A Young Farmers Club is set to lose grant funding worth approximately £20,000 annually due to the council's "unprecedented financial shortfall".
The Young Farmers Club Meirionnydd YFC is likely to lose its grant funding worth approximately £20,000 annually.
Gwynedd County Council, who provide the grant through their Youth Service, are said to have to find savings of £270,000 to help address the authority’s “unprecedented financial shortfall” as a result of severe government cuts.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales has expressed its disappointment. FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “We are extremely disappointed by this prospect and hope that Gwynedd County Council can find a way to keep funding this valuable youth movement.
“Meirionnydd YFC use this money to employ a full-time county organiser and without such a role, most YFC activities would come to an end, from eisteddfoddau to county rallies and livestock competitions.”
Mr Roberts said the service the YFC does is "invaluable" to young farmers in the area.
“Of course, we understand that councils across Wales are under immense pressure due to funding cuts, but the service the YFC movement provides is invaluable,” he said.
“The work they do in helping and supporting young people to become successful farmers, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens, can’t be praised enough. If only we could bottle the YFC secret sauce and introduce it to our larger towns and cities I'm sure we could rid ourselves of many societal problems.
“This potential funding cut serves as another example of knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing. We therefore urge the local authority to rethink their decision.”
The work of YFCs is seen as critical to an industry which worries over the lack of future generational support.
Earlier this year, members of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) spent more than 4,000 hours, as part of a nationwide campaign, fundraising and delivering community projects that benefited local residents.
