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By Simon Wragg STOCK numbers could fall by 25% across much of Wales when subsidies are decoupled, allowing producers scope to improve farm efficiency and quality of livestock, according to […]

Efforts to eradicate scrapie have divided sheep farming opinion in Wales. Some farmers are all for it but others claim it is unnecessary. Robert Davies begins our focus on issues […]

WALES remains the only part of the UK in which two unions represent farmers even though it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish clear blue water between their policies. When […]

By FW reporters WALES and Scotland are likely to go separate ways over the issue of separating farm subsidies from production. Wales is likely to reject decoupling for upland farms […]

ONE of Wales' finest pedigree Holstein herds will come under the hammer next week as another milk producer quits. John Fletcher's prize-winning Whitebarn herd will be sold at his west […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent GARETH Vaughan, the new president of the Farmers Union of Wales, is adamant that he will not consider the creation of a single Welsh union […]

HYBU Cig Cymru (HCC), the new Welsh body responsible for promoting red meat, will have an annual budget of [pounds sterling]5m. HCC chairman Rees Roberts told the conference [pounds sterling]2.5m […]

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 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 […]

By Andrew Shirley and Gaina Morgan AUCTIONEERS went into action across the country during March achieving some strong results, with non-farmers setting the pace. In south Wales, farmers and land […]

IF YOU like cheese, then you will like The Welsh Cheese Book*. This colourful little book has 60 pages of information and mouthwatering recipes. I particularly like the sticky onion […]

Would you move more than 280 miles to two new dairy farms? Possibly, is the answer most producers would give, but would you take on 50% more cows and a […]

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 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 […]

Water buffalo milk is being put to a novel use in Wales, as Tessa Gates discovers A NEW artisan icecream - Gelato di Latte di Bufala - made by Duncan […]

Providing cow tracks for the expanding herd to permit early turnout and improving milk protein were the main topics at a Glynllifon College, Caernarfon, visit as part of the Welsh […]

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 […]

THERE used to be one body looking after British Meat export policy - the Meat and Livestock Commission. Now there are four, each representing a different sector or region. The […]

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 […]

THE NFU has warned farmers in England and Wales to be stringent in observing farm biosecurity after the six-day standstill rule came into effect on Tue, Mar 4. Richard Haddock, […]

BREAKING the vicious dock circle and establishing clover is no easy task, but it is one a Powys producer feels is beginning to come under his control. "We had lots […]

Keeping stock clean without straw, manipulating upland grazing patterns and computer technology were the key topics at ADAS's Welsh upland research unit open day. Wales correspondent Robert Davies reports WOODCHIP […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent AUCTIONEER Chris Jones is battling to keep one of the UK's most modern livestock markets in business and he admits it is a tough task. […]

BOVINE tuberculosis has been found in beef herds on two farms run by the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research. Voluntary tuberculin tests pinpointed infected cattle at IGER's indoor facility […]

By Johann Tasker THOUSANDS of English farmers face delays to their support payments next year - a prospect already all too familiar to producers in Wales. A computer system blamed […]

FARMERS who convert to organic production in Wales will receive significantly higher payments than their neighbours in England. Welsh deputy first minister Mike German has upped the organic payment rates […]

By FW reporters FIRST Milk and the Milk Development Council aim to have 200 milk bars in secondary schools in England and Wales by the end of spring. The farmer-owned […]

WELSH farm leaders are "astonished" that a member of staff of Welsh Lamb and Beef Promotions (WLBP) has been nominated as a director of the shadow board of the new […]

Fertiliser spreaders have been spotted on fields in coastal areas of Wales, but areas further inland are more than two weeks off reaching T-Sum 200. There has been little rain […]

MIKE German, the Welsh minister for rural affairs, has survived a vote of no confidence by Welsh Assembly members. Peter Rogers, the Tories' agriculture spokesman, accused Mr German of incompetence […]

By Philip Clarke Europe editor FARMERS in west Wales and South Yorks are in danger of losing pound sterling millions of EU and government money as a direct result of […]

POLITICIANS have opened fire on the Welsh Assembly and Rural Payments Agency over the continuing saga of late subsidy payments. Liberal Democrat MP Colin Breed said the agency seemed more […]

By Shelley Wright Scotland correspondent THE 20-day rule on livestock movements is to stay in Scotland, despite England adopting a six-day standstill. Scotland's rural development minister, Ross Finnie, has insisted […]

A TEST of electronic identification equipment costing pound sterling300,000 has been launched in Wales, as part the Farming Connect beef and sheep development programme. Producers are being supplied with complete […]

John Yeomans farms 89ha (220 acres) of mixed hill and upland near Newtown in mid-Wales. The farm is split between hill and upland, with the hill land in two blocks […]

By FW reporters THE 20-day standstill rules restricting livestock movements in the wake of foot-and-mouth are to be relaxed. Rules banning livestock from being moved off a farm for 20 […]

By Robert Davies Wales correspondent OFFICES of both Welsh farming unions are being inundated with telephone complaints from livestock and arable farmers about continuing delays in the payment of subsidies […]

The struggle with cow infertility and the positive first experiences of robotic milking were the key topics at a Gelli Aur College open day. Robert Davies reports COW fertility is […]

PRODUCERS who want to find out whether robotic milking is a viable for a 70-cow herd will be able to check its performance 24 hours/day. Live pictures from the new […]

Welsh farming families are being urged to add value to their primary products and to try new enterprises. Robert Davies visited two units where such initiatives are working well WHAT […]

By Robert DaviesWales correspondent A WELSH red meat body has been established after months of consultation and frequently acrimonious debate. Hybu Cig Cymru, or Meat Promotion Wales, will take over […]

SURPLUS dairy-bred bulls could provide valuable income for Welsh farmers under a new beef scheme launched by the Welsh Meat Company and the Wynnstay Group. Welsh dairy farmer members of […]

CEREAL growers in England, Wales and Scotland appear united in their opposition to the HGCA's proposed levy rise, urging the organisation to refocus its approach instead of calling for more […]

Go to work on an egg, we were told, so why not at weekends, too? Poultry breeders Phil and Liz Prosser sell in cartons of seven eggs - one for […]