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Farming

Brexit and Covid-19 dominate NFU Cymru Conference

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NFU Cymru President John Davies used his address at the union’s annual conference to warn that it is a ‘pivotal time’ for the industry with changes and challenges on the horizon.

With a little over 50 days until the end of the Brexit transition period and Covid-19 continuing its severe impact on all of society, the virtual NFU Cymru Conference on Thursday. November 5, titled ‘Welsh Food and Farming: Moving Forward’, explored the major issues affecting the industry now and in the future.

The event featured discussions with Welsh Government Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths MS, as well as Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss MP. The conference also hosted panel discussions on future Welsh agriculture policy and Wales in the global marketplace.

Opening the event, NFU Cymru President John Davies stressed that ‘there is much to do and very little time’ if UK Government is to ensure a favourable trade deal with the EU – a market of supreme importance to the Welsh farming industry.

Mr Davies said: “With Covid-19 dominating our thoughts and the media headlines, it could be easy for us to forget that it is just over 50 days to go until the ending of the Brexit transition period. Our negotiators must have total focus on securing a comprehensive deal with the EU that will come into force at the end of the transition period. We cannot afford to face eye-watering tariffs, even for a short time, on the bulk of our agri-food exports.

“Let’s be clear, while the elimination of tariffs is the big-ticket item there remain many other matters that could and will place friction on the movement of goods to the EU, whether that be customs checks, export health certification, third-country listing and organic equivalence, to name a few. There is much to do and very little time for the UK Government to finalise a deal with the EU.”

The NFU Cymru President will also highlight the important role farmers have played and will continue to play, in keeping the nation fed throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Davies will say: “Covid-19 has impacted on all our lives in 2020, the announcements of recent days make it clear that its impact will be with us for some time to come.

“Despite the challenges we faced, it was pleasing to see how the supply chain came together to keep the nation fed. I applaud the work of livestock markets in adapting overnight to the restrictions to keep trade flowing; to our vets in continuing to provide support in caring for our livestock and to our agricultural merchants in keeping us supplied with the key inputs required to keep us farming.

“We have to recognise the challenge of Covid-19 is still very much with us: in Wales, is coming out of a ‘firebreak’ lockdown, England is back in full lockdown. What impact will this have on the marketplace?

“Empty supermarket shelves and ensuring food is provided to the most vulnerable in society has reminded us all of the fundamental importance of access to safe, high quality, affordable food as the most basic right for all people in society.

“It is important that we reflect on these matters and understand that the world has very much changed since last year’s Sustainable Farming and our Land consultation. We need to pause and reflect on all that has taken place, learn the lessons of this past year, the importance of domestic food production and the value that society places on our high standards. NFU Cymru is fully committed to working in partnership with Welsh Government on a future food and farming policy that can secure our food supplies and support Wales’ green economic recovery, whilst sustaining our rural communities and culture.”

Coverage of each of the NFU Cymru Conference sessions is now available on the NFU Cymru website.

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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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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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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