Farming

NT claim ‘decades of damage’ to countryside

Published

10 years ago

September 2, 2016

NFU Cymru President, Steven James: Countryside isn’t as damaged as National Trust insist

THE DIRECTOR GENERAL of the National Trust has called on government to put the recovery and future resilience of the natural environment at the heart of the funding system that will replace the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Dame Helen Ghosh said reform was essential to reverse what she claimed were decades of damage to the countryside and the headlong decline of species.

Dame Helen told an audience at the National Trust Theatre at BBC Countryfile Live that the vote to leave the European Union presents an urgent opportunity to shape a new and better system for stewardship of the countryside.

She said:

“Whatever your view of Brexit, it gives us an opportunity to think again about how and why we use public money to create the countryside we want to hand on to future generations. Unless we make different choices, we will leave an environment that is less productive, less rich and less beautiful than that which we inherited.

“Taxpayers should only pay public subsidy to farmers in return for things that the market won’t pay for but are valued and needed by the public.

“We may need some kind of transition period to get there but that means payments for goods that go beyond food production – for the wildflowers, bees and butterflies that we love, for the farmland birds, now threatened, for the water meadows and meandering rivers that will help prevent the flooding of our towns, and for the rebuilding of the fertility and health of the soils on which both nature and production depend.

“In the long run, there’s no conflict between maintaining our ability to grow food and looking after the land and nature on which it depends. The first is utterly dependent on the second.

“This is not just about the subsidy system but the way the market works. Farmers should get a proper return from retailers and food manufacturers. If they are also producing clean water, unflooded streets or great holiday experiences, they should also get a proper return from the utilities or tourism industry.

“Farmers are key partners in finding solutions but this is too important to leave to governments and farmers to sort out between themselves.

“We would encourage ministers to now consult widely on the way we fund farming in a post-Brexit world and involve the public in the debate, along with organisations who have experience and insights to share.”

NFU Cymru President, Stephen James, said: “The picture the National Trust is trying to paint – that of a damaged countryside – is one that neither I nor most farmers, or visitors to the countryside, will recognise.

“Farmers manage 80% of Wales’ land area and through agri-environment schemes, such as Glastir, farmers continue to restore and establish new habitats for biodiversity. This includes over 310km of new streamside corridor; 265km of new or restored hedgerows and more and 20,000m2 of new ponds.

“Farmers take their responsibilities as custodians of the countryside seriously and most visitors to the countryside will be enjoying the natural environment and appreciating the views of rural Wales which have been created and maintained by farmers – including many of the landscapes showcased by the National Trust.

“In this debate we must not forget that food production is vital. We should not be contemplating doing anything which will undermine Welsh farming’s competitiveness or its ability to produce food. To do so would risk exporting food production out of Wales and for Wales to be a nation which relies even further on imports to feed itself.

“In our view, food security should be considered to be a legitimate political goal and public good. Welsh farmers are proud of the high standards of production, traceability of the food they produce and high animal welfare. Welsh food production is the bedrock of the food and drink sector – contributing £6.1 billion to the economy and employing 222,400 people.

“All our survey work shows that the Welsh public wants to buy more Welsh food and, interestingly, survey work also shows the Welsh public believes farmers play a beneficial role in improving the environment at the same time.”

Two of the largest beneficiaries of the current CAP regime are the National Trust, which receives £11m of subsidy each year, and the RSPB, with almost £7 million received in subsidy in 2015. Both organisations were vociferous campaigners against a reform of the CAP scheme in 2011, which would have seen them lose millions of pounds of subsidy and have their take from the scheme capped at £300K per year.

The extent to which the National Trust wants to see subsidy tied to the practices which would reap maximum benefit for itself from any subsidy system represents, potentially, special pleading by the organisation to ensure the best financial outcome for itself from any new subsidy scheme and puts down a marker as to what it would expect for itself out of such a scheme. The idea of a subsidy cut, such as that proposed by the EU in 2011, is evidently an unappealing one.

Moreover, Pillar 2 of CAP is for what’s vaguely known as ‘rural development’, which covers everything from preserving traditional farming practices and preventing the depopulation of the countryside to conservation and public access.

The Welsh Government has long taken an extraordinarily elastic view of the uses to which Pillar 2 funding can be put, and has used the payment scheme as a piggy bank to follow policies that are only connected tangentially to farming.

Farming

Pembrokeshire new potato harvest begins as first crop hits shops

Published

1 week ago

May 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Locally grown early potatoes arrive in stores as farmers begin lifting the first Pembrokeshire crop of 2026

PEMBROKESHIRE’S famous new potato season has officially begun, with the first crop of locally grown potatoes being harvested and delivered to shops across the county.

Farmers at Norton Farm began lifting the first Pembrokeshire new potatoes of the year this week, with the freshly harvested crop expected to reach local stores by Friday morning.

