Farming

Dairy crisis update

Published

10 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.

Crime

Farmer cleared of restraining order breach at Haverfordwest court

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been found not guilty of breaching a restraining order after being accused of referencing a protected individual in a Facebook post.

Philip Stoddart, 58, of Monkhill Farm, St Ishmaels, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jan 20) to face the charge. The prosecution, led by Ann Griffiths on behalf of the crown, alleged that between December 4 and December 13, 2023, Stoddart made a Facebook post that, by inference, referred to a person he was prohibited from contacting under a restraining order imposed by Swansea Crown Court on April 16, 2021.

The restraining order, issued under Section 360 of the Sentencing Act 2020, barred Stoddart from making any form of contact with her.

Prosecutors argued that the Facebook post constituted a breach of the order, contrary to Section 363 of the same act.

Stoddart denied the allegations and entered a not guilty plea during a prior hearing on October 1, 2024.

Magistrates Professor N. Negus, Mr. J. Steadman, and Mrs. J. Morris presided over the trial, which concluded on Monday.

After reviewing the evidence, the bench found Stoddart not guilty, dismissing the case.

The dismissal brings to a close legal proceedings that had been ongoing for over a year.

Farming

Get up to £5,000 for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FARMERS in Wales are being called to apply for the next round of funding for on-farm trials.

The Farming Connect initiative, which has funded projects such as growing lucerne in Brecon, is inviting applications for the Try Out Fund.

The new application window opens on January 27, 2025, and will run until February 17.

Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund trials that experiment with new ideas on their farms.

The last round of funding supported several projects, including integrated pest management at a pick-your-own strawberry enterprise.

Menna Williams, the Farming Connect project lead, said: “Farming Connect has developed the Try Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment.”

She added: “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.”

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

Ms Williams said: “Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100 per cent effort right from the start.”

Projects should focus on enhancing production efficiencies and profitability while ensuring environmental protection through adherence to sustainable land management principles.

A guidance handbook is accessible on the Farming Connect website, providing support for farmers in outlining their projects and completing the application process.

To apply, individuals must be registered with Farming Connect and capable of finishing their projects by January 2026.

Ms Williams explained: “Funding can be used for technical assistance, sampling, testing and other reasonable expenses such as those relating to short-term hire of specialist equipment or facilities directly relating to the project.”

The findings will be shared with other producers in Wales by collaborating with a Farming Connect team member.

Interested parties can apply on the Farming Connect website.

To receive the link or get further information, contact [email protected].

Farming

Funding window to re-open for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WITH Farming Connect-funded trials ranging from growing lucerne in Brecon to establishing sunflowers as a companion crop with maize, farmers are being invited to apply for the next round of funding from the initiative that brought these projects to life.

The new application window for the Try Out Fund opens on 27January2025 and will run until 17 February. Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund on-farm trials that experiment with new ideas. The last round of funding saw farmers supported for several projects including integrated pest management at pick your own strawberry enterprise.

Project lead Menna Williams of Farming Connect said the aim is for farmers to compare different treatments or management systems – the project is not intended to fund new equipment she stressed.

“Farming Connect has developed the Try-Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment,’’ she said. “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.’’

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

“Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100% effort right from the start,’’ said Ms Williams.

Suitable projects must aim to improve production efficiencies and profitability whilst protecting the environment by aligning with sustainable land management outcomes. A guidance handbook is available on the Farming Connect website to help farmers scope their project and complete the application form.

Applicants must be registered with Farming Connect and be able to complete their projects by January 2026.