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A FARM tour in Wales has highlighted the difficulties faced by producers struggling to make ends meet on upland farms in today's red-tape-bound agricultural industry. Powys tenant farmer Tony Davies […]

POLITICIANS lack the courage to tackle serious animal diseases, Farmers Union of Wales president Bob Parry told the union's annual conference in Aberyst-wyth on Thursday (May 22). In his last […]

A POSTER campaign has been launched in a bid to raise public awareness that whole milk is 96% fat-free. Up to 10,000 posters will distributed by milk tankers across the […]

By Isabel Davies FARMERS are being urged to get involved in a national debate which will influence whether genetically modified crops will be grown commercially in Britain. DEFRA has unveiled […]

FARMING was linked with the environment and planning when ministerial posts were handed out at the new Welsh Assembly this week. Carwyn Jones, who had a spell as minister for […]

THERE is no proof that genetically modified food is more dangerous to eat than conventional food, claims the UK's national academy of science. The Royal Society has submitted a paper […]

ANTI-GM campaigners have accused the Food Standards Agency of spinning in favour of the technology. Genewatch has written to the agency complaining about the way it presented the results of […]

By Isabel Davies SELLING farm produce wholesale to local shops and catering outlets should become easier with the launch of a new internet venture, claims the NFU. The web-site aims […]

By Isabel Davies A SLUMP in the number of vets prepared to treat farm animals has been blamed on the end of the "Herriot factor" and a rise in TV […]

Part-time farming is better than not farming, say Rob and Jan Healey. Wales correspondent Robert Davies looks at the sacrifices they have made to pursue their dreams of a future […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent WHEN its milk buyer demanded building and dairy equipment improvements costing [pounds sterling]50,000, a mid Wales college decided it was best to replace 80 milking […]

FARMER-OWNED South Caernarfon Creameries will open its new pound sterling2.5m state-of-the-art liquid milk processing and packaging plant next week. Both Welsh farming unions have hailed completion of the latest facilities […]

ONE of the farmers who led the fuel blockades in September 2000 is to take up a seat in the Welsh Assembly. Brynle Williams, from Cilcain, near Mold, Flintshire, failed […]

THE problems faced by mountain farmers following the ban on fallen stock burial have been highlighted during an NFU-Cymru visit to a Gwynedd farm. Edwin and Nicola Noble said they […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent TOO many good Texel bloodlines are being lost as a result of scrapie genotyping and quality of the breed will suffer, believes an Anglesey breeder. […]

By Isabel Davies PLANS drawn up by the EU Commission to double tag sheep and record all individual movements will leave UK farmers with a pound sterling90m bill, DEFRA has […]

By Isabel Davies IFOR Williams Trailers is urging farmers to contact the company before buying a second-hand trailer so it can check to see if it has been reported as […]

By Isabel Davies THE government's aim to switch production-based support payments to fund environmental schemes has been given a boost as research shows wildlife quickly flourishes when farming practice is […]

THE Farmers First Group has sold its subsidiary food technology and meat processing company Aria Foods for an undisclosed sum. The management buyout, led by Arla managing director, Mike Gooding, […]

FARMERS are being forced to increase borrowings because support payments have still not been paid. Peredur Hughes, president of NFU-Cymru, fired a new broadside against civil servants in Cardiff as […]

Recent heavy rain ended one of the best ever spells of good spring weather with just 50 ewes to lamb. Robert Davies reports EDWARD and Eunice Wozencraft have had a […]

COMMITMENT UP There may have been little financial incentive to keep young milk producers in dairying in the last few years, but some are determined to stick with it. Robert […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent HILL farmers in northern Snowdonia are campaigning for reclassification of large areas on draft Countryside Rights of Way maps. John Owen, chairman of NFU Cymru's […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent FEEDING a total mixed ration will allow at least 25% more ewes to be housed in the shed on a Welsh college farm, but it […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent AGRICULTURE figures prominently in the manifestos of all the main political parties contesting next month's Welsh Assembly election. Politicians and pundits anticipate that urban voter […]

