Farming

Conservation groups don’t like ‘unpalatable truth’

Published

7 years ago

February 20, 2018

Post-badger: A hedgehog experiences nature

THE FARMERS’ Union of Wales has warned that conservation bodies have their heads in the sand over the devastating impact badgers have had on hedgehog numbers, and are doing conservation a great disservice by scapegoating farmers.

The State of British Hedgehogs 2018 report released on February 7 by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species estimates that hedgehog numbers have halved since the beginning of the century, and places the lion’s share of the blame on intensive farming.

However, world leading hedgehog expert Dr Pat Morris, author of The New Hedgehog Book, wrote in his 2006 book “The implications [of high badger population densities] for hedgehog survival are serious…ignoring the issue or pretending that badgers exist only by harmless drinking of rainwater doesn’t help at all.”

A survey of badger numbers between November 2011 and March 2013 found that badger numbers in England and Wales have increased by between 70% and 105% in the past 25 years.

“Dr Morris is named in the State of British Hedgehogs 2018 report as the instigator of the first survey of hedgehogs based on animals killed on roads, but no mention is made of his concerns regarding high badger numbers having such a devastating impact on hedgehogs.

The issue is dismissed and swept under the carpet, despite overwhelming scientific evidence of the impact of badger predation, while farmers are effectively singled out as being to blame,” said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

A 2014 peer reviewed study of hedgehog numbers in ten 100km2 areas where badgers were culled in England found that “…counts of hedgehogs more than doubled over a 5-year period from the start of badger culling, whereas hedgehog counts did not change where there was no badger culling.”

Mr Roberts said: “Of course there are areas where intensive farming has had a detrimental impact on hedgehog numbers, but it is simply wrong to paint the whole of the UK as being like that – the fall in hedgehog numbers has in fact coincided with farmers planting more hedges.”

Mr Roberts added that this view was backed up by the RSPB, who said that losses of managed hedges appear to have halted in the mid-1990s, while the net length of hedges in the UK was stable or increasing.

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species report said it was planning to engage with the farming community to ‘stem the alarming decline of our country hedgehogs’.

The likelihood is that there is a range of events causing impacts on the hedgehog population. Certain types of pesticides affect the hedgehog’s food chain, while larger and more open fields with less substantial hedgerows might also contribute to hedgehog predation and decline. The increased use of road vehicles is a certain factor, as is urban and suburban spread. Unusually, domestic pets are not a major hazard for hedgehog populations.

In rural Wales, however, the dramatic explosion in badger populations cannot be ignored as a significant factor in driving the decline of hedgehog numbers.

In the early-2000s, an investigation was carried out by the Small Mammal Specialist Group into patterns in hedgehog and badger populations across hundreds of square kilometres of rural southwest England and the midlands. One important finding was that hedgehogs appeared to be absent from large swathes of pastoral grasslands where they are thought to have once been commonplace. The group surveyed hedgehogs in a number of areas which were geographically and ecologically similar, but with different levels of badger culling.

Hedgehog numbers in suburban areas doubled during the five years of badger culling, and remained static in areas without culling. This demonstrated for the first time that badger predation is a strong limiting factor for hedgehog populations in these particular habitats.

Until the mid to late 20th century, heavy persecution of badgers kept them at low numbers. The Badgers Act of 1973 introduced protections, enhanced by the 1992 Protection of Badgers Act. Consequently surveys published in January 2014 revealed that in the 25 years since the first survey in 1985-88, the number of badger social groups in England has doubled to around 71,600.

In pasture-dominated and mixed agricultural landscapes, and in some suburban habitats, badgers thrive with have plentiful denning opportunities and abundant food resources. The largest increases in the density of badger social groups have occurred in the landscapes that dominate southern, western and eastern England. These are also the areas where hedgehog declines are likely to be most severe.

While nobody is suggesting that badgers be culled to improve biodiversity and give hedgehogs a chance of re-establishing themselves, the refusal to acknowledge evidence which they find inconvenient suggests that the weight that can be given to the Hedgehog Survey is questionable.

Glyn Roberts suggested that those ignoring the evidence were simply unprepared to face the truth about natural predation: “By sweeping under the carpet the unpalatable truth that badgers eat hedgehogs, and that the doubling in badger numbers has had a catastrophic impact on hedgehog numbers, and scapegoating farmers by highlighting outdated ideas about hedge removal, conservation bodies are doing a huge disservice to hedgehogs and conservation.

“In fact, they are doing exactly what Dr Pat Morris warned of in his Hedgehog Book – burying their heads in the sand by pretending increased badger numbers are not a major threat to hedgehog survival.”

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

1 week 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.