The arrival of Pembrokeshire new potatoes marks the unofficial start of the county’s summer growing season and is eagerly anticipated by shoppers keen to enjoy one of Wales’ best-loved seasonal foods.

Photographs shared by the farm show workers hand-picking potatoes from freshly turned soil as machinery lifted the crop from fields overlooking the Pembrokeshire countryside.

The potatoes, prized for their distinctive flavour and soft skins, benefit from the county’s mild climate and coastal growing conditions.

Brian Llewelyn a’i Ferched shared the news on social media, telling customers: “Arriving with us this afternoon!!!!” as excitement builds around the first deliveries.

Locally grown Pembrokeshire new potatoes are expected to be available in selected shops from around 10:00am on Friday.

For many in Pembrokeshire, the arrival of the first new potatoes is a sign that summer is just around the corner — and that it is finally time to get the butter on.

Photo caption:

First crop: Workers begin lifting Pembrokeshire new potatoes at Norton Farm as the 2026 harvest season gets underway (Pics: Norton Farm).

Farming

New Narberth farmers’ market to champion Pembrokeshire produce

Published

1 week ago

May 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS GIVEN NEW MONTHLY PLATFORM

A NEW monthly farmers’ market is set to launch in Narberth next month, giving Pembrokeshire producers a regular space to sell and showcase food grown, reared and made in the county.

Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership is launching the market at the Queen’s Hall, Narberth, on Saturday, June 13. It will then run monthly from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

The market has been developed in collaboration with local growers Rufus and Ffion, of Hael Natural Produce, based in Clunderwen.

Organisers say it will bring together a wide range of local food and drink producers, with stalls expected to include fresh seasonal produce, artisan foods, baked goods and speciality items.

Among those taking part are Spirit Wood Wales, Big Green Elephant, Foxhill Preserves and Pencw Cheese.

Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership will lead on marketing and subsidise stall costs for the first three markets, in a bid to encourage strong early participation and reduce barriers for small and emerging producers.

The launch will also see Rufus and Ffion introduce a new local veg box scheme through Hael Natural Produce.

Rufus said: “I’m really excited to be launching my new veg box scheme at the farmers’ market.

“It’s a great opportunity to get fresh, locally grown produce directly to people in the community and to build something that connects people more closely with where their food comes from.”

Sue Latham, Coordinator of Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership, said: “We are looking forward to creating a regular space in Narberth that supports local producers and gives the community consistent access to high-quality, local food.

“This market is about strengthening those connections and building something that can grow over time.”

Organisers are encouraging residents, visitors and food lovers to attend the launch and support the new initiative, which forms part of Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership’s wider work to strengthen local food networks across the county.

Further information is available from Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership at www.plfp.org.uk or by emailing [email protected].

Pic: Pembrokeshire Local Food Partnership.

Farming

Clean cut key to maximising wool value

Published

2 weeks ago

May 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

BRITISH WOOL recently reported that fleece value is at its highest for 10 years. With the shearing season underway for 2026, Heiniger’s Hefin Rowlands suggests that there has never been a better opportunity for farms to realise the best price for wool.

“The average payment increased to 68p per kilo last year, which was up from just 40p. Higher grade wools from breeds such as Cheviots are returning 85p per kilo. This makes the preparation for shearing and the shearing process all the more important,” he says.

Mr Rowlands points to the need for preparation to make the process better for shearers and sheep.

***Top tip: It helps to dag ewes and make sure the fleece is clean before shearing***

“Fasting, dagging and separating ewes from lambs will help, whether a farm is bringing in professional shearers or not. Straw, dirt and dung in fleeces seriously detracts from wool value, so both sheep and the area being used to shear should be as clean as possible,” he says.

He suggests that using the best quality equipment will also play a big part in how efficient the shearing process is.

“Factory sharp blades and the correct clothing are essential to any shearer. Heiniger has been manufacturing world-leading shears since 1946, so we know how important the right shears are to getting the best cut. But even the best shears need to have clean, sharp combs and cutters, which is why we offer free postage for servicing our equipment,” he says.

British Wool suggests that returns for the 2026 cut could rise by a further 25p-30p per kilo, meaning some wool will realise prices in excess of £1 per kilo.

“There is strong demand and it pays to meet this with the best quality wool. Investing in equipment and a good set of shears has never been more important for farms looking to take advantage of rising wool prices. However, nothing beats experience and this is where professional shearers can help make all the difference,” he says.

Above all, Mr Rowlands advocates that farms give shearing the attention it deserves, especially in a year when returns are projected to be high.

“Spending on the right equipment, preparing sheep well and working carefully to produce a clean fleece will pay dividends. The average fleece weight is around 4 kilos which means a flock of 250 ewes could return upwards of £1000 this year, and that makes investing time and effort in shearing a worthy choice to maximise returns,” he concludes.