Hannah Blythyn MS (Delyn) and Carolyn Thomas MS (North Wales) met with members of the union at Ffrith Farm, Treuddyn, Mold on Friday 5 April. The meeting was hosted by Clive and Ed Swan, owners of Swans Farm Shop and winners of the NFU Cymru/Wynnstay Sustainable Agriculture Award.
The meeting gave NFU Cymru members the chance to discuss the outline proposals for the Sustainable Farming Scheme and their likely impact on farming businesses in Clwyd and across the rest of Wales.
Members were particularly keen to highlight their misgivings around the 10% tree planting and 10% habitat elements of the scheme’s universal actions, with many present stating this would be a barrier to entry.
While all those in attendance acknowledged that tree planting had a role to play in helping to capture carbon on farm, members expressed that this should not be at the detriment of farming businesses and their ability to produce food.
Water quality regulations
Discussions at the meeting also centred on Welsh Government’s water quality regulations. NFU Cymru has frequently cited that the inflexibility of the farming-by-calendar approach dictated by the closed period for spreading remains unrealistic and is in need of review. Farmers at the meeting voiced their frustration that a closed period would forbid them from spreading in the winter months on occasions when weather and ground conditions might actually be more favourable than in the permissible spreading dates. Members also pointed out that this year’s persistent wet weather was a perfect illustration of the unworkable nature of a farming-by-calendar approach. It was also highlighted that many farm businesses are having to spend very considerable sums in order to ensure they are compliant with the regulations.
Bovine TB
Conversation turned to bovine TB and Welsh Government’s eradication strategy. NFU Cymru members repeated their worries about the impact that the disease was having on Welsh agriculture. Those present made clear their frustration that Welsh Government remains unwilling to tackle the reservoir of disease in the wildlife population while around 10,000 cattle are culled annually. The mental health impact of farmers having to witness the on-farm slaughter of cattle was discussed at length and the MSs were told that the mental toll extended out to families and farm vets, also.
Scale of issues
Speaking after the meeting, NFU Cymru Clwyd County Chairman David Williams said: “The numerous and significant challenges facing Welsh farming businesses at present are inescapable. It’s vital that our elected representatives truly understand the impact and scale of issues such as future policy, NVZs and bovine TB on local farm businesses and our wider rural communities.
“We are really grateful, therefore, to Hannah Blythyn MS and Carolyn Thomas MS for accepting the county’s invitation to join us on farm and engage in constructive discussions about the major issues affecting our industry. I do hope that Ms Blythyn and Ms Thomas are able to convey what they have heard from local farmers and bring about the necessary policy changes to help ambitious Welsh farming businesses thrive in the future.
“We must also thank Clive and Ed Swan, whose impressive farm shop and facilities played host to this important meeting.”