GWYN Howells, former manager of MLC in Wales, has been appointed chief executive of Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales). He will report to a board of directors nominated by […]

A FOUR-MAN NFU Cymru team has beaten 29 others to win the 2003 Wales Management Team Challenge. Fittingly the test of managerial capabilities, using a series of physical and mental […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent ELECTRONIC identification is improving working conditions and cow management on one Welsh college's farm by reducing stress and improving awareness of health problems. Students wryly […]

By Robert DaviesWales correspondent FARM businesses are the cornerstones of local rural economies, the Farmers' Union of Wales has said. The union made the claim as it unveiled its Road […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent MANAGERS of one of the biggest upland farms in Wales have halved the size of its sheep flock, but they hope to stay in profit […]

OPPOSITION MPs have pledged to tackle the government over the issue of the on-farm carcass burial ban. Shadow DEFRA secretary David Lidington was due to raise the burial ban issue […]

HIGH priority is being given to tightening the block-calving pattern at Picton Castle to optimise the number of days cows spend on grass. Pasture to Profit consultant Tom Phillips said […]

Finding the funds to improve facilities for dairy herds, which need to expand to survive, is particularly tough for tenants. But one organic farming couple have found an economic way […]

RED clover silage may not be the high-octane feed that white clover is, but yields are higher and feeding it could increase cow fertility. IGER scientist Richard Dewhurst said that […]

Efficient forage conservation and use are vital to dairy farm profits, as Robert Davies found out at a Welsh Assembly Farming Connect meeting, run by the Institute of Grassland and […]

FOR optimum performance, dairy cows need the same quality rations day after day and using whole-crop cereals or maize can be a good way of countering variations in grass silage […]

THE Farmers Union of Wales wants David Byrne, EU environment commissioner, to visit Welsh farmers to appreciate the fallen stock disposal problems they face. "We have tried to convince him […]

By Isabel Davies REVEALING pictures of models in their underwear will be used as part of an eye-catching pound sterling1m milk advertising campaign unveiled by the Dairy Council. The council […]

By Robert Davies--Wales correspondent A PROPOSAL to create a fourth national park in Wales has met an angry response from the Welsh farming unions. The unions say that almost all […]

THE Welsh Assembly has agreed to fund Organic Centre Wales for another three years. Based at the Institute of Rural Studies at Aberystwyth, and run jointly with ADAS, Elm Farm […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent WHEN 240 farmers in north-west Wales invested pound sterling120,000 to get their local livestock market running again they also committed themselves to entering stock. A […]

ONE of the biggest upland farms in Wales is using its links to two big organisations to market organic lamb. The 4700ha (11,600-acre) catchment area for the Lake Vyrnwy reservoir […]

THE NFU wants farmers to join the debate on genetically modified crops to help form union policy. Its ruling body debated the issue of GM crops on Mar 7. Council […]

Bright, dry weather greeted the first of the year's lambs at Pen-yr-Ochr, hopefully heralding a good lambing season ahead. Robert Davies reports THE first of this year's lamb crop at […]

MILK producers supplying South Caernarfon Creameries have successfully improved average protein percentage early this year, despite coping with below average silage quality. Peredur Williams, the co-op's supplier liaison manager, told […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent UNTIL foot-and-mouth disease closed export outlets, 80% of less favoured Welsh farms depended on selling lightweight lambs to southern Europe. Around 1m, or 60% of […]

POLITICIANS elected to the next Welsh Assembly on May 1 will have to battle to regain the respect of the farming community, NFU Cymru has said. The union's election manifesto […]

COLD and wet conditions last spring severely tested grass staggers control routines and many producers will be keen to avoid the problem this year. Bryan Evans, manager of the Institute […]

THE man who helped revitalise the trade in live animal exports has been forced out of farming. Terry Bayliss, chairman of the Farmers First Group and vice-president of the Farmers' […]

WIDER use of the internet by producers is being encouraged through several initiatives, supported by ADAS Pwllpeiran staff. The open day gave many visitors their first contact with Opportunity Wales, […]