Farming
WG trains vets to prepare for Brexit

WELSH GOVERNMENT funding is helping our food and farming sector to prepare for Brexit by supporting the training of veterinary surgeons required for them to certify produce of animal origin exported from Wales to the EU, in the event of a “no deal Brexit”.
If the UK crashes out of the European Union without a deal Export Health Certificates (EHC) will be required to export produce of animal origin from Wales to the EU.
This will result in a significant increase in the need for EHC certification capability and capacity in Wales.
£96,000 from the £50 million EU Transition fund was announced last September to support the need for Export Health Certification and is an example of how the Welsh Government is helping the sector prepare for Brexit.
Veterinary surgeons certifying EHCs must receive specific training and authorisation. Usually, the training is paid for by the veterinarian undertaking the course, which represents a disincentive to participate.
For this reason, a scheme to support the additional training required for a minimum of 80 Veterinary surgeons from across Wales was launched on January 22, with more than expected to sign-up before training ends at the end of February.
The scheme is being administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency on behalf of the Welsh Government and in collaboration with Veterinary Delivery Partners Iechyd Da and Menter a Busnes.
Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said: “I am pleased we have been able to support the veterinary sector through our EU Transition Fund. Veterinary surgeons have already begun receiving extra training to provide Export Health Certificates and this funding is helping to address the significant risk to the export of animal produce from Wales, post-Brexit.
“This is yet another example of how, we as a Government, are supporting our industries prepare for Brexit and the challenges ahead.
“It is possible– if a no deal is taken off the table this extra capacity will not be required but we must prepare for all eventualities. However, the training would not have been wasted as the skills are transferable and would strengthen the important certification role of the veterinary profession in Wales.”
Veterinary surgeon and representative of Iechyd Da, Ifan Lloyd said: “This Welsh Government support package offers practising vets in Wales the opportunity to undertake additional training to obtain the necessary qualifications to carry out animal product export certification.
“This is a key initiative to ensure the veterinary profession in Wales is in a state of preparedness in the event of a no deal Brexit and that exporters have easy access to qualified vets to undertake their certification requirements.”
Lesley Griffiths added: “We have always been clear a no deal Brexit is not an option for Wales’ food industry. Crashing out of the European Union could decimate economies and must be avoided at all costs. Our preference would be a ‘softer’ Brexit – one that allows us to stay in a customs union and a single market.
“With no new ideas and red lines firmly still in place, the UK Government is simply running down the clock in a vain hope that their deal will pass. They must take decisive action now and act on the majority will of Parliament to rule out no deal.”
Farming
Managing Director for new Pembrokeshire creamery announced

PEMBROKESHIRE CREAMERY LTD, the West Wales-based business currently building a new state of the art liquid milk processing facility in Haverfordwest, has appointed Mark McQuade as managing director.
Mark brings extensive dairy industry experience from previous roles as operations director of McQueen’s Dairy, national accounts director of Muller Wiseman Dairies and as an executive board director of First Milk.
Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd will have the capacity to bottle more than a million litres of milk a week in its initial phase and gives UK supermarkets the opportunity to offer their Welsh customers milk that is both sourced and bottled in Wales rather than being driven to England for processing which is currently the case.
By removing the need for Welsh milk to be transported to bottling plants in England, Pembrokeshire Creamery will be able to reduce food miles, increase supply chain efficiency, create new skilled jobs and support local farming communities.
Mark commented: “I am very excited to be joining the team in Pembrokeshire. We aim to be the only BRC Certified facility to offer Welsh milk that is also bottled in Wales, and as such, the new facility has huge potential. I know from having worked with Pembrokeshire dairy farmers in previous roles that this is a fantastic milk field in which to build an authentically Welsh milk supply for Welsh supermarket stores.”
Huw Thomas, CEO of Puffin Produce and Pembrokeshire Creamery board member added:
“We are delighted that Mark has agreed to join Pembrokeshire Creamery as he brings with him rich industry knowledge and experience which will help accelerate our growth ambitions.”
Construction work began in November and the plant will be fully operational by the Autumn of 2023.
Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd has also announced a multi-million pound contract with Sycamore Process Engineering to design, manufacture and install the milk processing equipment.
Paul Manning, project director at Sycamore Process Engineering said: “We bring more than 30 years of experience in the dairy, food, and beverage industry and a strong focus on sustainability, ensuring our process solutions are energy efficient, and promoting the best OPEX with minimal product wastage. We’re working closely with Pembrokeshire Creamery to develop a top of line processing facility which meets their current needs and can expand with them as the business grows in future.”
Other businesses contracted to the construction phase include DKAN for ground works, Morgans of Usk for the steel frame and ABS Elbrow for cladding.
The development of Pembrokeshire Creamery has been supported by the Welsh Government and the EU RDP-funded Food Business Investment Scheme. Additional funding has been supplied by HSBC.
Farming
Calls on Welsh Government to address Pembrokeshire rural poverty

