Western Mail

'Alton-Towers-On-Usk' Fears Over Easing of River Access ; Call for 'Referee' to Rule On Conflicts

LANDOWNERS are warning of a possible free-for-all on Welsh rivers as AMs examine the possibility of open access. The Country Land and Business Association in Wales says there are real fears for fish stocks, wildlife, capital and income values of fisheries and the well-being of inland waters in general if the public at large - including water-sports enthusiasts - are given freedom of access and use.

Dairy Co-Op That Failed Owed Bank Pounds 59m

THE failed co-operative Dairy Farmers of Britain collapsed owing pounds 59m to HSBC, partly because its cheese factory at Llandyrnog was forced to sell large cheese stocks at a loss. A report by receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers highlighted a flawed business plan, poor management and bad decision-making, which gradually eroded the profitability and viability of the company.

A Gardener's Dream

Farmers in Wales Are More Optimistic

FARMERS have become marginally more optimistic about the future. A survey of 6,532 farmers, by the National Farm Research Unit showed 32% more optimistic than a year ago. But 46% said that they felt neither more optimistic nor pessimistic, and the remaining 22% were less optimistic.

Sadly, the Shows Are Almost Over for Another Pig Year ; Our Columnist Is Feeling a Slight Touch of End-of-Thesummer Blues

IT'S suddenly hit me: autumn is on the way. We've reached September, the days are getting shorter, the weather is getting progressively more miserable and everything in the garden is looking tired and jaded. Every day I check to see whether the swallows and house martins are still around. When they've packed their bags, I'll know that's that. What's more, the agricultural show scene is coming to an end, which means my new-found social life will soon be mothballed and stored away until way int...

Market Report

market REPORT LLANYBYDDER Evans Bros (Aug 21) Ram Sale: The first Breeding Ram sale of the season, with an average selling price of pounds 327. Top prices of the day were: Suffolk 2y/o pounds 515; Texel y/g pounds 378; Charolais Ram Lamb pounds 373. (11) to pounds 945; Dairy cows (23) to pounds 820; Steers (3) to pounds 670, av pounds 638.33; Heifers (4) to pounds 795, av pounds 671.25; Bull (1) pounds 970. Suckler Cows (2): to pounds 1,120. Store Cattle (132): Yearling steers to pounds 642, ...

'No Industry Split' Over Eid Policy ; Country Newsbulletin

THE farming industry is not to blame for delays in implementing an acceptable EID policy for the UK sheep, says Livestock Auctioneers Association executive secretary Chris Dodds. Reacting to claims by Defra officials that the industry is finding it hard to agree, Mr Dodds said the problems stemmed from Defra's initial misinterpretation of the EC regulation and its refusal to consider tagging options first proposed by the LAA last year.

Chance to Discuss Livestock Market ; Country Newsbulletin

NFU Cymru members in Monmouthshire will have a chance to air their views on the issue of Abergavenny Livestock Market on Thursday. The issue is on the agenda at the county branch meeting in the Alice Springs Golf Club, Usk, at 7.30pm.

Martletwy Officials Decide the Show Must Go On Despite the Deluge

MONTHS and months of groundwork have to go into preparing for any outdoor event and everything, after all the 't's have been crossed and the 'i's dotted, rests upon the weather being kind on the day. The 58th Martletwy Show day dawned to reveal that the normally excellent site at The Downs had been saturated by hours of overnight rain and it was still raining - heavily... very heavily. The general feeling was "what a day" but all praise to the show organisers and YFC committee for going ahead...

Pounds 231,000 World Record Price Paid for Deveronvale Perfection

A TEXEL tup aged just six months has made the better market prices of 2009 look distinctly average. Deveronvale Perfection sold for a world record price of pounds 231,000 at the annual Texel ram sale at Lanark, beating a tide-mark that has stood for 20 years.

Rspb Wants Crimes Against Wildlife to Be Officially Recorded ; Charity Wants Offenders Banned and More Specialist Police Officers

CONSERVATIONISTS are calling for tougher action over bird- related crime. The RSPB wants a review of wildlife crime policing, secure long- term funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit, more full-time, specialist wildlife crime police officers, a government review updating the way game shoots are regulated, with bans imposed on those found guilty of persecuting birds of prey, and crimes against birds of prey to be classed as a "recorded crime" and included in national crime statistics.

Three Arrested After Net Find ; Country Newsbulletin

THREE men from the Cardigan area were arrested early last Friday morning during a surveillance operation by Environment Agency Wales officers and police after an illegal net was discovered on the River Teifi in Newcastle Emlyn. A net was confiscated - although no fish were taken - and the three men were bailed to attend Cardigan police station for interview at a later date.

From Dereliction to the Flowering of Aberglasney -- A 10-Year Wonder

GRAHAM RANKIN landed in paradise when he took on the job of director of operations at Aberglasney Gardens ten years ago. When he arrived months, before it opened, the astonishing project to restore the derelict gardens around the crumbling shell of an historic mansion was still at an early stage - just about safe enough to allow in the first visitors.

Birds Go On a Feeding Frenzy to Fuel Up for Big Flight South ; Nature Watch Dana Thomas

THE sight of swallows lined up on telephone wires marks the turn of the year and signals the approach of autumn. By mid-August swifts have already left for Africa, although swallows and house martins linger a little bit longer, gathering in flocks before embarking on their long migration.

'Dazzling' Stock Displays As the Usk Show Resurfaces

AFTER the disappointment of cancellation last year because of a waterlogged showground, the Usk Show returns with a full programme of events on Saturday, September 12. "Other events may claim to be the biggest but there is no doubt that Usk Show remains, by far the best one day agricultural show in Wales," said show committee secretary Fiona Jenkins.

Wales Is Already Showing the Way On Food Security with Its Successful Buy the Welsh One Campaign

I WAS intrigued by the recent demand of Defra's vegetarian minister Hilary Benn that the UK will need to change the way food is produced and processed to enable us to continue enjoying healthy, affordable food in the decades ahead. Launching the country's first food security assessment, Mr Benn said there were three big challenges that needed to be met: how to meet the economic and environmental challenges of increased productivity in the food chain; how to help people eat more healthily and ...

Waitrose Goes 100% British for Its Own-Label Dairy Products ; Country Newsbulletin

THE supermarket chain Waitrose has become the first to stock 100% British dairy products for its own label. Any dairy ingredients in Waitrose own-label yoghurts, dairy ice cream, milk, cream, cheddar and butter will be made using British dairy ingredients from September.

Nfu's Model Cow Receives Her 'Spectacularly Creative Name' ; Country Newsbulletin

HUNDREDS of children suggested names for NFU Cymru's new black and white model cow during the show season but Sioned Roberts from Ammanford has come up with the winning name of Magi Llaeth (Magi Milk). The new life-sized wooden dairy cow has appeared across Wales this summer at various events including the Royal Welsh Show, the National Eisteddfod and county shows. Thousands of children have milked her during her tour of Wales to promote the Welsh dairy industry.

2,000 People Sign Petition Calling for More Native Trees ; Country Newsbulletin

MORE than 2,000 people have now signed a petition organised by Coed Cadw calling on the Welsh Assembly Government to plant more native trees. The signatures were collected during the summer at the Royal Welsh Show, the National Eisteddfod, the Anglesey Show and online.

Cresswell Bubbles Saves the Day for Welsh Racing at Ffos Las

SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE trainer Keith Goldsworthy would have loved to have won the Keith Lewis Memorial Novice Handicap Chase at Ffos Las last weekend. The reason being he is named after the much-loved bloodstock agent, who was well-known on the horse-racing circuit.