Mon, 21 Aug 2017 Ffermio

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-Women influence every part

-of agricultural life...

-..but sometimes, they don't get

-the acknowledgement they deserve.

-Is there equality for men and women

-in the agricultural world?

-Is there a change in attitudes

-on the horizon?

-We'll discuss the matter further

-during the programme.

-Also on the programme,

-Daloni visits Carmel, Llanrwst...

-..to see how one family has halved

-its time in the milking parlour.

-And Meinir visits Sennybridge

-to see how horses are being used...

-..for bracken bashing.

-There's been a lot

-of recent debate...

-..comparing the status

-of men and women in the workplace.

-Women receive a lower salary

-than men for the same work.

-Men also tend to be given

-better jobs.

-What's the situation

-in the agricultural world?

-How has the role of women

-changed over the years?

-It's definitely better

-than it was in the old days...

-..but there is a long way to go.

-I don't want to see another

-generation of women missing out.

-It was a very different situation

-years ago.

-Personally, I don't believe

-there is an issue now...

-..with women

-feeling under-appreciated.

-I'm part of a generation

-where all genders are respected.

-We need a lot of people to say, "No,

-we need more women in the industry."

-We need to work harder on that.

-According to the latest figures,

-almost 25,000 women manage farms.

-That's 28% of the farming workforce

-across Britain.

-Let's consider the situation

-of women in agriculture.

-Lesley Griffiths is the

-Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture.

-She wants to see more women

-leading the industry.

-Professor Christianne Glossop is

-the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer.

-There are many other women

-prominent in the industry...

-..but only men have ever risen to

-become presidents of the unions...

-..or chaired Meat Promotion Wales

-since their inception.

-In the Royal Welsh Show,

-the FUW held a seminar...

-..on the changing role of women

-in agriculture.

-Baroness Eluned Morgan

-led the debate.

-Women influence every part

-of agricultural life...

-..but sometimes, they don't get

-the acknowledgement they deserve.

-Today has shown that they want

-the acknowledgement...

-..but often, they don't get it.

-Today, the FUW have organised

-this seminar...

-..to focus on the issue.

-There's a call on the unions

-to step up...

-..and ensure that women's voices

-are heard on their committees.

-Women need the confidence

-to move forward.

-Women work hard to raise a family.

-It's not easy to attend meetings

-at night because of certain issues.

-Hopefully, the women

-who want to contribute...

-..have the opportunity to do so.

-More women are attending

-agriculture courses than men.

-That's a significant factor.

-We had a lot of women here

-at the top of the industry.

-There's a long way still to go,

-but it's starting to come.

-At the Show, NFU Wales presented

-the 2017 Welsh Woman Farmer award.

-Victoria Shervington-Jones

-is a poultry farmer from Newport.

-Sioned Lloyd works for the NFU

-in Llanrwst.

-It all started 21 years ago.

-The original idea was to

-promote women in agriculture...

-..and the agriculture industry

-in general.

-Men were dominating the industry

-at the time.

-Have you seen the situation changing

-over the past 21 years?

-Yes, to be honest. A lot of women

-are part of the industry right now.

-They've realised that they can

-run agricultural businesses.

-More women have joined the industry.

-The fact that the award

-is given every year...

-..encourages women

-to join the industry...

-..and shows that they can

-succeed in the industry.

-Olwen Ford from Llanfrothen

-is a beef and sheep farmer.

-She runs the farm

-while her husband is an electrician.

-Tell me more about your route

-to agriculture.

-I'm lucky to be a farmer's daughter.

-I had an older brother

-who was given first refusal.

-I went to Glynllifon and at that

-time, girls learnt how to type...

-..sew, knit...

-..and cook.

-These days,

-they don't have to do that.

-It was obvious at that time you were

-trained to become a farmer's wife.

-We did some work

-with cattle and sheep...

-..but there was a feeling that

-you were becoming a farmer's wife.

-Is there any difference in the way

-a woman is treated at the mart...

-..in terms of the price paid?

-Not really. It's down to the way

-you deal with the stock.

-You'd expect the same price

-on a flock of sheep.

