but also a range of other measures relating to product development and marketing, which will be of benefit to our dairy farmers.”

In October the Deputy Minister announced that Andy Richardson, who sits on the Dairy Task Force, was to lead the review of the dairy sector in Wales. The review is to provide a strategic direction for the dairy sector across the whole supply chain, offering recommendations that Government and the industry can put in place to deliver resilience, economic growth and the creation of additional jobs within the Welsh industry.

The day after visiting Powys, Rebecca Evans met Sir Jim Paice MP for First Milk talks.

First Milk, one of the largest dairy farmer co-operatives in the UK, announced recently that they were to delay payments to producers by two weeks.

First Milk also decided to reverse the 1.1 pence per litre of the planned February milk price reductions for the manufacturing and liquid pools, increase members’ capital investment and increase members’ capital investment target from 5 to 7 pence per litre.

Following their announcement on January 8, the Deputy Minister said she would be seeking urgent talks with First Milk.

Following the meeting at First Milk’s Haverfordwest Creamery, Rebecca Evans said: “I have spoken to farmers who tell me how concerned they are about what the deferred payments mean for the cash flow of their farming businesses. I sought an urgent meeting with First Milk to better understand how the co-operative had found itself in this position, and to satisfy myself that the suite of actions taken by First Milk will be enough to put them on a sound footing. First Milk say that the actions they have taken have helped to raise enough capital to stem their own cash flow problems and put the business on a sound financial footing once again. Sir Jim assured me he had spoken with the banks in light of their decision and had found them to be sympathetic to the farmers’ situation.”

First Milk is a farmer-owned GB milk co-operative with around 1,600 members. It deals with smaller and more geographically remote farms. There are 400 Welsh dairy producers in the co-operative and the vast majority of milk produced in Wales goes to Haverfordwest Creamery to produce cheese and other milk products.

In December, the Deputy Minister announced a review of the dairy sector in Wales, which is being led by Andy Richardson. The review aims to set out a long-term strategic direction for the dairy industry, taking views from all in the Welsh supply chain and is due to report in the coming weeks.

Around 200 farmers attended a meeting in Llandisillio where they were addressed by Sir Jim Paice.

Sir Jim told farmers the business was secure. However, farmers reported that the co-operative’s decision was yet another setback after months of falling wholesale prices.

The Cambridgeshire MP said that he hoped farmers felt reassured following the meeting, adding: “We’ve had to rebuild cash in the business so that our cash flow is fine. First Milk is a perfectly solvent business and we have a long-term future, but we needed to recapitalise the business and that is what we’ve done.”

The decision affects around 400 Welsh farmers.

First Milk operates a number of milk production facilities in England, Scotland and Wales, including the Haverfordwest Creamery plant.

Farming

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society in search for county’s top progressive farmers

Published

1 week ago

April 9, 2024

Tom Sinclair

IF you farm in Pembrokeshire and can demonstrate your farm’s use of the latest technological methods to promote progressive, sustainable agriculture then the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourage you to enter the prestigious Baron de Rutzen Award.

Adam Thorne, Pembrokeshire County Show President, said, “We are looking for local Pembrokeshire farmers, under the age of 45, who can demonstrate their farm’s use of the latest technological methods to promote progressive, sustainable agriculture. They also need to show consideration for the environment and habitat sensitivity on their farm as well as present an aesthetically pleasing example of farming in the county. The competition welcomes all livestock and arable sectors to take part.”

Last year’s winners of the Award were Mark and Caroline Davies of Little Newcastle, Haverfordwest. They milk 230 pedigree Holsteins through a fully automated system. They rear their own replacements and also have a small beef enterprise. The farm is all grassland and they follow a strict reseeding and liming policy to optimise the yield from their multi-cut silage system. The couple place significant emphasis on animal health, husbandry and breeding to maximise the efficiency of their system.

Baron John Fredrick De Rutzen was President of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society in 1936 and the Baron de Rutzen Trophy was produced in his memory. The third Baron served in the Welsh Guards and tragically died, aged 36, in 1944.

This year’s entrants must be fully practising farmers within the county of Pembrokeshire and were under the age of 45 years on 1 January 2024. Entries can either be by nomination or direct application online on the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society website. Click here to apply: Baron de Rutzen Award | Pembrokeshire County Show | Pembs Agricultural Society (pembsshow.org)

The closing date for nominations and applications is at noon on Wednesday, 29 May 2024.

