Informed consumers key to farmings future

CEREDIGION farmer Ionwen Lewis took the plight of farmers directly to the heart of government last week.

The pedigree Welsh Black cattle and Texel sheep farmer from Llangranog, who is president of the Women's Food and Farming Union, called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Downing Street to explain why farming matters.

Mrs Lewis said, "I feel passionately about the state of the industry and I want to try to spread a greater understanding of what is happening.

"My big message is that farming does not go anywhere without informed consumers, and we will be working very hard to spread our message in the coming months."

Mrs Lewis said Mr Brown told her things are looking up because of higher dairy and grain prices.

But he expressed surprise when she said the milk price is still lower than 10 years ago. And she explained that rising grain prices are fine for grain farmers but add up to increased costs for livestock and dairy farmers.