-I've done better with cattle...

-..but that's down to the way

-they've been handled...

-..and not because I'm a woman.

-It depends on the mart. The attitude

-of the auctioneer make a difference.

-There are some marts where

-you know you'll have a hard time...

-..just because you're a woman.

-What about the future, Olwen?

-Do you feel we've moved on in terms

-of the woman's role in agriculture?

-Is there still some way to go?

-The Assembly needs to move on this.

-They phone up and ask

-to speak to Mr Ford.

-He tells them they need to speak

-to Mrs Ford about the farm!

-Letters are addressed to Mr Ford.

-The contact name is Olwen Ford.

-You'd expect them to know

-that Olwen is a woman.

-Anwen Hughes from Llanarth started

-farming after leaving school.

-She's the

-FUW Ceredigion County Chair...

-..and part of Farming Connect's

-Women in Agriculture Forum.

-Hello, Anwen. How are you?

-Hello, Anwen. How are you?

-

-Very good.

-Women in agriculture.

-You're one of them.

-You're very prominent.

-How did you get into agriculture?

-I've always had an interest

-in agriculture.

-After having a fourth child,

-childcare was becoming a burden.

-I decided to return to farming

-and send my husband out to work.

-You've broken up

-the traditional roles of farming.

-What happens at home?

-Who cooks? Who irons?

-Me. I do the housework

-and paperwork.

-I also look after the day-to-day

-management of the farm.

-From your experience, in an industry

-that's still dominated by men...

-..how have you felt over the years?

-I've found it quite challenging

-in some ways...

-..to prove that I know

-what I'm doing...

-..and gain respect

-from other farmers.

-When you look at the movers and

-shakers from within the industry...

-..is it a true reflection of gender

-in the agriculture industry?

-Unfortunately, no.

-It's male-dominated.

-That's the pity with the FUW.

-It's quite sexist,

-if I'm allowed to say that.

-There is a place for women

-to come in.

-Women are pushing their way in

-slowly.

-When you sell stock, do you hear

-any comments from the men?

-I take store sheep and older sheep

-to Crymych and Cardigan.

-They see me coming

-and they praise me every time.

-They always give me a warm welcome.

-How does the future look for you,

-in terms of women?

-Things have changed but

-have they changed for the better?

-Yes, things have changed.

-Yes, that change has been

-for the better...

-..but that change is taking time.

-There's a place for us

-to prove ourselves again.

-Women are able to do the work

-and with mechanisation...

-..there's no reason

-why we can't do a lot of things.

-If you have sensible systems

-to deal with cattle...

-..there's no reason

-why a woman can't do a man's job.

-The days of having to be strong

-to succeed have gone.

-Ability is far more important.

-It doesn't matter

-if you're a man or a woman.

-Like every other industry...

-..there are inconsistencies

-in the way women are treated...

-..but there is no sexism...

-..in the price of a litre of milk

-or an animal in the mart.

-It can be argued

-that salary levels are fairer.

-After the break, we find out

-how a 250,000 investment...

-..has changed the lives

-of one family from Llanrwst.

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-Cutting costs

-and lightening the workload.

-Those are two main aims of farmers

-we've spoken to on Ffermio.

-Making farming and life easier.

-Two brothers in the Conwy Valley

-have done just that.

-They've created a system...

-..where they halve

-the time it takes to milk every day.

-Llwyn Goronwy Farm,

-Carmel, Llanrwst...

-..is home

-for Gareth and Elgan Evans.

-The brothers are the third

-generation here.

-They farm 400 acres in total.

-Father Brynmor used to keep

-500 sheep and milk 80 cattle.

-To support two families, they had to

-make changes to the farming system.

-They increased their Holstein herd,

-initially to 150.

-In 2012, they decided

-to go for it in earnest.

-They changed their milking system,

-built tracks across the farm...

-..and almost doubled the herd

-to 280 cattle.

-Why did you change

-your milking system?

-We were looking to improve

-our profitability...

-..and make better use of the land

-we have here.

-We wanted to make better use

-of the grass we grow here.

