Farming

Pressing questions on farm funding’s future

Published

10 years ago

August 16, 2016

FOLLOWING a debate in the House of Commons, the attitude of Welsh politicians in the UK Parliament was thrown into sharp focus by comments made by both Conservative minister Guto Bebb and Wrexham’s Labour MP Ian Lucas.

It was Mr Lucas’ remarks which attracted the most notable reaction by Welsh politicians in the first instance.

He asked Mr Bebb: “Does the Minister agree that leaving the European Union offers a golden opportunity to assess the level of subsidy paid to farming in Wales to see whether that money can be more effectively and efficiently spent in other areas?”

The inference to be drawn from the question was crystal clear and was pounced upon by Plaid Cymru.

CALL FOR COMMITMENT ON AGRICULTURE

Carmarthenshire’s Jonathan Edwards MP, who was sitting in front of Ian Lucas MP in the Commons, called for Labour to urgently clarify whether it will cut financial support for Welsh farmers.

Plaid Cymru Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Simon Thomas, said: “Ahead of the Referendum, the people of Wales were promised that no funding would be lost by leaving the European Union. Since then, Plaid Cymru has made it our duty to fight to protect the funding that Wales receives, but Labour seems to view it as a chance for a smash and grab on Wales’ funding.

“We know that 80% of Welsh farms are dependent on European funding to support their businesses, but Labour has shown complete disregard for the interests of the people of Wales and its agriculture sector.

“Labour really has let the mask slip. Whilst Plaid Cymru is focusing on protecting the interests of Welsh communities, Labour is plotting to cut their funding.”

Mr Edwards said: “Labour’s blatant and worrying attack on Welsh agriculture is yet another sign that the Labour party simply does not understand the Welsh agriculture sector or the challenges faced by our rural communities.

“The Welsh family farm is not only a core component of the Welsh agricultural sector and the Welsh economy, but is the main channel through which we as a nation can achieve food and environmental security.

“This expression of contempt for our agricultural sector is utterly unjustified. Welsh farmers face tremendous financial challenges in selling their produce and Labour should be focusing their efforts on facilitating Welsh agricultural exports, rather than marking them as a target for austerity and cuts.

“The Labour MP’s constituency partner, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, urgently needs to answer whether her constituency’s partner’s question reflects official Labour Party policy.”

FARMERS ARE ‘WEALTHY LANDOWNERS’

The Labour MP was unrepentant about his remarks and has gone on to further criticise the Welsh farming community, stated that Welsh farmers are ‘wealthy landowners’.

The Herald invited the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs to respond to her Westminster colleague’s remarks.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government told us: “The First Minister made it clear to the Prime Minister earlier this week he is seeking assurances that Welsh farmers do not lose out financially as a result of Brexit. This means every penny currently received from the EU being replaced by the UK Government. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs also reiterated this to the UK Government’s Farming Minister.

“As we prepare to withdraw from the European Union, we must use the opportunity over the coming years to assess the specific needs of the farming industry in Wales and identify how we can forge distinctly Welsh policies that will enable Welsh farming to prosper in a post-Brexit world.”

‘NOT A PENNY LESS’

Welsh Liberal Democrat William Powell told The Herald: “In the economic conditions that we now face as a country, pressure on the public purse will be all the more acute. The Welsh Liberal Democrats are supporting the ‘Not a Penny Less’ campaign in terms of farm support, and this has proved popular on our stand at this year’s Royal Welsh Show.

“However, it is more important than ever for farmers to engage in the public debate, so that there is a better understanding of the vital contribution that they make as custodians of the land, in terms both of maintaining biodiversity, but also to the whole tourist sector, which we know is such a critical part of the wider rural economy.

“However, more important than anything for Welsh farming is securing long -term access to the European Single Market for our quality farm exports – and making that an essential element in the permanent post Referendum settlement. And with Andrea Leadsom MP’s comments about hill farmers ‘looking after the butterflies ’, betraying an evident lack of understanding and empathy for Welsh farming, it is vital that Wales retains a robust and distinct farming policy. Welsh Liberal Democrats will be fighting for this in the time to come.”

LABOUR INSULTS RURAL COMMUNITIES

Andrew RT Davies was trenchant in his criticism both of Mr Lucas and Lesley Griffiths: “These comments once again highlight Labour’s attitude towards rural communities, and it is remarkable that their MPs are actively lobbying to give less money to farmers.

