An exciting time ahead!

The man in charge of agriculture at HSBC bank enjoyed a day out in the midst of farmers recently and told Vale of Clwyd farmers: "I am very excited by what's ahead in the agricultural industry."

Steve Ellwood, Head of UK Agriculture at HSBC Bank was pleased to be among grassroot farmers when he visited Idris Williams's farm Ffynogion, a dairy and beef farm in Ruthin, Denbighshire.

"It's great to be out on a farm away from busy meetings and desk work," said Mr Ellwood. "CAP reform will bring tremendous changes but it is an opportunity for more farmers to become winners rather than losers in my view. It is definitely a step forward for the agricultural industry, a change that farmers need to grasp with both hands and embrace. It will give farmers an opportunity to become much more market led, and for dairy farmers in particular to set up co-operation businesses that work much much closer with the retailer."

Discussing the dairy sector in particular Mr Ellwood continued by saying: "UK dairy farmers have been slow in developing new products. It would be to Welsh farmers advantage if dairy farmers had more ownership of their products. Farmers' share within processing has developed dramatically in America in the last few years. British farmers need to follow suit and take a bigger share of the liquid and cheese market." (more...)

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Since the meeting at Ffynogion, Carwyn Jones, the Minister in charge of the countryside at the Welsh Assembly had announced the main thrust of changes to the payment farmers receive for their work (Wednesday, 11 February 2004).

He said: "The historic model will be adopted for the new Single Farm Payment which will be introduced for Welsh farmers in 2005. These changes provide a real opportunity to provide Welsh farmers with the flexibility to run their farm businesses to take advantage of market opportunities and consumer preference."

Peredur Hughes, NFU Cymru President gave his reaction to the announcement by saying:

"I am delighted, that the Minister has listened to NFU Cymru's strong representations. We have always advocated the historic option. Farmers across Wales have been clear in their message throughout, that the historic option offered them the best farming option and would mitigate the redistribution of support. Now that the Assembly has chosen this option farmers are free to do what CAP reform was intended to do - to produce what the market wants."