Combinable crops group looks at farmers potential future role

"One of the biggest potential future roles for many farmers in Wales is to help deliver the Assembly Government's sustainability agenda and mitigate the effects of climate change through the planting of energy crops," said Andrew Davies, the new Chairman of NFU Cymru's new Combinable Crops and Horticulture Working Group.

At the first meeting of the group, held recently at the NFU Cymru Headquarters in Builth Wells, Mr Davies, a mixed farmer from the Vale of Glamorgan, added, "Before we can start growing energy crops in earnest, we need the right signals from the Welsh Assembly Government."

The Chief Executive of HGCA (Home Grown Cereals Authority), Jonathan Cowens, was the guest speaker at the first meeting of the group. He offered the arable farmers present an insight into the workings of the only levy board that covers both GB and Northern Ireland. Andrew Davies said, "We are grateful to Jonathan Cowens for giving such an interesting talk. It is always good to hear a different perspective on those issues facing the industry."

Arthur Hill, the Chairman of the NFU's Combinable Crops Board and Guy Gagen, the NFU's Chief Combinable Crops Advisor also spoke at the meeting about the NFU's Vision consultation for Combinable Crops. The vision sets out a framework for combinable crops which is a rapid and fast changing sector.

Andrew Davies said, "This vision document is part of a consultation process which seeks to lay down a vision for the future sustainability of the combinable crops sector. There are clearly a great many things for arable farmers to consider including tailoring what they produce and sell to what their customers need; accessing higher value markets by producing crops with specific quality traits and how climate change is likely to influence the crops that can be grown here in Wales."