PLAID CYMRU member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales, Cefin Campbell, has renewed calls for the Welsh Government to commit to developing a strategy to address rural poverty in Wales.
Mr Campbell’s calls follow recent figures, published by Loughborough University on behalf of the End Child Poverty Coalition that showed Pembrokeshire had the highest child poverty rate of any local authority in Wales – with 35.5% of children living in poverty.
Challenging the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, to commit to developing a focused strategy on addressing rural poverty, Mr Campbell also highlighted wider challenges within rural communities that contributed towards a pattern of “entrenched poverty” over the course of many years and generations.
Commenting Cefin Campbell MS said: “The true extent of rural poverty is often masked by the relative affluence of some rural areas and a wider culture of self-reliance within our rural communities.
Rural communities across Pembrokeshire face many unique pressures that have contributed towards a pattern of long-term entrenched poverty. These include poor access to public transport, patchy public service provision, a lack of affordable housing, and relatively low incomes and high prices. Sadly, the developing cost-of-living crisis over recent months has merely exacerbated these factors and plunged many households into further financial hardship and uncertainty.”
Previous research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that most rural households typically spend 10-20% more on everyday goods and services compared to those living in more urban areas. A recent report by Sustrans Cymru also emphasised that people living in rural areas of Wales are some of the worst affected by transport poverty – with households likely to spend more than 10% of its income on the costs of running a car.
Such financial pressures were further emphasised with research from the Bevan Foundation, published last year, finding that a typical worker in Pembrokeshire is a belt-tightening £346 a month worse off than a typical UK worker.
Cefin Campbell MS added: “The hardship being faced by Wales’ rural communities is a wake-up call – and inaction in addressing such rural poverty may very well become Welsh Labour’s legacy in Wales.
It’s time the Welsh Government committed to better identifying the many unique and exclusive factors that contribute towards this rural poverty, and work with stakeholders to bring together a strategy and vision to better empower and aid these communities”.
Speaking in response to Mr Campbell’s calls for a specific rural poverty strategy, First Minister, Mark Drakeford, said: “I recognise that there are certain factors that are unique to people living in rural areas, and I can agree with what the Member said. It is sometimes difficult to identify poverty in some of our rural communities. Of course, every part of Wales is facing a challenge at the moment—whether you live in the Valleys, in the centre of Cardiff, there are unique challenges in all parts of Wales. I can tell the Member that a plan will be drawn up. The Minister for Social Justice is currently working on practical steps that we can take to help, particularly in the area of child poverty.”

Farming
Trial for Pembrokeshire farmer who denies breaking ban on keeping animals

A CONTROVERSIAL Pembrokeshire farmer who was disqualified from keeping animals indefinitely will face a trial today (Jan 18) at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.
The whole day has been set aside for the case.
He is charged with breaching a court order by keeping lovebirds, dogs and tortoises.
Sean Ronald Burns, age 52, of Bramble Hall Farm, Ferry Lane, Pembroke Dock, was given a 20-week prison sentence on February 13, 2020. He was banned indefinitely from keeping animals, this includes having any involvement or influence over the care or welfare of animals.

The sentence followed a trial in which Burns was found guilty of illegal dog breeding. He had previously admitted 13 animal welfare charges.
In September 2020 he received a suspended prison sentence, alongside two other men for his part in the production of smokies at Bramble Hall Farm.
In November, Burns, 52, denied three charges of breaching a disqualification after conviction.
He is accused of keeping tortoises, love birds and dogs at Bramble Hall Farm and another address in Pembroke between January 26, 2022, and July 11, 2022, contrary to the animal welfare act.
He appeared in front of Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday, December 15, for a pre-trial hearing.
Burns’ farm was dubbed the “Farm of horrors”

-
News1 day ago
Police: Woman, 31, died in North Court, Haverfordwest on Monday
-
News14 hours ago
Man sadly passed away in hospital following incident in Haven Drive, Milford Haven
-
News3 days ago
Main road into Milford Haven shut due to serious road traffic collision
-
News2 days ago
Off duty firefighters stopped to assist injured motorcyclist
-
Business14 hours ago
Ferry staff concerned over rumours Pembroke Dock to Rosslare route coming to an end
-
News3 days ago
Strikes: Pembrokeshire schools and classes to close this week
-
Business5 days ago
Tenby project began without planning permission on cards for approval
-
News6 days ago
Pilot whale stranded off Pembrokeshire coast ‘shows impact of climate change’