Farming
It’s all go for Moat Goats
GOAT farming couple Meg and Damian McNamara of Moat Village Farm, New Moat, Pembrokeshire, have been recognised for keeping the countryside vibrant by the Pembrokeshire FUW Countryside Business Award 2017.
The award, a £200 cash prize, perpetual trophy and a year’s free membership of the FUW, is presented every two years to someone who, 40 years of age or under, has developed their own business in rural Pembrokeshire.
“In presenting the award we recognise the fantastic work our young people are doing to keep our rural areas of Pembrokeshire vibrant and economically active places. Meg and Damian are very worthy winners of the award indeed and we can be proud to have such an inspirational farming couple in our midst,” said FUW Pembrokeshire County Executive Officer Rebecca Voyle.
Meg and Damian were both raised on dairy farms in Pembrokeshire, and always had a strong ambition to farm themselves. Although they both work outside of agriculture, Damian works as a Process Operator at Valero Refinery and Meg is a qualified Bank nurse, currently on Maternity Leave, they have managed to fulfil their farming ambition alongside keeping their day jobs. Meg also participated in the 2017 Agri Academy Business and Innovation Programme.
They bought their first land, a 12.5 acre field, in April 2015 and also farm 72 acres of Meg’s family’s farm. Their first goats arrived just 7 months later, having decided that this diversification would be both challenging and rewarding. Their herd now numbers 200 breeding female Boer goats.
Their agri-food business, Moat Goats, operates from farm to fork with home-bred kids reared by their dams. The male kids are finished for meat and the females are retained to increase the size of the breeding herd. Grass is grown both for grazing and for silage, with surplus sold for extra revenue. Mixed leys with herbs are also being tried to exploit health and production benefits.
Talking about a usual day on the farm Meg said: “We start by feeding the goats, checking and observing that they are ok, then it’s on to bedding down and we also spend time on farm work such as fieldwork and farm maintenance tasks. We also aim to post a picture or post on social media every day, as well as answering phone calls, responding to emails, and making sure that we market the business properly.”
As the male kids fatten and finish, Meg and Damian organise the slaughter in Maesteg, Bridgend and butchering of the carcasses locally at Cig Lodor, Rosebush. They then promote and sell the product online and started selling goat kid meat direct from the farm in October 2016. Now they supply meat boxes to customers throughout the UK via courier delivery, using social media for marketing. They have also supplied several local butchers with their goat meat, such as Chris Rogers in Carmarthen, T.G.Davies in Newport, Andrew Rees in Narberth, Gary the Butcher in Llandysul and DMS Llanelli and sell from the farm itself.
Speaking about the need to diversify, Meg explained: “We were aware that we needed to diversify in farming as we didn’t have enough land or time to compete with dairy, beef, sheep farmers.
“We experimented at home with jam making, cheese making, bought some heritage pigs before falling in love with 2 pet Boer cross goats and deciding to make a business from this interest.”
Meg and Damian exploit every opportunity to raise awareness of their quality produce, devising recipes, posting photos of the goats and the meals online and also supplied meat for a cookery demonstration at the 2017 Pembrokeshire County Show.
The business is going strong but there were some challenges the couple faced when setting the business up. Damian said: “The biggest challenge has been learning how to feed, handle and manage a goat herd – they require attention to detail which we have learnt through trial and error. Juggling farm and business commitments with family life and work off the farm remains an ongoing challenge especially with our young baby.”
Not ones to sit on their laurels, the couple are very aware that there are challenges the sector and their business faces. “Marketing and increasing our customer base remains a top priority for us but it’s also about raising awareness and promoting the benefits of goat meat – it’s low fat, low cholesterol, and high in iron.
“But of course, farming goats in north Pembrokeshire there is always the concern of a TB breakdown. So we take care of complying with all the necessary biosecurity and work hard to minimise contact with other herds,” said Meg.
Damian added: “We will deal with all of these challenges as a family unit and will continue to raise awareness of our business and the nutritional value of goat meat through social media. That way we hope to be selling more carcasses to the retail customer. We also intend to expand the business and therefore retain all the female kids for a few more years. Currently, we’re aiming for a herd of approximately 400 breeding females.”
It is clear that Meg and Damian are passionate about their produce and they encourage everyone to give goat meat a try.
“Goat meat is really tasty! It’s similar in texture to lamb and really easy to cook. Try something like pulled shoulder of goat kid or a simple quick-cook recipe such as chops, cutlets or sausages and have a look on our Facebook page for inspiration,” said Meg.
Farming
Dairy farmers hit hard as average incomes plunge by up to 62%
DAIRY FARMERS in Wales have suffered a major financial blow, with incomes falling by 62% in real terms between April 2023 and March 2024, according to recent figures. Average farm business income during this period dropped to just £70,900—a significant decline from previous years.
FALLING MILK PRICES
The primary cause of this downturn has been a sharp reduction in farmgate milk prices. After record highs in 2022, milk prices fell dramatically in early 2023, leaving many farmers struggling to make ends meet. This drop in revenue has had a ripple effect across the sector.
RISING COSTS
At the same time, input costs for feed, fertilizer, and fuel have remained stubbornly high. Although there has been some stabilization in feed prices, the overall cost of production continues to strain farm finances. Many farmers report that rising costs are eroding already slim profit margins.
LABOUR CHALLENGES
Labour shortages have also played a role. The dairy sector, which relies heavily on skilled workers, has faced difficulties in recruiting staff, a problem made worse by post-Brexit immigration rules. As a result, many farms have had to pay higher wages, further cutting into their earnings.
