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Farming

Agri organisations want Brexit extensions

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THE UK Farming Roundtable, representing farmers and growers from agricultural organisations across the UK, has today written to all MPs urging them to unite around a single option for an orderly Brexit by Wednesday next week. Failing this, the Government must request a further extension to the Article 50 negotiations.

The letter said: “We are intensely frustrated at the continuing impasse over the UK’s departure from the EU and urge you to take whatever steps are necessary, right now, to ensure the UK does not leave without a deal in the coming days.

“Government and Parliament must ensure our departure from the EU is an orderly one. The farming sector is clear that leaving without a deal would cause huge economic damage to British farming. Over recent months farming organisations, alongside individual farmers and growers, have consistently warned MPs of the severe consequences that no-deal would have, not only for our agricultural and horticultural sectors and the jobs they provide, but also for food supply in the UK and the high standards to which our food is produced and our farmed environment is managed.

“To this end, if parliament has failed to coalesce around a single and clear option for an orderly departure from the EU by the end of the day on Wednesday April 3, the government must request an extension from the EU27 to the Article 50 negotiations. This extension must be of sufficient length to allow government and MPs to agree on a stable way forward out of the current impasse that ensures a stable operating environment for farm businesses. A further extension of just a matter of weeks is not acceptable, given the damaging time and resource that has already been expended in managing the threat of a no-deal departure over recent weeks and months.

“It is unacceptable for farming – and for wider British businesses – to be in a perpetual state of uncertainty with no clear idea of the trading conditions they could be operating under in just a matter of days. This extreme uncertainty is already having real-world impacts on British farming and food production, with investments being put on hold, critical jobs remaining unfilled and farm-gate prices facing increasing downward pressure.

“Time is almost up. MPs must now consider the concessions they will need to accommodate to bring to an end the enormous and damaging uncertainty that is already undermining our food and farming sectors, not to mention the wider economy.”

WELSH FARMING UNIONS RESPOND

Responding to the Parliament’s rejection of the Prime Minister’s withdrawal agreement, NFU Cymru President Mr John Davies said: “It is very clear that Parliamentary support for the Prime Minister’s proposals is simply not there. Brexit uncertainties continue to bear down on the sector, meaning that we have no idea of the trading conditions that we might be operating under in a matter of days, something which is having a severe impact on the sector’s confidence and general wellbeing.

“If we are leaving the European Union, then this must be done in an orderly fashion. That is why I lent my signature to a letter which went to all MPs yesterday, stating that if by Wednesday 3rd April Parliament has not coalesced around a single clear option for an orderly departure from the EU, the government must seek an extension from the EU27 to the Article 50 process. Such an extension must be long enough to find a way forward out of the current impasse which delivers a stable operating environment for farm businesses.”

FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “With power over the Brexit process now resting firmly with Parliament, MPs need to recognise that withdrawing Article 50 is the only way to secure sufficient time to allow a consensus to be reached which bridges the political divides which exist within and between parties.”

Having called for Article 50 to be revoked in January, in recent weeks the FUW has called for preparations to be made for holding European Parliament elections and for all relevant legislation to be changed to allow Brexit to take place over a far more realistic timetable.

“The uncertainty that is affecting businesses across the UK is a direct result of the UK Government’s decision to try and achieve the unachievable over a very short timescale – something we warned against on the day the referendum outcome was announced.

Businesses need to know it will be ‘business as usual’ for a set period and have plenty of warning – months or years – of what exactly will happen after that date so they can prepare properly.

“It is a disgrace that businesses have been facing complete uncertainty as to what might happen in just days’ time, and the responsibility for that lies firmly with the UK government.”

Mr Roberts reiterated the FUW’s long-held view that leaving the EU while staying in the Single Market and Customs Union remained the best way to bridge the political divide which had come from the EU referendum.

“I am heartened by the outcome of the indicative votes which took place last week, and all the necessary moves to allow that process of compromise and common sense to continue need to take place. Revoking Article 50 would be a sure way to give the process sufficient time.

“At the very least, agreeing a lengthy extension period and holding EU elections would bring us closer to having a timetable that properly reflects the magnitude of the task at hand.”

