Farming
Union ‘disappointed’ with Westminster
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
Glyn Roberts, FUW: ‘UK Government missed opportunity’
EUROPEAN farm ministers met on Monday (April 11) to adopt a regulation that will promote the consumption of milk products, fruit and vegetables in schools.
Disappointingly, the UK abstained from the vote and, as a consequence, will not be supporting the new regulation.
The scheme, which has an annual budget of €250m (£201m), will see supporting countries select agricultural products to supply to schools in an attempt to promote the qualities of both local food and healthy eating habits.
“This is hugely disappointing and represents a missed opportunity for the agricultural sector. Why did the UK abstain from the vote? A scheme like this is absolutely worth supporting, especially when we take the rise in child obesity into account,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.
The current school fruit and vegetables scheme and the school milk scheme, which are separate at the moment, will merge into one from August 2017 under the new plans.
“If we consider the declining consumption of milk products amongst children why wouldn’t we support such a scheme?
“It is in all of our interests to educate our young people and small children about where their food comes from and what constitutes as a healthy diet,” added Mr Roberts.
Farm visits for children is another feature of the new scheme, along with a concerted emphasis on other educational activities.
“At a time when some children think their milk comes from a bottle in the supermarket and their meat from McDonalds, surely we owe it to the next generation to facilitate educational visits?,” said Mr Roberts.
“Welsh and UK produce should be available in our schools, hospitals, local authorities, leisure centres and nursing homes throughout the year.
“Other European countries are extremely good at promoting the relationship between agriculture and food. For example, Italy is currently leading the way in Europe in improving school cafeteria standards under the “Gaining Health” program.
“Their Ministry of Health even set their own guidelines to promote a zero-mile approach, which means that schools have to source food locally. A model like this must be adopted here in the UK urgently,” added the Union President.
He added that the lack of support for this scheme confirms a key fear with regard to the lack of support for agriculture from UK government.
“As we approach the EU referendum, it has just become clearer how much support we could expect from our home government in regards to agriculture.
“If government can’t be in support of a scheme which promotes local produce, then how can we expect them to fully support our rural economies and protect domestic food security if we leave the EU?”
Farming
Farmers angered by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s pop-up campsite ban
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FARMERS and landowners in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park have expressed their frustration over plans to ban pop-up campsites, warning it could devastate their livelihoods.
In December 2024, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority announced it would remove permitted development rights (PDR), which currently allow landowners to run campsites for 28 days a year without additional planning permissions. The move, enacted under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, aims to protect the character of the area.
However, affected landowners argue the decision will negatively impact their ability to generate income, with some saying it could force them to leave the National Park altogether.
‘Devastating impact’
David Williams, who operates Clifftops Camping at Druidston, said the loss of his campsite’s income could force him to reconsider his way of life.
“I’m a professional photographer focusing on surfing, but there’s not much money in it,” said Mr Williams. “I’m also a computer programmer, but local businesses don’t have big budgets. The campsite provides vital income—losing it would be devastating. I might have to go back to full-time employment or even move. There’s not a lot of work for a programmer in Pembrokeshire.”
Mr Williams, who has lived in the National Park for 30 years, said the decision was a reaction to the unusually high tourist numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The summers of 2020 and 2021 were exceptionally busy because of travel restrictions,” he said. “But the last two summers have been normal, and Pembrokeshire has been quieter than it’s been in a decade. It feels like an overreaction.”
‘No issues, no complaints’
Another campsite operator, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed concerns that the ban would restrict the ability of small farms to diversify.
“I live on a small farm that doesn’t make a lot of money. The 28-day rule allowed us to set up a campsite without taking on too much risk,” they said. “We’ve been busy, which proves there is demand, and we’ve had no issues, no complaints from locals, and no problems with the council.
“I don’t understand what they’re trying to achieve by taking this away. At a time when we’re facing a cost-of-living crisis, they are shutting down a way for people to earn a second income.”
‘Draconian and out of step’
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Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com, described the move as a “kick in the teeth” for farmers and landowners struggling to make ends meet.
Pitchup.com successfully campaigned to extend permitted development for campsites in England from 28 days to 60 days last year and has since lobbied the Welsh Government for similar changes. Mr Yates argued that expanding PDR could boost the Welsh rural economy by bringing in thousands of extra tourists.
“At a time when governments are recognising the positive impact of pop-up campsites and changing regulations accordingly, this move by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority is both draconian and completely out of step,” he said.
“The new PDR regime in England has addressed many of the objections raised by introducing measures such as council notifications and excluding the most sensitive areas like SSSIs. The Welsh Government is now consulting on extending PDR, and if it follows England’s lead, this Article 4 decision would be unnecessary.”
