Farming

Dairy report will inform farming policy

Published

7 years ago

March 26, 2018

Preparing for the future: Report shows profitable dairy farming possible

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT says that a new report into the Welsh dairy industry will help farmers improve the performance and resilience of their businesses and prepare for the future post Brexit.

In 2017, the Welsh Government provided £3.2 million of European conditional aid to Welsh dairy farmers through two schemes focusing on farm business benchmarking and herd milk recording.

An encouraging 75% of dairy farmers took up the opportunity – the highest level of uptake in the UK. Along with aid funding, farmers also received a bespoke report showing the strengths and weaknesses of their business with a comparison with other dairy farms.

KEY FINDINGS

Invaluable data produced from the benchmarking scheme was used to produce a providing a snapshot of Welsh dairy farm performance. Key findings include:

The importance of farmers constantly measuring the financial performance of their business to help them become more efficient;

the top performing farms demonstrate that profitable dairy farming is possible with excellent returns, even in difficult trading conditions;

some farms, have costs of production which are higher than the milk price has ever reached;

farmers should take advantage of the plentiful supply of grass and maximise the milk they produce from grass and forage;

farmers who have made a conscious choice about their production system tend to be more profitable; and
maintaining high standards of animal health and welfare reduced the financial impact of diseases and can give the industry a competitive advantage.

SUPPORT TO BE TAILORED

Support to help dairy farmers address the issues identified in the report is available through the Welsh Government’s Farming Connect programme and via the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Dairy.

Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths said: “The approach we adopted to providing aid to our dairy farmers has provided us with useful data on the performance of the industry in Wales.

“The report published today will go a long way to help farmers improve the performance of their business by reducing their costs of production. This will improve the efficiency of our dairy farms, allowing them to become more resilient to business risks and milk price volatility.

“As a government, our priority is to work with everyone affected to prepare for a world outside the European Union and for a resilient agricultural sector. This report will provide invaluable information to help us decide how best to support the dairy sector to prepare for the future.

“While the report shows profitable dairy farming is possible, I am particularly concerned that some Welsh dairy farms have costs of production which are higher than the milk price has ever reached. That is why I am in the process of tailoring the support we offer these farms to help them re-evaluate the structure of their business and use their benchmarking report to see where improvements can be made.

“It is clear from the report that by becoming more efficient and focusing on producing milk at a lower cost of production, all farms can become more profitable, no matter what the milk price is.

“Brexit presents significant challenges to the agriculture industry but also opportunities. The industry, and individual farmers, must start to plan now for the future.

“The long term outlook for the dairy sector is good with global demand forecasted to increase year on year. Our dairy farmers need to be competitive and market focused to compete with the best in the world. If this happens then I firmly believe our dairy farmers have a bright future.

“I encourage all Welsh dairy farmers and the wider industry to use the available data to help them prepare for the post Brexit world; to help make their businesses both resilient and prosperous.”

NFU WELCOMES REPORT

NFU Cymru has welcomed the publication of report.

Gareth Richards NFU Cymru Milk Board Chairman and dairy farmer from Carmarthenshire said: “Milk production is a major contributor to the gross output of Welsh agriculture. This report shows the vulnerability and volatility of the sector but also highlights opportunities available to individual producers and to the sector as a whole in Wales.

“Through the production of individual reports for contributors this has enabled farming businesses to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their business by benchmarking against others.

“As the Cabinet Secretary, Lesley Griffiths, has said, tailored packages are now available for individual producers to move their business on and future proof them for the potential massive changes Brexit will bring. I would encourage all 1,700 milk producers in Wales to make use of services that AHDB Dairy and Farming Connect can offer both on an individual farm level and in participative group activity.”

NFU Cymru Deputy President Aled Jones said: “The data captured as part of this EU conditional aid scheme is invaluable not just for farmers to help them identify where to target performance improvements on farm, but also for policy makers to help design and implement policies that ensure we can achieve our vision of a productive, progressive and profitable industry in Wales.

“The opportunity to collect data that Welsh Government requires to meet climate change and environmental obligations is also invaluable and this project provides a baseline against which to measure future progress.

“As part of a comprehensive post-Brexit agriculture policy for Wales, NFU Cymru believes the incentivised collection of key performance data should be an integral part of a new policy based around our three cornerstones of productivity, environment and volatility measures. Collection of key data around production, farm structure, financial, environmental and Greenhouse gas emissions can help inform decision making at farm and national policy level. The data collected can also help underpin the credentials of ‘Brand Wales’, a concept based on providing Wales with a unique selling point to market the full range of goods and services provided by Welsh farming.
“We hope the success of this scheme can now be built upon and replicated not just for the dairy sector but also to all the key farming sectors in Wales.”

Farming

Dairy farmers hit hard as average incomes plunge by up to 62%

Published

3 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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

Published

3 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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

Published

3 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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.