Farming

Cultivating votes: Farming and the election

Published

8 years ago

May 12, 2015

Farmers can have an influence on election: A close eye on political developments.

THE ELECTION on May 7 is widely touted as being one of the closest of recent times. Away from the photo opportunities and soundbites, farmers around the UK are keeping a close eye on political developments.

Both the FUW and the NFU have made no bones that they are looking towards central government to support farming and the wider agricultural industry. With votes precious, the question is how far political parties are prepared to bend their policies to meet farmers’ expectations. While votes in the shires of England tend to aggregate towards the Conservatives, the picture in Wales is rather more complex.

For a start, there are more small independent farms per head of population than there are in England and income from agriculture and food production make up a larger part of Wales’ own domestic product.

When one focuses on the commitments of the larger parties in Wales, there is little meat in any of the manifestos, which focus on large picture macro-economic concerns rather than practical proposals to improve the lot of farmers and agricultural workers and farming communities in the short to medium term.

The Conservative manifesto has promised a lot for the longer term:

25 year growth plan for food industry
Commitment to 25 year TB strategy (including culling)
5 year tax averaging
Single farm inspection taskforce to co-ordinate visits, including Red Tractor
Treble food, farming and Agri-tech apprenticeships
Great British Food Unit to promote British exports
Push for Country of Origin Labelling for dairy in Europe

The long term is all very well, but at a time when farming incomes for family farms are being squeezed tighter than ever, most farmers will be most interested in the here and now. Farmers need certainty about their income and about the support they can expect from government now and tomorrow and not in the sweet bye and bye.

The Conservatives have promised to deliver in 2017 a referendum on whether Britain should stay in or stay out of the European Union. What they have not said is what they will do to help farmers replace European funding payments, upon which many farmers rely, if, in 2017, the British people choose to leave the EU. In addition, the Conservatives have not said how British farmers will be able to continue to access European markets for their produce if tariffs on imports to the EU from the UK follow, as they surely would.

The Labour Party has a significant problem with rural and farming affairs. From being an industry that commanded a seat at the centre of Cabinet discussions, farming was side-lined during the last Labour Government and there is no dedicated minister for agriculture and rural affairs in the Cabinet on the Bay.

Lingering resentment exists in some parts of the Welsh countryside over the ban on hunting with dogs, particularly on upland farms where predation by foxes is a particular problem. There also remains considerable disquiet at the way the Welsh Labour government caved in to those protesting against badger culls. In both cases, it seemed to most farmers that Labour was more interested in appeasing voters who had perhaps a more rosy view of Reynard the Fox and Brock the Badger than most farmers experience in their daily lives.

So, where Labour has a policy at all on agriculture, it is more concerned with issues at the end of the food-delivery process than those issues at source level. Labour’s manifesto commitments on agriculture (in the broader sense) are:

End the badger cull pilots
Expand the remit of the Groceries Code Adjudicator
Ban zero-hours contracts – workers have right to permanent contract after 12 weeks
Long-term food strategy
Maximum-permitted levels of sugar, salt and fat in food marketed to children
Broadband rollout

In times past, the old Liberal Party was the last redoubt of Welsh farmers. Broadly put, large landowners backed the Tories, farmers and rural communities tended to back the Liberals. The splintering of old ties is, however, likely to see the Liberal Democrat vote across large parts of Wales shrink significantly: while Mark Williams seems likely to hold Ceredigion, Brecon and Radnor is on a knife’s edge. With the Liberal Democrats looking to be coalition partners with any new government, its ability deliver manifesto commitments is necessarily limited, but it is likely that promises to review policies rather than put forward specific measures of their own would make them relatively easy to slot back in to either of the main party’s farming commitments.

Plaid Cymru’s pitch is, perhaps, predictably to wish a plague on both the houses of the Conservative and Labour parties, with Carmarthen East & Dinefwr candidate Jonathan Edwards claiming that: “Plaid Cymru is the champion of rural Wales. We are the only party that has a strong record of standing up for farmers and rural businesses, and opposing the establishment parties’ threats to the EU funding that the sector depends on.”

Farming

Wales’ new Chief Veterinary Officer starts in the role

Published

3 weeks ago

March 12, 2023

Tom Sinclair

TODAY (Mar 13), Dr Richard Irvine begins his new role as Wales’ Chief Veterinary Officer.

Dr Irvine joins the Welsh Government having been UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer and policy Deputy Director for Global Animal Health in the UK Government.

A highly experienced veterinarian, Richard has been working in the profession for more than 25 years and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise, with a background in animal health and welfare, trade policy, as well as science and state veterinary medicine.

Richard has previously spent time in a clinical mixed veterinary practice in South Wales.

He has also held different roles leading animal health surveillance and science programmes at the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Dr Irvine said: “Farmers and veterinarians throughout Wales do a fantastic job and I’m looking forward to meeting and supporting them as Wales’ Chief Veterinary Officer.

“We are all committed to protecting the health and welfare of animals and by working together we can meet the challenges we face and accomplish our collective goals.

