Western Mail

Prince's cash and advice in milk crisis

THE Prince of Wales has intervened in the dairy crisis with cash and advice. He acted after meeting leaders of the Welsh farming industry at his Carmarthenshire estate last week to discuss the plight of dairy farmers and the demise of the Dairy Farmers of Britain cooperative.

Lleyn Sheep Society visit Highgrove

Minister plans stringent restrictions on the growing of GM crops

MEASURES to protect crops from contamination by genetically modified organisms were outlined yesterday by Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones. The proposals, including strict liability on GM crop growers, a statutory redress mechanism, GMfree zones, a voluntary, industryfunded compensation scheme and a prohibition on GM crop cultivation in National Parks and

From tomorrow, mountain ponies could be doomed ; Expense of EU microchip order could change landscape of Wales

NEW rules come into force tomorrow that could put an end to the semi-feral mountain pony on the hills of Wales. From tomorrow every horse and pony born in Europe will have to be fitted with an electronic microchip, linked to its passport, that will record its every movement on a central database.

FARMING COMMENT

THEY won't like it. GM manufacturers have always refused to accept liability for any possible contamination of neighbouring crops. And you can understand why. Which manufacturer of anything at all would want to lay itself open to court action for compromising a commercial enterprise, when that could happen as a consequence of a gentle breeze or foraging bee? The announcement yesterday by Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones of proposals to apply the Welsh Assembly Government's "most restrictive ...

Liz indulges in topless mucking out and wonders if it'll become a spectator sport ; As the temperatures soar, things get more difficult on our columnist's smallholding

WHY are we never satisfied with the weather? You would think a long spell of glorious sunshine would make everyone happy, yet wherever you go, there are people moaning about it being too hot. The trouble with Brits is that they are never prepared for changes in the weather and, when something unexpected happens, they don't seem able to make adjustments in the way they live their lives and therefore can't cope.

Plenty for all the family at Machen ; country newsbulletin

A variety of life in county's waters ; country newsbulletin

THE waters of Milford Haven within the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation host a variety of alien animals and plants and Anne Bunker, senior marine conservation officer for the Countryside Council for Wales, knows all about them. Ms Bunker is giving a 15-minute presentation as part of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum's Secret Diary of a Mackerel at the Merlin Theatre, Haverfordwest, on Saturday, 4 July, at 10am.

Buttercups have a use after all - they can reveal the age of meadows

BUTTERCUPS can be the bane of the garden, creeping onto land and tangling it with a mass of deep green leaves and tough white roots. But a botanist at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth has discovered a use for them.

'I feel it is my duty to carry on the work started by my grandfather' ; Young farmer tells Prince of hill farm challenge

PRINCE Charles was left in no doubt about the challenges of hill farming when he toured a 1,200-acre farm at Llanddewi Brefi last week. Carnau Farm has been in the same family for four generations, and farmer Huw Davies is a member of the Prince's Cambrian Mountains Initiative, and his son Emyr, 22, spoke of the challenging future that faced young farmers.

Young farmers dance for longer ; country newsbulletin

YOUNG farmers activities at the Royal Welsh Show will begin before the show opens on Monday, July 20 with a Sunday evening event at the Young Peoples Village. Delme Harries, recently elected Wales YFC board of management chairman, said those attending will notice a number of changes.

Lleyn Sheep Society members see Prince's dedication to farming in a sustainable way ; Visit to annual open day at Highgrove

IT was a farm visit with a difference for members of the Lleyn Sheep Society in a sunlit annual Open Day at Highgrove, Gloucestershire, home of the society Patron the Prince of Wales. Prince Charles runs a flock of organic Lleyn on his estate and 120 members of the Lleyn Sheep Society arrived full of anticipation.

Union leaders map the way ahead

THE leaders of the UK farm unions met recently in Stratford-upon- Avon and together we mapped the way ahead on a host of critical issues facing the agriculture industry. All of us present were agreed that the long-term outlook for the food and farming industry is positive.

Record-breaking 311 entries for two-day meeting at Rhydyfelin

WITH a record-breaking 311 entries and a top race prize of pounds 8,000, the two-day harness race meeting on the seaside track at Rhydyfelin, near Aberystwyth, next weekend is already assured of being an unqualified success. The meeting, organised by Ceredigion Trotting Club, has grown in stature in each of its 12 years and now runs a close second to Tregaron in the list of major grass meetings held in Wales.

'Milk producers need free advice' ; country newsbulletin

NFU Cymru wants milk producers who have lost money through the demise of the Dairy Farmers of Britain co-operative to be offered free advice under the Welsh Assembly Government's Farming Connect Scheme. The suggestion came from NFU Cymru president Dai Davies when he met Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones last week to discuss the challenges facing the agricultural industry.

Call for ban on use of snares ; country newsbulletin

The League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) has launched a campaign to ban snaring. Britain is one of the few remaining countries in the European Union where snaring is still legal, and LACS has declared this week Snare Aware Week.

Cheap woodchip too good to be true ; country newsbulletin

HORSE owners and farmers buying woodchip to use as bedding for animals are being warned to purchase from a reputable source. Environment Agency Wales says woodchip is an environmentally friendly bedding for livestock and horses, but some farmers and horse owners have recently received deliveries of cheap woodchip contaminated with glass, nails and other unsuitable materials.

Sun shines on a glorious day of racing

THERE cannot be a better way to spend a glorious sunny day than on Broadheath Common, near Presteigne, watching the traditional sport of harness racing. Wayne Knox drove two winners in the nursery races as CU Tiber, belonging to the Langford family who have recently moved to Ammanford, won the first and the local horse Fold be Nimble (Perks Presteigne) took the second race.

'Cool head on young shoulders' sees Ceri, 17, win at Ffos Las ; Arabian meet's 'brilliant' ride on Dancing Grace

CARMARTHEN'S Ceri Evans, 17, having her first ride on the flat at the first ever Arabian horse race meeting to be held at Ffos Las Racecourse last Saturday, came in for plenty of praise from Lampeter owner/trainer Jenny Peyton after winning the one-mile-six-furlong event on her five-year-old chestnut mare Dancing Grace backed from 50-1 to 20-1. Ceri, who made the headlines during the 2007-08 point-to-point season when winning her first three races on her Miss Sallyfield, whom she sadly lost d...

Minister opens equestrian centre

RURAL Affairs Minister Elin Jones, pictured, has officially opened an Indoor Equestrian Centre, worth pounds 205,800, at Gwersyll yr Urdd, Llangrannog. The centre received financial support to the tune of pounds 134,000 through the Wales Rural Development Plan 2007-13, which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.