“It follows comments from Leslie Griffiths, the Cabinet Secretary who insulted Welsh farmers by suggesting that they don’t make good business owners. Now they want to take their money away.

“During the campaign, senior UK government ministers gave guarantees that Welsh farmers would not be worse off after the UK leaves the EU, and I will continue to work with those colleagues to ensure that those promises are delivered.”

THE LESS CERTAIN MR BEBB

However, an examination of Guto Bebb’s responses to Commons questions on Wales’ farming sector reveals a less certain picture.

The Undersecretary of State was questioned repeatedly on the impact of Brexit on the funding provided to Welsh farmers.

In response to Ian Lucas’s question, rather than giving a ringing ‘no’ and committing the UK Government to maintaining funding levels, Mr Bebb said (emphases added): “We need to look at the way in which Government spend money. IF there is to be a funding mechanism in the future for Welsh agriculture, it MUST BE LOOKED at in the totality of Government spending.”

That is some way short of promises made by senior UK Government ministers that Wales’ farmers would not be worse off.

And to further underline how conditional UK Government’s support is, responding to a question from Liz Saville-Roberts, Plaid’s MP for Dwyfor Meiryonnydd, the limited reassurance given was an ‘assurance to the farming unions that the current funding situation is in place until 2018’.

That echoed a previous response to Mark Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Ceredigion, in which the conditionality of UK Government support for Welsh agriculture was again underlined: “… The ongoing support for Welsh farming will be subject to agreements involving this Government, the way in which we exit the European Union and the decisions taken by the future Prime Minister.”

That is, again, a long way short of Andrew RT Davies’s reference to a promise that Welsh farmers would not be worse off.

The reluctance to commit to a definitive answer is striking, bearing in mind that in the same questions to the Welsh Office, Mr Bebb stated that: “The farming sector is the economic backbone of the Welsh rural economy. The total income from farming in Wales is estimated at more than £175 million, but more important is the contribution that Welsh agriculture makes to our rural communities.”

He also remarked that: “More than 60,000 jobs in Wales are dependent on the agriculture sector, and it would be short-sighted in the extreme for any Government to turn their back on a sector that puts Wales on the international map.”

‘FARMING IS WALES’ BEDROCK’

Speaking at the Royal Welsh Show last week, Glyn Roberts, President of the FUW, made a series of emphatic observations on the importance of Wales’s agricultural sector: “There are almost as many people engaged in the milk industry in Pembrokeshire as there are people making a living in our Welsh steel industry. Yet there is a clear imbalance in political focus for supporting these two very important industries – an imbalance which also extends to all our agricultural sectors.”

He added that his aspiration and, indeed, the intention of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is to change this.

“We want to see the value and importance of the rural economy truly recognised, and to build a visible and valued Rural Powerhouse – not something that attracts industrial focus in a small geographic area, like the north-east Wales ‘powerhouse’ built around foreign manufacturing; what is needed is recognition of the fact that 80% of our land mass is rural; that more than a third of Wales’ population live in rural areas; and that farming is the bedrock of our rural communities, without which vast direct and indirect contributions to Wales’ economy as a whole would disappear.”

Farming

Spring mineral support urged for Welsh sheep flocks after difficult winter

Published

1 day ago

April 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SHEEP farmers in Wales are being urged to pay close attention to the mineral and trace element supplementation of lactating ewes and lambs this spring and summer following what has been described as a “perfect storm” of nutritional challenges over the winter.

The warning comes from Rumenco’s Technical Services Manager, Dr Alison Bond, who said a combination of forage shortages, heavy rainfall and the increased use of brassica forage crops may have left some flocks at risk of underlying deficiencies.

She said that although sheep may not always show obvious outward signs, deficits in minerals and trace elements can still affect key areas of flock performance, including ewe milk production, lamb growth rates and the future condition of breeding ewes.

Dr Bond said: “Many sheep farms will have endured unprecedented conditions over recent months, with forage supplies depleted after a dry summer.

18-5-2021 Ewes and lambs in parkland ©Tim Scrivener Photographer 07850 303986 ….Covering Agriculture In The UK….