“Much has been achieved in Wales and my work, alongside the team in Welsh Government, is to build on that.

“I’m looking forward to getting to work and making a real difference here in Wales.”

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Richard as our new Chief Veterinary Officer.

“Richard’s leadership and expertise will be crucial in delivering our ambitious Animal Health and Welfare goals and Programme for Government commitments.

“His knowledge and experience will be a great asset and I look forward to working with him.”

Farming

Pembrokeshire dairy farmer Roger Lewis scoops NFU prestigious Cymru award

Published

4 weeks ago

March 4, 2023

Tom Sinclair

A WELSH dairy farmer has been honoured at the annual NFU Conference for his dedication and commitment to NFU Cymru and farming in Wales.

Roger Lewis, who farms at Cosheston, Pembrokeshire, was announced as the Welsh winner of the Meurig Raymond Award at NFU Conference in Birmingham on Tuesday 21st February. The award is named after former NFU President Meurig Raymond, whose family also farms in Pembrokeshire.

A passionate and energetic ambassador for the industry, Roger was instrumental in the creation of NFU Cymru’s TB Focus Group, which he now leads as chairman. The group has engaged with various key stakeholders across government and the farming industry, discussing improvements that could be made to the delivery of bovine TB policy in Wales. The group has produced a report which has been presented to Welsh Government with several recommendations on issues such as TB testing, communication, biosecurity and alternative routes for farms under TB restriction to finish or sell their cattle.

Roger was also part of Welsh Government’s TB Task and Finish Group which considers how Welsh Government can improve engagement and communication on bovine TB.

Roger has also given evidence on behalf of NFU Cymru to the inquiry on bovine TB carried out by the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs (ETRA) Committee in the Senedd, in which he eloquently outlined the concerns of the industry with several proposals put forward by Welsh Government to refresh the Bovine TB Eradication Programme, most notably in relation to possible changes to the compensation regime. Roger sits on the bTB subgroup of the GB Calf Strategy and is also at the forefront of a pilot TB project being developed by a group of farmers and vets in Pembrokeshire.

A former NFU Cymru Pembrokeshire County Chairman, Roger has used opportunities such as media interviews, political meetings at the Pembrokeshire County Show and NFU Cymru meetings to powerfully and effectively lobby on several other important issues for farmers in Pembrokeshire and the rest of Wales. He has represented the industry’s concerns over the impact of new water quality regulations on Welsh farming, as well as championing the importance of Welsh Government’s Agriculture (Wales) Bill placing an emphasis on food security.

Speaking after his award win, Roger Lewis said: “I am very humbled to have been honoured with this award. NFU Cymru has a tremendous wealth of dedicated members and staff working together for a better future for Welsh farmers and I am proud to play a small part in the union’s wider lobbying work.”

NFU Cymru Head of Operations Kevin Owen said: “Roger is an example of someone who really does go the extra mile for NFU Cymru and Welsh farming.

“In particular, Roger has been a fantastic driving force in taking forward NFU Cymru’s lobbying work on bovine TB – an area of high importance to our members with the disease still impacting all too many farming businesses. The degree of knowledge and professionalism that Roger brings to his chairing of the NFU Cymru TB Focus Group is second to none and his determination is helping to lobby for real change to the bovine TB picture in Wales.”

Once you have submitted your query our NFU Cymru will contact you and, if appropriate, your question will be passed on to one of our policy teams.

Farming

Keeping dogs under control will protect lambs and other livestock

Published

1 month ago

February 18, 2023

Tom Sinclair

DoOG owners are being reminded to keep their animals under control around sheep and other livestock.

With lambing season underway as well, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths and Rural & Wildlife Crime Coordinator Rob Taylor have said it’s important dogs should be kept on a lead or under close control at all times and owners should be confident dogs will return on command.

Research has found most incidents involving dogs worrying or attacking sheep happens on land which is not accessible to the public.

The Countryside Code, published by Natural Resources Wales, provides clear guidance on the responsibility of dog owners to keep their dogs under effective control.

Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “We have seen the very sad and distressing images where dogs have attacked livestock.

“We know most people are doing the right thing in keeping control of their dogs, but we also recognise some are not.

“The emotional and financial costs for those who own or find dead and injured livestock, is simply unacceptable, as are the implications to animal welfare.

“Responsible dog ownership is key and by taking the required steps, lambs and other livestock will be safe.”

The Welsh Government’s Wales Rural & Wildlife Crime Coordinator, Rob Taylor said: “Sheep worrying and brutal livestock attacks by pet dogs are sadly a regular occurrence across Wales, which is wholly preventable with responsible dog ownership.

“Owners need to be aware that it is a dog’s natural instinct to chase or even attack livestock and at this time of year it is more harrowing when ewes are pregnant or with already born lambs.

“We ask owners to be aware of the risks and use common sense, by walking dogs where livestock are not present.

“It’s vital they understand that an attack on livestock, although unintended, may result in their pet being shot, or euthanised on a court order after a conviction and nobody wants that to happen.”