Farming

UAC yn rhoi’r pwyslais ar y diwydiant llaeth cyn Sioe Laeth Cymru

Published

8 years ago

November 4, 2016

(Chwith i’r dde): Michael Eavis, Francisca Harris a Swyddog Gweithredol UAC Sir Gaerfyrddin David Waters yn mwynhau’r ymweliad fferm

Diwrnod cyn Sioe Laeth Cymru (Llun Hydref 24) bu sylw Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru ar y diwydiant llaeth yn ystod ymweliad fferm sy’n gartref i Daioni Organic.

Roedd nifer fawr o aelodau a swyddogion yr Undeb yn bresennol ar fferm Ffosyficer, Boncath, Sir Benfro yn ogystal â Mr Michael Eavis o fferm Worthy, sy’n fwy adnabyddus fel sylfaenydd a threfnydd Gŵyl Glastonbury.

Mae Laurence wedi bod yn ffermwr llaeth ers dros 40 o flynyddoedd, ac ef sy’n gyfrifol am lwyddiant ysgubol Daioni.

Ers cymryd awenau fferm Ffosyficer wrth ei dad ym 1970, yn ogystal â bod wrth wraidd y busnes Daioni, mae Laurence wedi ymestyn y fferm deuluol o 150 erw i ymhell dros 3,000 erw o dir ffrwythlon.

Newidiodd y fferm i gynhyrchu’n organig ym 1999 ac ers hynny, mae Laurence a’r tîm wedi cynyddu’r cynnyrch llaeth a arweiniodd at lansio’r brand Daioni a chyfres o gynhyrchion sy’n cael eu gwerthu yn rhyngwladol.

Yn 2008, cafodd llaeth blas Daioni ei allforio dramor am y tro cyntaf a bellach yn cael ei werthu mewn allfeydd ar draws y byd yn ogystal siopau bach a phrif archfarchnadoedd y DU.

Hefyd, yn 2012, Daioni oedd y cwmni llaeth Prydeinig cyntaf i ennill statws organig yn Tsieina ac yn 2014 agorwyd swyddfa yn Hong Kong i ganolbwyntio ar werthiant Pasiffig Asia. Bellach mae allforion yn gyfrifol am 15% o drosiant y busnes.

Y teulu Harris sy’n berchen y busnes teuluol yn gyfan gwbl bellach ac yn cyflogi oddeutu ugain o bobl leol ac mae’n parhau i fynd o nerth i nerth.

Enillodd Mr Harris wobr gwasanaeth neilltuol i ddiwydiant llaeth Cymreig UAC/HSBC llynedd, ac wrth siarad yn yr ymweliad fferm, dywedodd: “Rydym i gyd yn hynod o falch cael croesawu Michael Eavis i Ffosyficer. Dyma unigolyn sydd wedi cynyddu’r fferm laeth, a medrwn ni gyd ddysgu o’i frwdfrydedd a’i rhagwelediad yn denu’r rhai sy’n byw yn y trefi i hyfrydwch Fferm Worthy. Mae’n hollbwysig ceisio rhoi’r bobl hyn ar ben y ffordd ynghylch y materion sy’n wynebu ffermwyr llaeth ar hyn o bryd.”

Dywedodd Dirprwy Lywydd UAC Brian Thomas wrth y rhai oedd yn bresennol bod “Ein diwydiant llaeth wedi dioddef yn ofnadwy oherwydd prisiau isel dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Mae nifer o gynhyrchwyr wedi gweld y siec laeth yn haneru ac yn gorfod delio gyda chytundebau annheg. Y gwirionedd yw bydd ein cynhyrchwyr llaeth yn gorfod delio gyda phrisiau anwadal yn y dyfodol.

“Tra bod yna ychydig o gynnydd ym mhrisiau wedi digwydd dros y misoedd diwethaf, ac mae’n rhaid croesawu’r rhain, ni fyddwn yn gweld derbyn y pris llawn am sbel eto yn y dyfodol oherwydd yr anghydbwysedd rhwng cyflenwad a galw parhaol byd-eang.”

Hefyd, dywedodd Mr Thomas wrth y rhai oedd yn bresennol y byddai manteisio ar farchnadoedd newydd yn rhan hanfodol ar gyfer y sector laeth yn dilyn Brexit a bod hi’n hanfodol bod y prisiau a delir i ffermwyr yn galluogi buddsoddiad ac arloesedd fel y gallwn fod yn gystadleuol yn fyd-eang.

“Tra bod prisiau a materion cyflenwad a galw yn gyfredol, mae ein sector llaeth hefyd yn wynebu dau fater hollbwysig arall.

“Ar hyn o bryd mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgynghori ar yr adolygiad pedair blynedd o Barthau Perygl Nitradau (NVZ), a gall y canlyniad olygu goblygiadau ariannol i’r rhai hynny sy’n byw oddi fewn i’r ardaloedd dynodedig.

“Rydym wedi bod yn rhan o adolygiad y NVZ ac wedi cyflwyno sylwadau llwyddiannus ar nifer o ddynodiadau, a arweiniodd at gael eu tynnu oddi ar y dewis o ardaloedd ar wahân yn yr ymgynghoriad.

“Ond, mae nifer y dynodiadau newydd arfaethedig yn parhau i fod yn achosi pryder ac rydym yn parhau i ailadrodd yr effeithiau gweithredol ac ariannol y byddai’r dynodiadau yn golygu i ffermydd sy’n byw o fewn ardal NVZ.”

O ystyried costau o’r fath, pwysleisiodd Mr Thomas bod rhaid cael cyfiawnhad llawn ar gyfer unrhyw gynnydd arfaethedig yn y dynodiad ac mi anogodd aelodau UAC i wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn gweithio gyda’u swyddfa sirol lleol a chyflwyno ymateb i’r ymgynghoriad.

Wrth gyfeirio at y mater o TB mewn gwartheg, dywedodd Mr Thomas: “Mae TB mewn gwartheg yn parhau i achosi problem sylweddol yma yn Sir Benfro. Wythnos diwethaf roeddem yn croesawu cyhoeddiad Llywodraeth Cymru ei bod nhw am ystyried dull o brofi a difa moch daear fel cam bach i’r cyfeiriad cywir, ond bydd nifer o ffermwyr yn poeni am oblygiadau rhannu Cymru’n rhanbarthau TB.

Ychwanegodd y byddai targedi moch daear heintus yn gam i’w groesawu, ond mae’n siomedig bod cynifer o flynyddoedd wedi mynd heibio bellach cyn bod synnwyr cyffredin yn ennill y dydd wedi i’r Llywodraeth flaenorol roi’r gorau i’r cynllun cynhwysfawr gwreiddiol i ymdrin â’r clefyd mewn bywyd gwyllt.”

“Rwyf am fod yn glir ar un peth serch hynny – ni allwn osod unrhyw faich ariannol na gweinyddol pellach ar y diwydiant. Mae gan Lywodraeth Cymru ddyletswydd foesol i ariannu’r camau nesaf – o ystyried y miliynau o bunnoedd sydd wedi ei wastraffu ar raglen frechu moch daear aneffeithiol, ” ychwanegodd y Dirprwy Lywydd.

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.