Farming

Sheep’s importance to countryside highlighted

Published

7 years ago

March 22, 2018

Loss would be devastating: Upland sheep farming in peril

CARMARTHEN sheep farmer and Farmers’ Union of Wales Vice President Ian Rickman, whose hill farm Gurnos, near Bethlehem, Llandeilo, lies at over 1000 feet in places, has highlighted the important role sheep play in maintaining the countryside.

500 Llandovery white faced ewes, which are due to lamb during the next two months, call these lands their home. Ian fears that the consequences of not grazing the mountains would have a devastating impact on the environment and tourism.

The farm extends to 220 acres with Common Grazing Rights on the Black Mountain, and he is a member of the Management Committee of the Black Mountain West Graziers Association.

To showcase just how much #FarmingMatters and to discuss wider issues of concern, he held an open day in February, welcoming Jonathan Edwards MP, Adam Price AM, Dafydd Llewelyn Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Councillor Gareth Thomas, various business representatives and many local farmers.

Ian explained the importance of grazing the mountains: “I move the ewe lambs annually to the mountains and common land with their mothers where they are taught where to graze. It has been an important part of grazing the mountains for many generations.

“If lamb prices dropped drastically, we lost our market or farm support was to diminish, it could mean less or no sheep on the mountains. That in turn could have a detrimental effect on the landscape of the mountains in years to come and therefore also on tourism, the communities that are intrinsic to our rural economy, and our way of life here in the uplands would change – and possibly not for the better.”

The FUW further used the opportunity to discuss wider #FarmingMatters such as the lack of broadband, telephone signal, worries about lamb prices, rural crime, and bank closures, as well as the urgent need to secure fair farm funding for Wales.

Nerys Edwards, the FUW’s assistant CEO in Carmarthen highlighted the need for urgent funding security. She said: “We know that the UK Government has said that it will match the current EU budget that supports farming and our rural economies, but how that money gets to Wales and how it is managed has not been determined. That of course is a real problem for our farmers like Ian, because they can’t plan for the future.

“It is encouraging to hear First Minister Carwyn Jones backing the industry and we recently heard him say that “agricultural funding will have to be held in a separate pot and dealt with in a different way”.

“However, there is a risk that it could go through the Barnett Formula, which will reduce the £260 m to circa £150 million and spell disaster for our rural economy.

“The FUW is now actively lobbying for the money to be assigned from the UK Government to Wales, for agriculture and we really appreciated being able to raise this with our local elected politicians here on farm.”

Farming

Lucky escape for cows as livestock trailer overturns on M4

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THREE cows had a lucky escape on Monday morning (May 12) after the livestock trailer they were travelling in overturned on the M4 near Pont Abraham.

The incident took place at around 10:38am on the westbound carriageway and involved a pick-up truck towing a livestock box, which flipped onto its side.

Crews from Ammanford and Llanelli fire stations were called to the scene and worked to make the area safe. The animals were successfully transferred into a replacement trailer that was brought in to recover them.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the cows were unharmed in the incident. The fire crews left the scene at 11:27am.

The overturned trailer caused temporary disruption to traffic while the road was cleared.

Photo caption:

Lucky escape: Fire crews attended the overturned livestock trailer near Pont Abraham on Monday morning (Pic: MWWFRS)

Crime

Llangadog man charged over livestock theft near Llandysul

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A LLANGADOG man has been charged in connection with the theft of dozens of sheep from a farm near Llandysul.

Hywel Williams, aged 40, was arrested on March 25 following a report that between 70 and 75 lambing ewes had been stolen from the Rhydlewis area earlier that month.

Following a detailed investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police’s Rural Crime Team, Williams was formally charged with theft on May 10.

He is due to appear at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court for a first hearing on Wednesday, May 28.

Sergeant Paul Roberts of the Rural Crime Team said: “The arrest and charge of Hywel Williams demonstrates to our farming communities that all allegations of livestock theft will be fully investigated.

“Legal proceedings are now underway, and it is important that the case is allowed to progress without further public commentary.”

Livestock theft remains a serious issue for rural communities, and Dyfed-Powys Police continues to urge anyone with information relating to rural crime to come forward.

Farming

Welsh farming’s challenges discussed with Shadow Cabinet Secretary

Published

5 days ago

May 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EARLIER this week, the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) met with Welsh Conservatives Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Education and Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS to discuss the changes and challenges facing Welsh agriculture.

The meeting followed the announcement earlier this month that the Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire Senedd Member, had been reappointed as the party’s Rural Affairs spokesperson, having previously held the portfolio between 2021 and 2024.

With a year to go until the Senedd elections, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss a range of issues facing Welsh agriculture, including the continued impact of bovine TB, the implementation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone regulations, and the future of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is due to be announced later this year.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the ongoing concerns over the UK Government’s changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) outlined in the Autumn Budget.

The FUW’s own analysis suggests as many as 48% of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) recipients in Wales could be affected by the changes,with the union warning the changes could have devastating impact on family farms and food production.

Commenting following the meeting, FUW President, Ian Rickman said: “We welcomed the opportunity to meet Samuel in the Senedd, and congratulate him on his re-appointment to the Rural Affairs portfolio. Through his farming background, Sam has an in-depth understanding of the sector and the many issues we face, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with him over the coming months.

“At a time when Welsh farmers are facing a perfect storm of changes and challenges, the meeting provided a useful meeting to discuss many of these aspects further – including the NVZs, SFS, and the dark shadow bovine TB continues to cast over the Welsh farming sector.”

Commenting, Samuel Kurtz MS added: “Our farmers are the backbone of our communities. They don’t just produce our food, they support our rural economy, uphold Welsh culture, and care for our countryside. I will always stand up for farmers across Wales and continue to fight for a future in which agriculture can thrive.

“I have been consistent that farming needs a friend, and I will continue to be that friend to farming in Wales.”