Farming

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society elect new president

Published

2 weeks ago

April 1, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ARABLE and beef farmer, Adam Thorne, has been unanimously elected to become the new President of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society for the year ahead. Adam is the third generation of his family to hold the position.

During the Annual General Meeting of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, held last week on the Pembrokeshire Showground, Mr Tim John and his wife Margaret John were also voted in as Presidents elect.

Adam Thorne has had a long association with Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society. After visiting the show as a toddler, then helping show the family’s pedigree Herefords, his uncle got him into helping him with stewarding in his early teens. From there he progressed to being a Steward with his own section, Commercial Cattle, and then also the Butcher’s Lambs section.

From stewarding, Adam became involved with committee work, starting as an Executive and then on to the former Finance and General Purposes Committee. He has been Chairman of the Estates Committee for 12 years and is now a Board member and a Trustee.

Adam said, “I am proud of my long association with Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society. I am the third generation to now be President, following my late grandfather, Walter Thorne, my father, Robert Thorne and more recently my uncle, George Thorne. I am looking forward to my year in the prestigious position.”

Away from his work with the society, Adam runs the family’s arable and beef farm in Robeston West, Milford Haven. He has been heavily involved with Tiers Cross YFC from an early age, having been Club Secretary twice and Chairman. He has also sat on Pembrokeshire County YFC Committees and the Wales YFC Rural Affairs Committee.

The 2024 Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society officeholders, announced at the AGM, include Miss Ffion Edwards who was awarded the role of Ambassador at last year’s show. Ffion, a nurse from Maenclochog, has enjoyed many years of attending the county show and believes that there are so many good elements to it. Ffion has been a member of Llysyfran YFC for 15 years and enjoys every aspect of young farmers – trying new experiences, competing and travelling to name a few. Mrs Nicola Owen was also elected as the Honorary Treasurer.

Brian Jones, the outgoing Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society President, took the opportunity to thank everyone who had helped and supported him throughout his presidency. During his year as President, Brian and his wife Helen, raised a tremendous amount of money for various charities including the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, RABI, Tir Dewi and the DPJ Foundation. Brian also gave his assurances that Castell Howell will continue to sponsor the Food Hall for future years.

Pembrokeshire County Show, the largest county agricultural show in Wales, will be held over two days again this summer on 14 and 15 August. Everyone is invited to attend the celebration of rural life in the county.

Pictured (left to right): Ffion Edwards the Ambassador for 2024; Adam Thorne, President; Margaret and Tim John, the Presidents Elect.

Farming

£1,000 bursary award available to Pembrokeshire agricultural students

Published

1 month ago

March 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE Agricultural Society’s £1,000 Bursary Award is now open for applications from students studying agriculture, veterinary science, agricultural engineering, food technology, forestry or other subjects allied to agriculture.

The Student Bursary Award 2024 is available to students, from Pembrokeshire, who are currently studying or have been accepted to start their studies. They can apply for this financial support to assist with their chosen college or career path.

Last year’s winner of the award was Lottie Wilson from Hayscastle. Lottie was studying agriculture at the University of Nottingham when she applied for the bursary. When she is at home she is a general dairy farm worker as well as a lambing hand and a calving beef herd assistant. In 2021 she was the top agriculture student at Hartpury College.

Robert James, Chairman of the Society’s Bursary Committee said, “I would urge all Pembrokeshire students who study subjects that are clearly aligned to agriculture to apply for this bursary as it won’t only assist with your studies but will also give you great experiences such as undertaking an interview which is a key employment skill. It will also assist in your future career within the agriculture industry.”

“A panel of independent judges will draw up a short list of candidates who will be interviewed and the winning candidate will be asked to give a short presentation at a future meeting of the society’s show council.

“The standard of applications has always been exceptional which gives a lot of heart that there are a lot of very talented young people in our community. We are very much looking forward to receiving applications for this year’s bursary and hearing from the younger generation.”

Qualifying students must not have won the student bursary on a previous occasion, the applicant must be studying or has been accepted to study agriculture or allied subjects at a UK college or university at A-Level or higher and the applicant’s family home must be in Pembrokeshire.

The bursary is tax free and will be awarded to the student who, in the opinion of the panel of judges, has submitted the best dissertation on how the bursary will assist them to complete their course of study.

Further details and the entry form can be found online: Student Bursary Award | Pembrokeshire County Show | Pembs Agricultural Society (pembsshow.org) or by calling the show office: 01437 764331. The closing date for applications is noon on Monday, 1 July 2024.