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Farming

Committed to the future, remembering history

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Sharing memories and comparing notes are (l-r): Roy Edwards, founder member of the union in 1955 Mr T Llew Jones MBE, FUW president Glyn Roberts and Nerys Edwards

Sharing memories and comparing notes are (l-r): Roy
Edwards, founder member of the union in 1955 Mr T Llew
Jones MBE, FUW president Glyn Roberts and Nerys Edwards

THE FARMERS’ UNION  OF WALES celebrated its 60th  anniversary on Tuesday, December  8 with a trip down memory lane.  Sharing memories and comparing  notes on the state of the industry were  Roy and Nerys Edwards and their four  sons, of Groesasgwrn, Llangynderyn,  Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire and Mr T  Llew Jones MBE, a founder member  of the union in 1955.  The couple joined the FUW in  May 2015 – making them the newest  and one of the ‘youngest’ FUW  members in the founder county.

Roy was the winner of Fferm  Factor for the year 2014 and Nerys’  time is split between being actively  involved in the running of the home  farm, helping her husband and  keeping a successful occasion cake  business ‘Cacennau Moethus’.  The informal visit gave the couple  and FUW president Glyn Roberts,  who also attended the visit, the chance  to explore the different views of those  who were actively involved in the setup  of the FUW 60 years ago and those  who have just joined the organisation.

“Farming has changed  dramatically over the last 60 years  and it was interesting to hear about the  challenges the farming community  faced in 1955 and how these compare  to the struggles but also opportunities  the current generation of farmers  deal with,” said FUW president Glyn  Roberts.  Many stories were shared over  cups of tea and wonderful homemade  cake and Glyn Roberts  particularly enjoyed looking through  old photographs with Llew Jones.  He said,” It was inspiring to hear  the stories of how the FUW was  founded back in 1955 – and how  determined our Welsh ancestors were  to fight for Welsh farming and the  small family farm.”  The evening celebration at the  Halliwell Centre in Carmarthen was  well attended by FUW staff old and  new and many members.

Guest speaker the Rt Hon. the  Lord Morris of Aberavon KG QC,  who was actively involved with the  formation of the FUW as the union’s  legal adviser and deputy general  secretary between 1956 and 1958,  talked about how the FUW was  formed and reminded guests that the  union was born out of the frustration  felt by Welsh farmers, when their  needs and voices were not being  heard by the Westminster Parliament.  It was down to their dream of  having a Welsh farming union he  said and the tenacity of these Welsh  entrepreneurs that the FUW has  been given the official right by the  Government to represent and speak  on behalf of Welsh farmers and the  union has done so at the highest level  – at the National Assembly, Whitehall  and Brussels ever since.  Speaking at the dinner, union  president Glyn Roberts added that,  “We are here today because of the  vision of the founder members who  have worked so hard.  “It is an overwhelming honour to  stand in front of you as president of  this union, but that honour also has  great responsibilities and a duty, not  only to those that have fought so hard  in the past, but also to those that will  take over from us in future.”

The president further added that  Shakespeare once said that Owain  Glyndwr was not like most men,  he had a vision. We can proudly  say the same about the pioneers of  the FUW. Their vision was to have  an independent voice for Welsh  agriculture; an union that spoke for  them, and which had the interest of  Welsh farmers at its core.  “I have no doubt in my mind that  all of us will do everything we can to  honour those founding members and  ensure that their vision of a strong  voice for the industry remains at the  core of the FUW’s principles.”  Carmarthen county executive  officer David Waters, who was  heavily involved in organising the  evening function, said “I would like  to thank all the staff for helping  to organise such an enjoyable and  successful dinner.  “We also held a raffle to  raise money for the British Heart  Foundation Cymru and I am very  pleased to say that we have raised  £1,600 for the cause.”

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Farming

Farmers’ Union recognises lifelong success of leading business founders

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THE Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) presented its ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to the founders of a leading North Wales business during a special dinner held at the Kinmel Hotel, Abergele, on Friday, November 8, 2024.