Mr Yates added that with farming becoming increasingly difficult, particularly in Wales, farmers are being encouraged to diversify their income streams.
“Moves like this undermine confidence, take away choice, and leave those struggling to make ends meet feeling angry and alienated,” he said. “This is a devastating blow, and I urge Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority to reverse this decision.”
The ban is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. A public consultation is open until February 21, allowing people to have their say on the issue.
More information on the consultation can be found here.
Climate
Pembrokeshire planners to visit site of 9.99MW solar farm
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PEMBROKESHIRE planners are to visit the site of a proposed solar farm which would provide power for nearly 3,300 homes after concerns were raised about the loss of the most valuable agricultural land.
In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee meeting of February 18, members were recommended to approve a scheme by Wessex Solar Energy (WSE Pembrokeshire Ltd) for a 9.99MW solar farm and associated works at Lower Nash Farm, near Pembroke Dock.
The proposed scheme would be spread over three fields, amounting to approximately 14 hectares with some 25,000 PV panels on site, some 120 metres from the national park.
The development, some of it on Best and Most Versatile (BMV) Agricultural land, would provide approximately 3,296 households with renewable energy annually a report for members said.
A larger 22MW scheme covering 34.25ha was previously refused in 2021 due to the effect on BMV land.
Planning Policy Wales (PPW) requires that BMV agricultural land “should be conserved as a finite resource for the future with considerable weight given to protecting it from development,” adding: “Such land should only be developed if there is an overriding need for the scheme and either previously developed land or land in lower agricultural grades are unavailable.”
Welsh Government Soil Policy & Agricultural Land Use Planning Unit has objected to the latest scheme on BMV grounds, saying the return to agriculture as BMV agricultural land is “…seldom practicable”.
Four objections to the scheme were received, with local community council Cosheston raising concerns about the use of BMV land.
At the February meeting, agent Charlotte Peacock was questioned about the use of the BMV land by committee chair Cllr Simon Hancock, who said: “Farming and agriculture are fundamental to the security of this country; the way that the population is increasing we really need to ensure farmland is protected.”
The agent said the farmer landowner would receive a guaranteed income which would be more reliable than crop values, adding: “The greatest threat to future security is climate change, the single biggest threat to our output of crops.”
Local member Cllr Tessa Hodgson, as a public speaker, called for a site visit before any decision was made saying it was “surely better to use poorer land and brownfield sites” for such developments,” adding: “Does the permanent loss of prime agricultural land outweigh the benefit of renewable energy?”
Cllr Hodgson’s call for a site visit based on the land, the setting, the quality of the land, and access, was officially moved by committee member Cllr Mark Carter, seconded by Cllr Hancock.
11 members of the committee voted in favour of a site visit, against the officer recommendation of approval, with three abstaining.
Education
Wales Farm Safety Partnership champions farm safety in schools
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THE WALES Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP) is proud to announce the success of Bob the Dog!
Bob, a Welsh Sheepdog is WFSP mascot and in conjunction with creating Bob, the partnership lead by Farming Connect have published 2 bilingual children’s books designed to promote farm safety awareness among young children in Wales. In addition to the books, the Welsh Whisperer has visited over 20 schools across Wales to engage children in interactive learning experiences about staying safe on farms, and sings his song ‘Diolch Byth am Bob’. If that was not enough the books have also been turned into animated cartoons available on YouTube!
Both books, Nice One Bob and Nice One Again, Bob, are available in both English and Welsh, ensuring accessibility for all children in Wales. The books feature engaging stories and colourful illustrations that teach children about potential hazards on farms, such as machinery, livestock, and chemicals, in a fun and age-appropriate way.
“We are committed to educating the next generation about the importance of farm safety,” said Alun Elidyr, Welsh Television Personality and WFSP Ambassador. “By engaging children at a young age, we can instil lifelong safety habits and help reduce the number of farm-related accidents.”
The Wales Farm Safety Partnership’s efforts have been widely recognised and praised by educators, parents, and the farming community. The bilingual books have been distributed to schools throughout Wales and are also available on the Farming Connect website. The school visits have been met with enthusiasm from students and teachers alike, with many schools requesting repeat visits.
“The Wales Farm Safety Partnership’s work is essential in promoting farm safety awareness among young children,” said Rhian Lloyd, Ysgol T Llew Jones School, Ceredigion. “The bilingual books and school visits are valuable resources that will help keep children safe on farms.”
The WFSP is committed to continuing its efforts to promote farm safety awareness in Wales. The Partnership plans to expand its school visit program in the coming year and is developing additional resources to support farm safety education.
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