“This may have resulted in lower quality fodder being fed, or greater reliance on grazed fodder crops, for example. In the case of brassicas, which include swedes, turnips and forage rape, there are specific issues around iodine, vitamin B1 and other trace minerals, including copper, selenium and cobalt, that could present risks.”

She added that heavy winter rainfall in many areas is also likely to have increased soil nutrient leaching, particularly on lighter land, raising the risk of mineral deficiencies in early season grazing.

To help address the problem, Dr Bond is recommending that ewes and lambs at grass are supplemented with a high-quality mineral and trace element lick.

She said mineral buckets can provide an efficient method of supplementation and pointed to Rumenco’s Supalyx 4 in 1 bucket as one option designed to cover a broad range of potential deficiencies.

According to Dr Bond, the product includes plant essential oils intended to stimulate appetite and support gut health, alongside trace elements such as zinc and selenium in a bio-available form to help support hoof health, udder health and immune function.

She also highlighted the importance of vitamins, including vitamin B12 to support growth rates where pastures may be low in cobalt, and vitamin B1, or thiamine, which is particularly relevant where sheep have been grazed on brassicas.

Dr Bond explained: “Brassicas can cause shifts in the rumen bacteria environment which may affect the natural production of thiamine by the rumen.

“Furthermore, certain brassica crops can lead to the production of thiaminase which can destroy thiamine, leading to a deficiency. Vitamin B1 deficiency causes a condition called Cerebrocortical Necrosis, with common symptoms including blindness, head pressing and stargazing, something most farmers will have seen at some point.”

She said brassicas can also create problems with iodine absorption.

“Brassicas also contain glucosinolates, which are converted by hydrolysis into goitrogens in the rumen,” she said. “Goitrogens interfere with iodine absorption, which commonly results in the disruption of thyroid function. This is a cause of the condition goitre in sheep, which shows as a swelling of the thyroid gland.”

Dr Bond said adequate supplementation should not be viewed simply as a short-term measure, but as an investment in flock health and future performance.

“With market prices forecast to remain strong for the foreseeable future, ensuring that the flock avoids the effects of mineral and trace element deficiencies should help to prevent in-season health and performance problems,” she said.

“It will also give lambs the best chance of reaching their full potential as quickly as possible. Equally importantly, it will have a positive impact on the condition of ewes, which should ideally not lose more than 0.5 body condition score during lactation.

“Keeping ewes in good condition during lactation is the first step towards a successful tupping later in the year and a healthy lamb crop in 2027.”

Images supplied with the article are copyright Tim Scrivener, Agriphoto, and are for use only in connection with this story.

If you want, I can also turn this into a more natural Herald-style farming piece with a stronger intro and less promotional wording.

Community

Cosheston gypsy traveller 60 foot shed plans refused

Published

2 days ago

April 7, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for a 60-foot-long shed and stables at the proposed home of a gypsy traveller family near a Pembrokeshire village has been refused by planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Ryan Surname Boswell & Family, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, sought provision for an access road and replacement of temporary stables and storage containers with a multi-purpose shed and stables at Greenwells, Cosheston Bridge, Cosheston.

The application initially sought a 24.3 by 9.1 metre building, which has now been reduced to 18.3m by nine.

A supporting statement said that land to the north “is subject to a current planning application for the provision of two traveller family pitches with improvements to access and ecological enhancements with other land in our client’s ownership being un-affected”.

It added: “Mr Boswell and his family are of traveller origin and intend to make this site their family home. They own various domestic equipment, children / family articles, mowers / tools and farming equipment that require secure storage. The shed will also be used to house horses/ponies that are currently stabled in the temporary wooden stable block currently on skids on the land in question.”

It concluded: “The scale, design and use of materials (and colours) of the proposed shed is comparable to many new such sheds throughout Pembrokeshire. There will be no significant negative impacts on the level of amenity enjoyed by any neighbours or those travelling along the minor county road to Cosheston from any aspects of the proposed development.”

Local community council Cosheston had raised concerns including the “excessive” size of the proposed building, feeling “this is on the large side of what is required for a couple of ponies”.

It added: “Our concern is that the applicant intends to run his building/property maintenance business from the property. If the council grants the application, restrictions should made on the property’s use. i.e. restricted to agricultural use only.