Farming

Farmers’ Union recognises lifelong success of leading business founders

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THE Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) presented its ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to the founders of a leading North Wales business during a special dinner held at the Kinmel Hotel, Abergele, on Friday, November 8, 2024.

Gareth and Falmai Roberts, founders of the popular yoghurt business Llaeth Y Llan, started their venture in 1985 from a converted cow shed at their farmhouse in Llannefydd, Denbighshire – with the first product trials carried out at the back of their airing cupboard!

Over the past three decades, the business has gone from strength to strength. In 1995, they moved to a modern dairy designed and built using a disused barn and other farm buildings. By 2015, with their brand stocked across Wales in four major retailers and dozens of independent shops, the old dairy had reached full capacity. A larger production facility was designed and built on the Roberts’ farm and was officially opened in 2017 by Lesley Griffiths MS, the then Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs.

The business combines traditional values with modern techniques, producing 14 different yoghurt flavours using Welsh milk sourced from the local area. The yoghurt is sold across Wales and England, with the business having already won the Food Producer of the Year award at the inaugural Wales Food and Drink Awards in 2022.

The FUW Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Gareth and Falmai Roberts by FUW President Ian Rickman. The evening also featured entertainment from operatic baritone John Ieuan Jones.

Ian Rickman, President of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, said: “The Farmers’ Union of Wales was unanimous in recognising Gareth and Falmai’s incredibly successful business, and we were delighted to host this dinner to honour their achievements and present this award to them.

From producing their first yoghurt pot to their current success as one of Wales’ most renowned food producers, Llaeth Y Llan is an outstanding example of Welsh entrepreneurship, with local farming and food production at the heart of their success.

I congratulate them on this well-deserved achievement, and I have no doubt that their business will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Proceeds from the dinner and the highly successful auction will be donated to the Dai Jones Memorial Appeal Fund, administered by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

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Farming

Farmers fight back: Inheritance tax row at Welsh Labour conference

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THE Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno, Conwy, on Saturday (Nov 16) became the backdrop for a large and impassioned protest by farmers opposing the Labour government’s controversial inheritance tax changes. Hundreds of farmers descended on the venue with tractors and vehicles, voicing their frustration at what they describe as policies that will devastate rural communities and family farms.

The protest was a coordinated effort by Digon yw Digon (“Enough is Enough”), a group advocating for rural communities. Protesters carried signs reading “Labour War on Countryside” and “No Farmers No Food,” while tractors lined the promenade outside Venue Cymru.

Farmers gather outside Venue Cymru as the Welsh Labour conference gets underway (Pic: Nigel Roberts/Herald)
Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders joined the farmer’s demonstration outside Welsh Labour’s conference in Llandudno (Image: Supplied)

Starmer’s absence deepens anger
Farmers had hoped to confront Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly and present their concerns. However, Starmer avoided the protesters, leaving the venue without meeting them. This decision was sharply contrasted by the actions of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who earlier this year attended the Welsh Conservative Conference and took time to speak with farmers about their challenges.

One farmer remarked, “Starmer didn’t have the guts. He left without facing us.”

The farmers’ message
In lieu of a direct meeting, the farmers delivered a strongly worded letter addressed to Starmer, outlining their grievances:

“Dear Prime Minister,

Croeso i Gymru,

Today you can see the depth of feeling and concerns that you are creating as the PM of this country towards the rural areas and farming community.

The outcome of your Budget highlights the government’s incapacity to look at the position as a whole rather than a tick-box exercise to fulfill your selfless ambition.

The inheritance tax debacle highlights this case. This new tax represents a considerable challenge not only for farmers but also the broader agricultural sector. The £1 million threshold is alarmingly low, and many farmers will face impossible decisions to sell portions of their land to cover these costs. This will affect the smaller family farm the most.”

Why farmers are protesting
The changes announced in the Autumn Budget include:

  • A new 20% inheritance tax on farms valued over £1 million.
  • Modifications to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), effective from April 2026.

Farmers fear these changes will force many family-run farms to sell land, leading to reduced food production and driving up food prices.

Becky Wall, a farmer at the protest, made an emotional appeal:
“Please support our farmers; they work hard over long hours to feed us. Without them, we have no food. These changes will also impact small businesses connected to farming, posing a serious threat to our economy and our bellies.”

