Dairy Roadshow Travels Wales

Dairy farmers concerned about changes to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform will be given a helping hand as a specialist team of dairy experts offer guidance and advice during an all Wales week long roadshow.

The Milk Development Council (MDC) has joined forces with NFU Cymru to travel the length and breadth of Wales, beginning on the 19 of April. This will be an ideal opportunity to quizz representatives from both organisations on how milk producers manage the changes that will affect them during the biggest set of reforms to the dairy sector since milk quotas were introduced in 1984.

The date, time and location for the roadshow include:

• 7:30pm, Monday, 19 April – Tŷ Glyn Aeron, Ciliau Aeron, Llanbedr Pont Steffan

• 11:00am, Tuesday, 20 April – Nant y Ffin, Llandissilio, Clunderwen, Pembrokeshire

• 7:30pm, Tuesday, 20 April – Dairy development Centre, Gelli Aur, Carmathenshire

• 11:00am, Wednesday, 21 April – Quality Hotel, Cardiff, Merthyr Road, Tongwynlais, Cardiff

• 11:00am, Thursday, 22 April – Royal Oak Hotel, Welshpool, Powys

• 7:30pm, Thursday, 22 April – Plas Menai, Caernarfon, Gwynedd

• 11:00am, Friday, 23 April – Coelg Llysfasi, Ruthin, Denbighshire

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The Roadshow has been kindly sponsored by Barclays Bank and HSBC Bank.

Dai Davies, NFU Cymru Vice President said: "This is an opportune moment to update dairy farmers of the current position and to seek their views on issues still to be resolved in the CAP consultation. Farmers are hungry for information given the important business decisions they have to make.

"We have warmly welcomed the news from the Welsh Assembly Government that the Additional Payment will be paid as a straight top-up of the Dairy Premium. We also advocated the fact that decoupling should happen at the earliest opportunity and that additional quota should be allocated to existing quota holders. Having said this, farmers are concerned about what this actually means to them – and here is an opportunity for them to air their views and seek guidance."

Trevor Lloyd, MDC council member who farms a 170 head of pedigree Holsteins at Valley on Anglesey said: "We hope that these meetings will stimulate farmers to examine their business and to move forward in the most appropriate way for them. The MDC is here to help farmers through CAP reform and the changes ahead."