CARDIGAN will be the place to be on Saturday, June 15, as entries continue to flood in for this year’s Welsh National Tractor Road Run (WNTRR).

The popular event is being organised by the North Pembrokeshire Tractor Enthusiasts – a group of like-minded friends led by Dai Rees of Cilgerran.

The Run will begin at Awenfryn, Glanrhyd – the farm of Keith and Kevin Evans – and take in stunning views across Cardigan Bay before heading inland towards Cwm Gwaun and the Preseli Mountains. The route will then return to Awenfryn.

This year’s event will raise money for three charities: the Wales Air Ambulance, Crymych First Responders, and Cardigan First Responders.

Entry is £20 until the closing date of Monday, May 20. Early entries will be listed in the official programme and guaranteed a commemorative souvenir. Entries will also be accepted on the day for £25, but late entrants will not be guaranteed a souvenir – a decision made by organisers to reduce disruption caused by last-minute arrivals.

Entry forms can be obtained from members of the local organising team – Dai Rees, Alun Owens, Keith Evans, Kevin Evans, Sion Morgan, and Peter Lewis – at various tractor events. Alternatively, forms can be requested by email from the WNTRR secretary at anne.trials@btinternet.com, or downloaded from the WNTRR Facebook page.

Online entry is also available:

• English entry form
• Welsh entry form

Anyone interested in sponsoring the event or advertising in the souvenir programme should contact the WNTRR secretary or Sion Morgan via sion@pantygarn.co.uk.

Spectators are welcome at the starting point and along the route. More details will be released closer to the date.

FARMERS in Wales have warned that changes to the way agricultural support is calculated could see them lose millions in future funding, as allocations move from a needs-based system to one based on population size.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has criticised the shift, branding the move “nonsense” and “concerning,” arguing it fails to reflect the reality that Wales has more farms per head than England.

Under the former EU model, funding was distributed based on need. However, from 2025-26, support for Welsh farmers will be included in the Welsh Government’s overall budget and determined by the Barnett formula—a population-based mechanism.

Guto Bebb, Chief Executive of the FUW, told BBC Radio Wales: “This latest decision is very concerning because if there is any future increase in farm funding, Wales will be allocated a population-based 5.2% rather than the 9.2% share we previously received based on need.”

The change, announced in the UK Budget last October, has raised alarm bells among the farming community. Mr Bebb urged farmers and unions to ensure that politicians in Cardiff remain committed to backing what he described as a “crucial part of the rural economy.”

The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, had already voiced similar concerns earlier this year, warning the Welsh Affairs Committee in Westminster that the new model could leave Wales short-changed. “When it comes to agriculture, we should be significantly higher than 5%,” she said.

Despite the concerns, both the UK Treasury and Welsh Government have insisted the new settlement will benefit Welsh agriculture.

A spokesperson for HM Treasury said: “The Welsh Government is receiving over 20% more per person than the equivalent UK government spending in England. This translates to over £4 billion more in 2025-26. The full amount of agricultural funding from 2024-25 has been baselined into this settlement.”

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government said it welcomes having full discretion over agricultural support spending and confirmed that more than £366 million has been allocated this year—an increase from the previous year when farm funding was still ringfenced.

However, farming leaders remain sceptical, warning that the shift could jeopardise livelihoods in rural communities if funding does not continue to reflect the true scale and nature of Wales’ agricultural sector.

BIRD FLU restrictions requiring poultry and captive birds to be housed indoors in part of Shropshire have been lifted.

The measures were introduced in January following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at Griffiths Family Farms, part of Oakland Farm Eggs, near Wem.

A 3km protection zone and a wider 10km surveillance zone were established around the site. The surveillance zone extended into the Wrexham local authority area.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed that disease control measures have now been completed. The area previously within the protection zone is now part of the surveillance zone only.

Around one million hens had to be culled at the site—one of the largest poultry farms in the UK—after the virus was detected in the flock.

Under protection zone rules, all poultry and captive birds must be kept indoors. Surveillance zone rules require premises to keep records of all poultry and egg movements in and out of the area.