Unite members wave flags (Image: Nigel Roberts/Herald)

Rural Wales under pressure
The letter also highlighted the cumulative challenges faced by Welsh farmers, including the draconian impact of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations, increasing incidences of bovine tuberculosis (TB), and uncertainty surrounding the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

“This cumulative approach has created despair in the countryside,” the letter continued. “As food supplies decrease, it will become more expensive, and the poorest in society will suffer the most.”

Gareth Wyn Jones, a farmer and broadcaster, expressed the emotional toll on rural communities:
“They’re destroying an industry already on its knees mentally, emotionally, and physically. We need government support, not hindrance, to feed the nation. Enough is enough.”

A strike as a last resort
As frustration boils over, some farmers have announced plans to go on strike starting Sunday. While economically challenging, the strike reflects the growing anger in the countryside.

The protest in Llandudno is part of a larger movement, with a major demonstration planned for Westminster next Tuesday. The event has already drawn so much support that its location was moved from Trafalgar Square to accommodate the expected turnout.

There were dozens of tractors in Llandudno, Conwy on Saturday (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer defends budget
Inside the conference, Starmer defended the Budget, describing it as a tough but necessary measure to stabilise the economy:
“Make no mistake, I will defend our decisions in the Budget all day long. Tough decisions were necessary to protect the payslips of working people, fix the foundations of our economy, and invest in the future of Wales and Britain.”

Starmer also hailed Labour’s collaboration between Westminster and the Welsh government as a “gamechanger,” promising that communities in Wales would benefit from Labour-led governments pulling in the same direction.

Keir Starmer says that Labour is delivering for Wales, the farmers disagree (Image: PA)

Investments and promises
Despite the protests, the conference included announcements of major investments:

  • A £160 million investment zone for Flintshire and Wrexham, described by Starmer as a turning point for the region’s economy.
  • An additional £22 million to tackle NHS waiting lists in Wales, adding to the £28 million pledged earlier this year.
  • A record £21 billion Budget allocation for Wales in 2025.

First Minister Eluned Morgan touted the “power in partnership” between the two Labour governments and emphasised their commitment to delivering for Welsh communities.

Farmers and rural advocates insist that their voices will not be ignored. The inheritance tax changes have become a flashpoint for broader frustrations with government policies affecting rural areas.

As the protest letter concluded: “Prime Minister, we ask that you revisit the whole approach to farming and rural communities as a matter of urgency. This is a last resort, but growing anger in the countryside has brought us here. The one thing Labour has achieved is uniting farmers, businesses, and rural communities against these policies.”

With protests expected to intensify in the coming days, the farming community’s fight for their livelihoods and the future of rural Wales continues.

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Farming

Welsh Government could overturn Ceredigion cattle breeder’s house plans

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A CEREDIGION councillor-backed scheme by one of the top breeders of Limousin cattle in the UK to build a home near Lampeter could be overturned following a call for it to be decided by Welsh Government, planners heard.

At the October meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee, the application, by Mr and Mrs Dylan Davies for a four-bedroom rural enterprise workers’ dwelling at Blaenffynnon, Llanwnnen, Lampeter, where they run a calving and cattle rearing business, was backed despite an officer recommendation for refusal.

One of the issues in the report for members was the financial test of whether the scheme was affordable, based on an estimate the building would cost some £292,000 to construct; at a 25-year mortgage amounting to £20,400 a year.

The size of the proposed building – which the applicants say include a need to entertain and occasionally accommodate clients – was also given as a reason for failing the TAN6 policy test, being larger than affordable housing guidance, at 202 square metres rather than a maximum of 136.

Members have previously heard the applicant breeds high-value show cattle for embryo transplanting at the well-established business, with one bull alone selling for £32,000 last year.

It had previously been recommended for refusal at the September meeting, but was deferred for a ‘cooling-off’ period to seek further details along with potential changes to the size of the scheme.

At the October meeting, members backed approval despite officers saying the size proposed could actually include a two-person bungalow in addition to the normal maximal ‘affordable’ size.

At the start of the November meeting, members heard a request for the scheme to be ‘called-in’ for Welsh Government final decision had been made, meaning Ceredigion planners’ approval could potentially be overturned if the ‘call-in’ is agreed.

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