Farming

Family Farms deliver Wellbeing Goals

Published

7 years ago

January 30, 2018

Breakfast time: (l-r) FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas, Event sponsor Paul Davies AM, FUW President Glyn Roberts and Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths

ASSEMBLY MEMBERS and key stakeholders, who joined the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) at its annual farmhouse breakfast in Cardiff on Tuesday (Jan 23) heard how the Union has established three working groups to demonstrate the positive impact that the farming sector has on delivering the goals of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.

Speaking at the breakfast, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “Those of you familiar with the FUW will know that we pride ourselves on being a grassroots organisation which provides a voice for Welsh farmers, and Welsh farmers alone. We also like to think that we are an organisation that makes maximum use of data and analysis. Evidenced based decision making as it’s known.

“Therefore I am pleased to announce today that in line with these principles we have established three focus groups which will look at identifying strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for our key sectors based on the detailed annual breakdowns of farm costs and outputs provided by Aberystwyth University’s Farm Business Survey.”

This approach, Mr Roberts said, won’t be building a policy purely around high level principles but instead will look at ways to determine the Wellbeing of Welsh family farms by placing their business incomes at the heart of policies which deliver a host of benefits to society.

“The farmers of Wales already play a significant role in delivering all seven of the ‘well-being goals’ defined in the Well-being of Future Generations Act and our work will provide the evidence to substantiate this and of course the continued investment in Welsh agriculture and Welsh farms.

“Whether it is the FUW, Welsh Government or others who are looking at future policies, the work – including the welcome and forward-looking work of the Welsh Government’s round-table sub groups – is overshadowed by uncertainty.”

Mr Roberts stressed that there is no doubt that as an industry we will still be here in decades to come, but Brexit means the industry now stands at a crossroads where a wrong turn based on poorly thought out or poorly investigated decisions would jeopardise not only thousands of farm businesses, but a large number of those other businesses and employees which rely on the agricultural industry.

“Despite the size of the challenge and that we face this challenge for the first time, I’ve been amazed at how many Brexit experts there are in this country. There appears to be no end to those willing to give advice on which direction we should take. Much of this advice is of course very well meaning, but a lot of it is delivered with a dose of self-interest,” said the Union President.

The FUW has long stressed that family farms in Wales are key links in innumerable supply chains and the backbone of our rural economies: they not only deliver food, but also environmental, tourism, renewable energy and other benefits to name just a few.

“Our family farms provide services worth many times more than the value of the support they receive, delivering rural employment, payments to other businesses, food production, and a host of other social and environmental services.

“And each of those services represent a supply chain – some which work well, but many others which do not – so we now have the opportunity, through a new approach, to look at their entire lengths, and make them function properly. Or, where this is not possible, or not politically desirable, we have an opportunity to put in better mechanisms to make up for market failures,” said Glyn Roberts.

Mr Roberts stressed that he did not mean a farming policy or an environmental policy, but supply chain policies, which ensure equity, fairness and just rewards along the whole length of those chains, whether they relate to the supply of Welsh lamb, Welsh lapwings, Welsh carbon or Welsh water.

“I know that it is easy enough to put such principles into words – just as I’m doing now. But no amount of well meaning policy statements shown on Powerpoint slides can ever reveal what a thorough investigation based on hard data and economic analysis can show,” he added.

Farming

Special farming role for senior Pembrokeshire councillor

Published

2 days ago

December 17, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

AN OFFICIAL special farming role for Pembrokeshire’s deputy leader is to be established following a call made to full council, the first time the council has had such a role for a senior member.

In a question to council leader Cllr Jon Harvey, heard at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council meeting, Conservative group leader Cllr Di Clements asked: “With the recent changes in the budget from the UK Labour Government on Inheritance Tax and Agricultural Property Relief, many Pembrokeshire farmers are feeling concerned for the future of their family farms, many in Pembrokeshire which have been in the same family for generations.

“I have always found it disappointing that in all the years I have been a councillor, and the major contribution farming has to this county’s economic, cultural and environmental well-being, there has never been a Cabinet Member’s title with rural affairs or farming, or agriculture within it.

“To show that this council recognises the importance of agriculture, and the hundreds of millions of pounds generated by farming, will the Leader consider including it in one of the titles of his Cabinet Members’ portfolio?”

Responding, Cllr Harvey said: “I full share your perspective; it’s true this council has never had a Cabinet member with this role; however I can reconsider, I regard all aspects of rural life as vitally important.”

He told members farming and rural affairs came under the portfolio of the deputy leader [Cllr Paul Miller], adding: “we’re all aware of the changing aspects of rural life at the moment, we do have a rural affairs champion in Cllr Steve Alderman, but I’ve had a conversation with the deputy leader and agreed to review this title to reflect the importance of the role and will happily make an announcement in the next few days.”

Cllr Clements responded: “These words say a lot, it shows this council recognises the importance of the most constant and probably most important business in the county.”

Farming

Call for Pembrokeshire to oppose farming inheritance tax withdrawn

Published

5 days ago

December 14, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL on Pembrokeshire County Council to oppose government changes to inheritance tax affecting family farms has been withdrawn, but its proposer hopes his motion will return to a future meeting.

