Farming

Minister kicks access issue into long grass

Published

7 years ago

July 5, 2018

No clarity on access to land: Government rejects fresh legislation

THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT of Natural Resources Consultation process has finally concluded, but there’s no sign of progress, according to Rebecca Williams, Director of CLA Cymru.

Saying that the time has come to make decisions, Ms Williams said: “How we manage our natural resources, must form part of our vision for a vibrant, sustainable, competitive rural economy delivering against a range of public goods.

Responding to the Welsh Government Environment Minister, Hannah Blythyn AM’s statement summarising the responses to the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) consultation, Rebecca Williams, Director CLA Cymru, said: “We have a unique opportunity to define the future of land management in Wales. Our government processes really must deliver better and faster results. We need to find answers to the vital questions in land management about how the Welsh Government’s Five Core Principles be delivered as a working plan.”

“Last year’s SMNR consultation addressed a very broad range of issues many of which were complex, others seemed disjointed from the main theme. This was an unwieldy and demanding exercise both for organisations and for individuals. The process was protracted, the outcome has been delayed. The substantial number of responses may be encouraging to the Government, but it does also bear witness to the level of concern about the potential vital impact the proposals may have on rural business and the countryside community. There is no doubt that greater subtlety and engagement is required in stakeholder-management.”

While there were over 19,000 responses to the consultation, over 16,000 of those were focussed on one issue – access to land. Of those 16,000 responses, only around 450 answered the questions posed by the consultation and there was a massive number of responses from individuals and campaign groups in favour of widening access to the countryside.

The Welsh Government has, however, shied away from specific legislation to provide greater rights for ramblers, canoeists, cyclists, and other groups in favour of achieving more access to Wales’ countryside.

In a written statement delivered to the Assembly on June 19, Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn said: “There were strong but differing views on how best to reform access legislation. We therefore believe that now is not the right time for substantive reform. But we are committed to exploring selected aspects of change where there was greater consensus, including on some of the administrative arrangements and multi-use paths. We will continue to facilitate further discussions through established groups such as the National Access Forum.”

Those remarks have been met with disappointment from Ramblers Cymru, the charitable organisation and campaign group that fights for walkers’ access to land.

Angela Charlton, Director of Ramblers Cymru told The Herald: “‘As Wales’ walking charity working to protect and expand the places people love to walk, Ramblers Cymru is disappointed that a year after this consultation was held, we are no clearer about Welsh Government’s ultimate vision for improving access to the Welsh outdoors.”

Ms Charlton drew attention to consultations not producing positive results in terms of policy or legislation, continuing: “We have had 2 major consultations on these issues in the last 3 years, and now face further consultation on as yet undefined changes.

“Through our campaign over 2,500 people took the time to support our call for increased and improved access and protection of our paths, and it is frustrating that we seem no closer to seeing the changes needed. We are however, pleased to continue engaging with Welsh Government to ensure Wales is a world class country for walking and will continue putting proposals forward to help achieve this.”

While the NFU noted the strength of the responses regarding access to land, NFU Cymru President, John Davies said: “The consultation contained a number of proposals that were extremely worrying to farmers including granting higher access rights which would have enabled cycling and horse riding on footpaths as well as extending and amending the list of restrictions on CRoW land. We, therefore, welcome the announcement from the Environment Minister that now is not the right time for substantive reform.”

John Davies continued: “We note, however, the Welsh Government is committed to exploring aspects of change where the consultation process showed greater consensus including some of the administrative arrangements and multi-use paths. We await information on what these specific areas will be and would highlight that, given 80% of the land area of Wales is agricultural land, farmers are key providers of the landscape and countryside upon which many access and recreational activities depend. Any reforms must consider the safety of access users and should not result in increased costs, burden and liabilities being placed on farmers in Wales.

“We are pleased that the consultation process revealed consensus in the area of keeping dogs on fixed length leads in the vicinity of livestock, which was a generally accepted proposal. The worrying of livestock by dogs is a key concern to our members and we would hope this is an area that can be progressed in the near future.”

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: ” The FUW welcome the news that the Welsh Government have decided now is not the right time for a substantive review to reform access legislation.

“Wales has approximately 16,200 miles of footpaths, 3,100 miles of bridle-paths, and 1,200 miles of byways, and since 1998 the area of land accessible by right to the public has increased threefold. The evidence makes it clear people are not using what is already there, so any changes should focus on increasing responsible use of existing access.”

Farming

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

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.