Farmer Focus: Concern over future funding of TB eradication

I attended an emergency NFU Cymru council meeting last week to tackle the ramifications of Brexit.

A comprehensive consultation of the members on what the industry needs to be asking for has started.

In Monmouthshire we have already had a county NFU meeting post the EU referendum with a very good turnout.

Farmers’ main concerns were the future funding of the TB eradication policy, access to markets, and protection of the domestic market from imported food that has been produced to much lower welfare and environmental standards than ours.

See also: Read more from the Livestock Farmer Focus writers 

Those present hoped any future financial support should be directed towards the active farmers producing food below the cost of production, not a flat-rate area payment, regardless of the level of agricultural activity.

See also: Lobby election candidates for TB action

I had a day out judging some excellent crops in Herefordshire for Wormside Ploughing Society.

I’d agreed to judge oats, but was transferred to barley on the day.

Having never grown winter barley and only grown spring barley a couple of times, I had to text photos on my phone of weeds and diseases to Juliet, my agronomist, as it is long time ago I had crop production lectures with “Jogger” Jefferson at Harper Adams.

We managed to bale some hay on the third attempt, having wrapped two previous fields.

It will either be the best hay I’ve ever made or set the barn on fire. Luckily it’s in my father’s shed.

See also: Reducing soil run-off has to be a good thing

Tommy and Megan have been busy playing cricket for Llanarth and riding in mounted games for Monmouthshire Hunt Pony Club, qualifying for the Pony Club Championships.

The suckler cows have been PD by the vet and most held to the first or second service by the new bull.

I am considering purchasing the tail head motion sensors that text you when a calving is likely, and will also be looking at a new cattle crush at the Royal Welsh show.

We are a bit short staffed for the Royal Welsh Show week, as all the young farmers have decamped to the young people’s village for the week. Oh, to be young again.

Gary and Jess Yeomans run a herd of 700 milking goats across 100ha, which supplies a local cheese factory. They also own a small pedigree Welsh Black suckler herd to graze permanent pasture.