“We have no objection to the construction of a small stable block, similar in size to the existing one on site.”

Objections were also received from two members of the public, raising concerns including the scale, environmental concerns, and a potential conflict with the ongoing application.

An officer report recommending refusal said the scheme was part-retrospective due to the prior formation of an access track within the field.

It added: “Despite amendments to the application as originally submitted by the reduction in building footprint and scale, the proposal remains a substantial and visually intrusive structure in the open countryside. An essential countryside need has not been justified nor evidence provided of an agricultural or equine enterprise warranting a building of this size or permanence.”

The application was refused on the grounds it “is not typical of a structure intended solely for the storage of paraphernalia associated with grazing land or for equine use and no information has been provided within the application to demonstrate the functional need for a building of this scale”.

It added: “The nature, siting and scale of the building would not be compatible with the capacity and rural character of the site, and together with the access track results in an unjustified and visually intrusive form of development in the open countryside, which does not represent sustainable development.”

Farming

Agrisgôp helps Welsh farming families tackle succession challenges

Published

1 week ago

March 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A PROGRAMME designed to support farming families in planning for the future is helping to break down one of agriculture’s most sensitive issues – succession.

Farm inheritance and succession planning returned to the spotlight in 2024 following UK Government reforms to inheritance tax (IHT), prompting renewed concern across the industry.

In response, Agrisgôp leader Elaine Rees Jones brought together farming families in the Welshpool area to take part in a structured programme aimed at addressing the issue head-on.

Agrisgôp, a fully funded management development initiative, encourages farmers to work collaboratively, building confidence and business skills through action learning.

Two distinct groups emerged: one made up of parents seeking to plan the future of their farms, and another of younger family members exploring how to take on responsibility and transfer knowledge from the previous generation.

A key theme identified early on was the importance of communication between generations.

Elaine said: “The meetings have offered the opportunity to gain professional and peer advice, time away from the farm to assess situations, and a safe, confidential space for discussion.

“Group members have shared concerns and apprehensions while getting to grips with the scale of the challenge, and have begun to develop action plans.

“The honesty and openness shown has been incredibly humbling.”

For many participants, the programme has provided the confidence to begin formal discussions with professional advisers.

One farming couple, currently working through the process of passing assets to their two sons, said the experience had been invaluable.

“It has made us tackle things properly. We had already started looking at succession before the Rachel Reeves budget, so this wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction.

“It’s a complicated process with no easy answers, and every farm is different. But Agrisgôp has helped us go into meetings with solicitors and accountants informed, rather than just accepting advice blindly.”

Another participant described succession planning as “mind-blowing” before joining the group, adding that expert input had highlighted the importance of early preparation.

The programme included a recent panel session in Welshpool, where professionals returned to answer questions from participants, alongside one-to-one sessions to clarify individual plans.

Specialist advice was provided on legal, financial, and land valuation matters, with a clear message emerging on the importance of having a valid will in place.

Angharad Hird, of Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, warned that failing to make a will can have serious consequences, highlighting a case where a young farmer died unexpectedly. Under intestacy rules, his estate was divided between his wife and children in a way that may not have reflected the family’s wishes.

Financial planning was also a major focus. From April 2027, unused pension funds will be included within estates for IHT purposes, potentially attracting tax of up to 40%.

Emma Hall, a chartered financial planner, said some clients are already restructuring their finances to mitigate future liabilities, including placing assets into trusts or converting pension funds into income-generating annuities.

Land and property valuation was another key consideration. Richard Corbett, of Roger Parry & Partners, stressed that valuations must reflect current market conditions at the time of assessment, while also taking into account factors such as shared ownership or rights of way.

Accountant Sion Roberts highlighted the importance of setting emotion aside when making decisions.

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution,” he said. “Each farm is different, so it’s vital to understand your priorities and get the right advice.”

The issue of care fees and asset transfers was also raised, with warnings about the risks of deliberately reducing assets to avoid future costs.

Alongside Agrisgôp, Farming Connect’s Succession Pathway offers structured support for families navigating the process. This includes business reviews, facilitated family meetings, bespoke planning, and access to specialist legal services.

Organisers say early planning is crucial to securing both family relationships and the long-term future of farm businesses.

Farmers interested in accessing support can contact Farming Connect on 03456 000 813 or visit their website for further information.