Gareth and Falmai Roberts, founders of the popular yoghurt business Llaeth Y Llan, started their venture in 1985 from a converted cow shed at their farmhouse in Llannefydd, Denbighshire – with the first product trials carried out at the back of their airing cupboard!

Over the past three decades, the business has gone from strength to strength. In 1995, they moved to a modern dairy designed and built using a disused barn and other farm buildings. By 2015, with their brand stocked across Wales in four major retailers and dozens of independent shops, the old dairy had reached full capacity. A larger production facility was designed and built on the Roberts’ farm and was officially opened in 2017 by Lesley Griffiths MS, the then Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs.

The business combines traditional values with modern techniques, producing 14 different yoghurt flavours using Welsh milk sourced from the local area. The yoghurt is sold across Wales and England, with the business having already won the Food Producer of the Year award at the inaugural Wales Food and Drink Awards in 2022.

The FUW Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Gareth and Falmai Roberts by FUW President Ian Rickman. The evening also featured entertainment from operatic baritone John Ieuan Jones.

Ian Rickman, President of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, said: “The Farmers’ Union of Wales was unanimous in recognising Gareth and Falmai’s incredibly successful business, and we were delighted to host this dinner to honour their achievements and present this award to them.

From producing their first yoghurt pot to their current success as one of Wales’ most renowned food producers, Llaeth Y Llan is an outstanding example of Welsh entrepreneurship, with local farming and food production at the heart of their success.

I congratulate them on this well-deserved achievement, and I have no doubt that their business will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Proceeds from the dinner and the highly successful auction will be donated to the Dai Jones Memorial Appeal Fund, administered by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

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Farming

Farmers fight back: Inheritance tax row at Welsh Labour conference

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THE Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno, Conwy, on Saturday (Nov 16) became the backdrop for a large and impassioned protest by farmers opposing the Labour government’s controversial inheritance tax changes. Hundreds of farmers descended on the venue with tractors and vehicles, voicing their frustration at what they describe as policies that will devastate rural communities and family farms.

The protest was a coordinated effort by Digon yw Digon (“Enough is Enough”), a group advocating for rural communities. Protesters carried signs reading “Labour War on Countryside” and “No Farmers No Food,” while tractors lined the promenade outside Venue Cymru.

Farmers gather outside Venue Cymru as the Welsh Labour conference gets underway (Pic: Nigel Roberts/Herald)
Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders joined the farmer’s demonstration outside Welsh Labour’s conference in Llandudno (Image: Supplied)

Starmer’s absence deepens anger
Farmers had hoped to confront Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly and present their concerns. However, Starmer avoided the protesters, leaving the venue without meeting them. This decision was sharply contrasted by the actions of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who earlier this year attended the Welsh Conservative Conference and took time to speak with farmers about their challenges.

One farmer remarked, “Starmer didn’t have the guts. He left without facing us.”

The farmers’ message
In lieu of a direct meeting, the farmers delivered a strongly worded letter addressed to Starmer, outlining their grievances:

“Dear Prime Minister,

Croeso i Gymru,

Today you can see the depth of feeling and concerns that you are creating as the PM of this country towards the rural areas and farming community.

The outcome of your Budget highlights the government’s incapacity to look at the position as a whole rather than a tick-box exercise to fulfill your selfless ambition.

The inheritance tax debacle highlights this case. This new tax represents a considerable challenge not only for farmers but also the broader agricultural sector. The £1 million threshold is alarmingly low, and many farmers will face impossible decisions to sell portions of their land to cover these costs. This will affect the smaller family farm the most.”

Why farmers are protesting
The changes announced in the Autumn Budget include:

  • A new 20% inheritance tax on farms valued over £1 million.
  • Modifications to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), effective from April 2026.

Farmers fear these changes will force many family-run farms to sell land, leading to reduced food production and driving up food prices.

Becky Wall, a farmer at the protest, made an emotional appeal:
“Please support our farmers; they work hard over long hours to feed us. Without them, we have no food. These changes will also impact small businesses connected to farming, posing a serious threat to our economy and our bellies.”