-We felt we weren't doing so

-at the time.

-What kind of system is this?

-It originated in New Zealand.

-They calve during springtime,

-within 12 weeks.

-Have the cattle changed?

-They're a lot smaller,

-they used to be around 750 kilos.

-The cattle we have now

-are 550 kilos mature weight.

-Why have you gone

-for a different type?

-It's a more fertile animal.

-It can calve to a tighter schedule.

-Because of the farm's landscape,

-there's a long way to walk.

-We're 800ft above sea level here

-and the farm rises to 1,100ft.

-You need a fitter cow

-to walk around.

-I saw farms in New Zealand

-using this system on similar farms.

-We decided to give it a go.

-How many litres do you produce?

-About 6,000.

-We used to produce 9,500.

-That's a huge difference.

-We keep a lot more cattle

-per hectare.

-The land produces more milk

-per acre.

-We're more concerned with

-the yield of the land than the cow.

-Is the quality of the milk better?

-Yes, the protein levels

-and fat content have risen.

-Less milk is being produced

-by each cow...

-..you're still better off

-financially.

-Yes, in a way.

-We don't spend so much

-on concentrates for the cow.

-It's milk from the land.

-The two brothers received a subsidy

-from the New Entrants scheme.

-My brother and I were partners in

-the business and we were under 40.

-We had up to 15,000

-in grant money to spend.

-We constructed tracks

-for every field...

-..and renewed the water tanks

-for every field.

-How does it work in terms

-of the value of the milk...

-..since you calve all the cattle

-at the same time?

-Well, yes, we concentrate

-on the cost of producing the milk.

-That's why we calve

-during the spring.

-We're getting value from the grass.

-We have the grass on the farm.

-When you need cake,

-you know you'll have to pay for it.

-You need to secure a good price

-for the rest of the year.

-You won't get any income from milk

-for 12 weeks.

-Well, yes, you average out the year

-when you're doing your sums.

-That works better for you

-in Llwyn Goronwy.

-Yes, it doesn't suit everyone

-but it suits our farm.

-There's a lot

-of sloping land here...

-..and it's easier

-for the cattle to graze there...

-..than if we have to go on it

-with heavy machinery.

-Even though the system has been

-simplified and works well...

-..it was still time-consuming.

-It used to take eight hours a day

-to milk.

-Most of the working day

-was spent in the milking parlour.

-To improve profitability...

-..they had to look

-for a different milking parlour.

-After an investment of 250,000,

-about 1,000 per cow...

-..and new parlour was constructed.

-We did a lot of research work,

-we looked at every robot system.

-When we made proper enquiries

-and invited the reps here...

-..that's when the seed was sown

-for the rotary system.

-We wanted a long

-herringbone system...

-..but that would have required

-two people to man it.

-We finally chose the rotary system.

-It's a huge investment.

-Yes, it was.

-We felt it was a 20-year investment

-for the future.

-We've been guilty in the past

-of working to a small scale.

-This parlour is big enough

-to milk 400 cattle.

-That might happen in the future,

-we don't know.

-If you're saving five hours

-of manpower a day...

-..that's 35 hours a week.

-That's one yearly salary.

-Yes, when you look at it like that.

-They spend much less on salaries

-at Llwyn Goronwy these days.

-Gareth and Elgan are free to do

-some contracting work after calving.

-Have your lives changed?

-Yes. On the weekends,

-we're done by 6.30pm.

-We used to work until 8.00pm.

-There's more time for other things.

-Can you see a brighter future,

-Gareth?

-We hope so. We try out best. Dad

-established the business years ago.

-We're trying to take

-the business forward.

-We hope we can pass it on

-to the next generation.

-I have two boys. Who knows

-what they want to do in the future?

-Bracken is a huge problem

-for conservationists and farmers.

-Natural Resources Wales

-has found a different method...

-..to control this troublesome plant.

-At the Craig Cerrig-Gleisiad

-National Reserve in Sennybridge...

-..bracken has spread

-across the land.

-To avoid using chemicals

-and heavy machinery...

-..the reserve decided to use

-a natural method.

-According to Natural

-Resources Wales...