At the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced farmers would have to pay inheritance tax on agricultural property and land worth more than £1 million at a rate of 20 per cent, with a £3m threshold for couples passing on their farms.

This compares to a 40 per cent rate on other estates.

A Notice of Motion by Councillor Aled Thomas, ‘relating to Protecting British Family Farms and Preserving Rural Communities’ was to be heard at the December 12 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council meeting.

Cllr Thomas, who stood as a Conservative candidate for Ceredigion-Preseli in the 2024 general election, asked that: “Pembrokeshire County Council notes its concern to the proposed changes to inheritance tax announced by the Labour Government in the recent Autumn budget, which would scrap Agricultural Property Relief (APR).

“APR has been instrumental in allowing British family farms to remain intact across generations, supporting food security, sustaining rural communities, and aiding environmental stewardship. This tax is estimated to impact over 70,000 family farms, leaving the average farming family with a tax bill of at least £240,000, which will force many to sell portions of their land or close entirely, paving the way for corporate ownership over family ownership.”

It called on the council to resolve to “oppose the Labour Government’s changes to inheritance tax affecting family farms,” to “advocate for the exemption of family farms to preserve the UK’s food security, rural communities, environmental initiatives,” and to “commit to maintaining its county council farms portfolio, particularly to encourage younger and new generations of farmers into the industry”.

It finished: “This council urges all councillors to stand with Britain’s family farms, to support our rural communities, and to protect the environment by formally rejecting this proposed ‘family farm tax’.”

At the December 12 meeting Presiding Member Cllr Simon Hancock informed members the notice had been withdrawn from the meeting.

Speaking after the announcement, Cllr Thomas, himself a farmer, said: “There was a dispute whether I should have been allowed to submit it as I am a farmer, so I took advice from the monitoring officer that I should withdraw it until I can get a dispensation from the standards committee to speak on the matter.”

He said he hoped to get the motion resubmitted to be heard at the next council meeting.

Farming

Welsh Lamb shines at the Winter Fair Taste Awards

Published

7 days ago

December 12, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE ROYAL WELSH WINTER FAIR TASTE AWARDS, showcasing the finest native lamb breeds of Wales in a celebration of sustainability, flavour and culinary excellence, were hosted by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS).

The awards, held in collaboration with Cambrian Training Company, the Culinary Association of Wales and the National Culinary Team Wales, spotlighted the exceptional quality of Welsh Lamb and its unique characteristics.

The competition aimed to promote native Welsh Lamb breeds and emphasise their distinct flavours, encouraging chefs, businesses and consumers to consider Welsh Lamb a premium product.

The RWAS says the competition provides a vital platform to showcase the exceptional flavours of native Welsh Lamb breeds while promoting sustainable farming practices.

These lambs are grass-fed, raised in Wales and come with full traceability from farm to fork. The initiative aims to highlight the story behind the meat and the dedicated efforts of farmers in preserving these breeds.

Societies representing seven native Welsh Lamb breeds participated in the competition, held at the Cambrian Training Company building on the Royal Welsh Showground at Llanelwedd.

Each breed’s lamb was expertly cooked by chefs and presented to a distinguished panel of judges, including Dilwyn Evans, a vet featured on TV series ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, Steven Owen, Castell Howell development chef, Neil Fenn, Professor Rhian Goodfellow, OBE and Arwyn Watkins, OBE, executive chair of Cambrian Training Group.

The breeds showcased included Badger Face Welsh Mountain (Torddu and Torwen), Balwen Welsh Mountain, Black Welsh Mountain, Clun Forest, South Wales Mountain, Llanwenog and Pedigree Welsh Mountain.

Each lamb had been bred, born and reared in Wales, ensuring sustainable and traceable farming practices.

The awards highlighted the diversity among native Welsh Lamb breeds, from the Torddu and Torwen’s hardy nature to the Llanwenog’s docile temperament and premium meat quality.

Farmers and breed societies demonstrated the unique traits of their lambs, such as flavour, sustainability and adaptability to diverse farming environments.

Arthur Davies (South Wales Mountain) and I. T. Davies & Son (Clun Forest) were declared joint winners of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards. Both breeds impressed the judges with their remarkable flavour, tenderness and quality, showcasing the very best of Welsh Lamb.

The event emphasised the importance of promoting the culinary excellence of Welsh Lamb alongside its visual appeal in show rings.

Guest judge, Dilwyn Evans said: “It has been an absolute honour to judge the Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards and experience first-hand the superior taste of native Welsh Lamb.

“This exceptional meat not only embodies the rich heritage and dedication of Welsh farming but also highlights the importance of preserving these unique breeds and the sustainable practices behind them.”

The RWAS thanked the judges and Cambrian Training Group for their continued support, helping ensure the lambs were cooked to perfection for the competition.

With the awards, Wales has cemented its position as a leader in premium lamb production, bringing the exceptional flavours of its native breeds to the forefront of the culinary world.