Unite members wave flags (Image: Nigel Roberts/Herald)

Rural Wales under pressure
The letter also highlighted the cumulative challenges faced by Welsh farmers, including the draconian impact of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations, increasing incidences of bovine tuberculosis (TB), and uncertainty surrounding the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

“This cumulative approach has created despair in the countryside,” the letter continued. “As food supplies decrease, it will become more expensive, and the poorest in society will suffer the most.”

Gareth Wyn Jones, a farmer and broadcaster, expressed the emotional toll on rural communities:
“They’re destroying an industry already on its knees mentally, emotionally, and physically. We need government support, not hindrance, to feed the nation. Enough is enough.”

A strike as a last resort
As frustration boils over, some farmers have announced plans to go on strike starting Sunday. While economically challenging, the strike reflects the growing anger in the countryside.

The protest in Llandudno is part of a larger movement, with a major demonstration planned for Westminster next Tuesday. The event has already drawn so much support that its location was moved from Trafalgar Square to accommodate the expected turnout.

There were dozens of tractors in Llandudno, Conwy on Saturday (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer defends budget
Inside the conference, Starmer defended the Budget, describing it as a tough but necessary measure to stabilise the economy:
“Make no mistake, I will defend our decisions in the Budget all day long. Tough decisions were necessary to protect the payslips of working people, fix the foundations of our economy, and invest in the future of Wales and Britain.”

Starmer also hailed Labour’s collaboration between Westminster and the Welsh government as a “gamechanger,” promising that communities in Wales would benefit from Labour-led governments pulling in the same direction.

Keir Starmer says that Labour is delivering for Wales, the farmers disagree (Image: PA)

Investments and promises
Despite the protests, the conference included announcements of major investments:

  • A £160 million investment zone for Flintshire and Wrexham, described by Starmer as a turning point for the region’s economy.
  • An additional £22 million to tackle NHS waiting lists in Wales, adding to the £28 million pledged earlier this year.
  • A record £21 billion Budget allocation for Wales in 2025.

First Minister Eluned Morgan touted the “power in partnership” between the two Labour governments and emphasised their commitment to delivering for Welsh communities.

Farmers and rural advocates insist that their voices will not be ignored. The inheritance tax changes have become a flashpoint for broader frustrations with government policies affecting rural areas.

As the protest letter concluded: “Prime Minister, we ask that you revisit the whole approach to farming and rural communities as a matter of urgency. This is a last resort, but growing anger in the countryside has brought us here. The one thing Labour has achieved is uniting farmers, businesses, and rural communities against these policies.”

With protests expected to intensify in the coming days, the farming community’s fight for their livelihoods and the future of rural Wales continues.

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Farming

Welsh Government could overturn Ceredigion cattle breeder’s house plans

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A CEREDIGION councillor-backed scheme by one of the top breeders of Limousin cattle in the UK to build a home near Lampeter could be overturned following a call for it to be decided by Welsh Government, planners heard.

At the October meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee, the application, by Mr and Mrs Dylan Davies for a four-bedroom rural enterprise workers’ dwelling at Blaenffynnon, Llanwnnen, Lampeter, where they run a calving and cattle rearing business, was backed despite an officer recommendation for refusal.

One of the issues in the report for members was the financial test of whether the scheme was affordable, based on an estimate the building would cost some £292,000 to construct; at a 25-year mortgage amounting to £20,400 a year.

The size of the proposed building – which the applicants say include a need to entertain and occasionally accommodate clients – was also given as a reason for failing the TAN6 policy test, being larger than affordable housing guidance, at 202 square metres rather than a maximum of 136.

Members have previously heard the applicant breeds high-value show cattle for embryo transplanting at the well-established business, with one bull alone selling for £32,000 last year.

It had previously been recommended for refusal at the September meeting, but was deferred for a ‘cooling-off’ period to seek further details along with potential changes to the size of the scheme.

At the October meeting, members backed approval despite officers saying the size proposed could actually include a two-person bungalow in addition to the normal maximal ‘affordable’ size.

At the start of the November meeting, members heard a request for the scheme to be ‘called-in’ for Welsh Government final decision had been made, meaning Ceredigion planners’ approval could potentially be overturned if the ‘call-in’ is agreed.

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