REGULATORY BURDENS
Environmental regulations have added another layer of financial stress. Farmers have been required to invest in costly infrastructure, such as improved slurry storage systems, to meet new standards. While these measures aim to protect the environment, they have placed additional pressure on farmers already grappling with tight budgets.
UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER
Weather volatility has also contributed to the challenges. Unpredictable conditions have impacted forage quality and availability, affecting milk yields and increasing costs for supplementary feed.
CALLS FOR SUPPORT
Industry leaders are calling for greater support to help dairy farmers weather the storm. They are urging the government to provide relief measures and address the ongoing issues of market volatility and regulatory costs.
Farmers’ Union of Wales Deputy President, Dai Miles said: “The latest statistics on Farm Business Incomes in Wales demonstrate the economic reality of attempting to maintain levels of profitability against a backdrop of increasing costs and red tape.
“Dairy farms have seen significant declines due to both an average increase of 10% in overall farm business costs coupled with reductions in income.
“Across the board, however, the proportion of farm businesses in Wales generating a negative income continues to increase to over 20%. At the very least, this demonstrates the need for the future Sustainable Farming Scheme to offer an equal level of economic stability, currently provided through the Basic Payment Scheme, the maintenance of which for 2025 has been welcomed by the industry.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Despite the challenges, some industry analysts remain cautiously optimistic, suggesting that stabilizing milk prices and improved market conditions could provide relief in the coming year. However, without significant intervention, many fear that the sector may continue to struggle.
Dairy farming has long been a cornerstone of the Welsh economy, and the current crisis serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust support for this vital industry.
Farming
Farmers’ Union of Wales responds to Foot and Mouth case in Germany
THE FARMER’S UNION OF WALES has responded to reports of a confirmed case of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) in Germany.
The disease was identified on 10 January in a water buffalo on a farm in Märkisch-Oderland, Brandenburg, marking Germany’s first case of FMD in nearly 40 years.
Foot and Mouth disease does not pose a risk to human health or food safety.
In response, the UK Government has implemented a ban on the import of cattle, pigs, and sheep from Germany. Additional measures include the suspension of import health certificates for live animals and fresh meat from species susceptible to Foot and Mouth disease.
Commenting on the development, FUW President Ian Rickman said:
“The recent case of Foot and Mouth disease in Germany will be a source of concern for livestock farmers across Europe.
The news inevitably brings back memories of the devastating impact the disease had on the agriculture sector and the countryside in 2001. This serves as a timely reminder of the importance of stringent border checks to prevent such diseases from entering the UK.
We welcome the proactive steps taken by the German authorities and the UK Government’s decision to ban livestock imports from Germany. As the situation unfolds, we will closely monitor developments and encourage livestock keepers to remain vigilant.”
Farming
West Wales dairy farm leads the way in sustainable agriculture
A Welsh farming family is making significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of their dairy business, achieving an impressive carbon footprint of 1.06kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per kilogram of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM).
Roger and Catherine Howells, who run Blaengelli Farm in Whitland, attribute this achievement to years of investment in infrastructure and a steadfast commitment to high animal welfare standards.
Sustainable efforts and key milestones
The Howells family continues to evolve their sustainability journey, recently participating in an assessment funded by Lloyds Banking Group through the Soil Association Exchange. This comprehensive evaluation examined six critical areas: soil, biodiversity, animal welfare, water, carbon, and social impact. The resulting analysis provided the family with tailored insights to identify areas for further improvement.
“As part of our contract with our milk processor, we’ve taken part in sustainability audits for the past five years, so we’re pretty well versed in this area,” Roger explained.
“However, we saw this as an opportunity to build a full picture of the farm and thought it might support us in looking more closely at our soil health. The assessment considered soil pH, phosphate and potash levels, as well as copper and magnesium, which we hadn’t analyzed before,” he added.
Tailored action plan for improvement
The audit process provided Blaengelli Farm with a bespoke action plan, highlighting areas where environmental and operational efficiencies could be achieved. Farms undergoing this process are also signposted to funding opportunities to implement recommended improvements.
The Howells family scored particularly high in animal welfare, reflecting their focus on herd management and disease prevention.
However, their sustainability efforts have faced challenges. A recent TB outbreak forced the family to double their youngstock numbers to replace lost animals, increasing their replacement rate from 25% to 50%. Consequently, methane emissions rose, leading to an increase in their CO2e footprint to 1.27kg CO2e per kilogram of FPCM.
Tackling challenges with innovation
Despite setbacks, the Howells remain committed to progress. Measures to address their farm’s environmental impact include:
- Introducing clover to reduce nitrogen inputs.
- Applying farmyard manure to fields with low phosphate levels.
- Planting deeper-rooting grasses and legumes to boost soil organic matter and carbon capture.
- Adjusting soil pH to improve fertilizer efficiency.
“We’ve already started applying farmyard manure to low-phosphate and potash fields and plan to apply lime to fields that weren’t at the optimum pH at the time of testing,” said Roger.
A wider initiative for sustainable agriculture
The achievements at Blaengelli Farm are part of a broader effort by Lloyds Banking Group to support farmers transitioning to sustainable practices. By funding over 80% of farms participating in the Soil Association Exchange assessment, the bank is helping establish a robust environmental baseline for UK agriculture.
Lee Reeves, UK Head of Agriculture at Lloyds Bank, highlighted the importance of this partnership:
“The partnership between Lloyds Banking Group and the Soil Association Exchange is the most ambitious of its kind, focusing on building a holistic view of farming’s environmental impact.
“By providing farmers with the tools and finance they need, we’re helping the sector to adapt during a great time of change.”
This pioneering approach positions Blaengelli Farm and others like it at the forefront of the transition to sustainable agriculture in Wales and beyond.
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