-..one of the most effective ways

-of controlling bracken...

-..is a workhorse and a roller

-to bruise the stems.

-One of the problems we have here is

-controlling the bracken on the site.

-It's worsened

-over the past few years.

-I think it's a problem across Wales

-in upland areas.

-With less cattle in upland areas,

-it made the situation worse.

-The bracken tends to grow over

-other plants.

-We've recorded over 500

-different plants on this site...

-..but the bracken

-is taking over the site.

-We're using the machinery

-you can see behind us.

-It bruises the bracken stems.

-It goes over the bracken

-like some kind of roller...

-..and that releases sap

-from the plant.

-That can be more effective

-than cutting the bracken.

-If you cut it,

-it grows back even stronger.

-When we bruise the bracken...

-..the plant will weaken

-over the years...

-..and it gives other plants

-the chance to grow underneath.

-How many acres can you cover?

-About ten acres a day

-using four horses.

-It's not a lot, but it's a lot

-when you're only using horses.

-Is there a difference between

-using a horse, as we are today...

-..and using a motorbike

-and a weed wiper?

-Horses can walk on slopes

-that are a lot steeper.

-It wouldn't be safe for a motorbike.

-This is also a nature reserve.

-We're trying to move away

-from using chemicals if we can.

-When we use the horses,

-people come and see us at work.

-Hundreds, if not thousands,

-visit this site every year.

-By doing this work, it helps people.

-It provides better access

-along the paths...

-..and it attracts people

-from the cities to the countryside.

-That's great for mental health

-and physical health.

-How much of a reduction have you

-seen in the number of animals...

-..grazing on the site,

-be they horses, sheep or cattle?

-Overgrazing can be as much

-of a problem as no grazing at all.

-We see areas where the growth

-of bracken increases every year...

-..and we lose the presence of cattle

-from the upland areas.

-Gethin Havard from Llwynrhys farms

-some of the nature reserve's land.

-We've battled the growth

-of bracken for centuries...

-..to limit it in order to grow food.

-Naturally, it grows on dry land...

-..land we could be utilising.

-As we keep less and less animals

-in the mountains, problems increase.

-It is a cause for concern.

-It's poisonous,

-it can harm animals...

-..it can harm people too.

-We need to try and solve

-this problem if we can.

-How much has the level of bracken

-changed in your time as a farmer?

-The situation changed when

-the quality of the land improved.

-This land wasn't grazed

-for 15 years.

-It was burnt twice.

-The trees grew back

-and we'll be back...

-..in the great forest of Brecknock

-soon as we were centuries ago...

-..before man interfered

-with the land.

-The bracken is spreading,

-as you can see.

-Unfortunately, we don't have enough

-animals to tread on the bracken...

-..and bruise it.

-How much of a difference

-have you seen so far?

-We've seen a huge difference.

-In the areas

-where bracken has been bruised...

-..you can see other plants

-appearing already.

-It gives them more of a chance

-to grow over the next few years.

-Is it something any farmer can do?

-It's something any farmer can do.

-If you have mountain land

-where bracken is a problem...

-..farmers can use

-the same method effectively.

-The scheme has only just started.

-What is Gethin's view on the method

-Natural Resources Wales uses...

-..to control the problem?

-We've turned back the clock.

-There will be an expense. I'm not

-sure how effective it will be.

-I don't think

-this is the way forward, personally.

-Sheep can control

-their environment.

-Unfortunately,

-no sheep have grazed here...

-..for 25 years.

-If you introduced sheep now,

-ticks could be a problem.

-Ticks tend to live in bracken

-and they could infect sheep.

-It is a problem. Ultimately, if

-bracken takes hold in this area...

-..nothing else will grow.

-You must find an effective way

-of controlling bracken.

-Otherwise, you'll struggle

-to attract walkers...

-..and produce food here.

-We've already seen the problems

-that arise because of bracken.

-There's been a lot of debate

-about keeping the balance...

-..between conservation

-and food production.

-We'll tackle this issue further

-later in the series.

-Until next time,

-thanks for your company.

-Cheerio.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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