Mon, 26 Feb 2018 Ffermio


Mon, 26 Feb 2018

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-It's rained regularly

-over the past few weeks.

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-How much of a problem

-is this to farmers?

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-There have been many reported cases

-of pneumonia on farms.

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-Also with sheep, there's a distinct

-possibility of them having fluke.

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-Also on the programme,

-the benefits of lambing indoors.

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-We can look after them better,

-it's a better start to life.

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-Gareth Wyn Jones

-is part of an experiment...

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-..which could be good news

-for upland farmers.

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-We think this prevents part of the

-nitrogen becoming oxide nitrous...

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-..in the sheep's urine.

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-And plenty of good news

-from the NFU's conference.

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-It's sunny and dry here today,

-but colder weather is forecast.

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-Something we're very familiar

-with in Wales is the rain.

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-The ground is very wet right now.

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-The weather influences

-agriculture...

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-..more than it influences

-any other industry.

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-To everyone's surprise, this isn't

-the wettest winter on record.

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-Less rain has fallen this year than

-in the winters of 2003 and 2015...

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-..although very few days

-have been rain-free this winter.

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-Here, on Gelli Aur farm

-at Coleg Sir Gar...

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-..the persistent rain

-has left its mark.

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-We've found that it's been wet

-for a long time.

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-It's been different

-to other wet winters we've had.

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-It's rained almost every day

-more or less since the Royal Welsh.

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-What effect has this had

-on your business?

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-It's been very difficult

-to manage the land...

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-..and managing the slurry

-especially this winter.

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-Finding a window to put slurry out

-has been very difficult.

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-What about the cattle

-and the animals in general?

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-The cattle came in

-earlier than usual.

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-It was too wet to graze out

-during the autumn.

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-We had to bring them in.

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-That means the feedstock

-has gone earlier than usual.

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-Having said that...

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-..we're lucky we had

-enough feedstock this year.

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-That has knock-on effects elsewhere.

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-Spring is later than usual.

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-Usually, at this time of year, we'd

-have turned the cattle out to graze.

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-As you can see behind me,

-it's so wet at the moment...

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-..we can't turn

-any of the animals out.

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-Thinking about your business,

-you have added costs.

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-Of course. Grass is the backbone

-of this business.

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-That's the cheapest food

-we can provide for the cattle.

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-When they're in,

-they eat food which costs more.

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-It'll have an effect on costs.

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-With so much recent rain, how much

-of an effect has it had on animals?

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-How can we protect them?

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-Farmer and consultant

-Dr Delana Davies...

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-..specialises in animal nutrition.

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-Before Christmas,

-we had a lot of weather...

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-..where a damp mist hung around

-the sheds for a long time.

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-There have been many reported cases

-of pneumonia on farms.

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-In addition to that, in cases where

-everything has been done properly...

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-..vaccinations before

-bringing the animals in...

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-..the animals have still

-gone down with pneumonia.

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-That will affect their growth.

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-The animals will be lighter

-when they go back out.

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-Also, with sheep as well as beef...

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-..such a wet autumn

-has caused more cases of fluke.

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-There's a greater chance that the

-animals have suffered from fluke.

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-That can be seen in abattoirs

-right now.

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-We've seen when sheep

-are brought into the sheds...

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-..they lie down for hours,

-they're glad to find a dry place.

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-It's important for new-born animals

-to have a dry bed.

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-A wet bed draws heat

-out of the animal.

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-It also offers a place

-for bugs to thrive.

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-It can cause more joint ill

-in sheep...

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-..and it causes calf scour.

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-It's important for young animals

-to have plenty of hay in their beds.

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-Hay can be expensive but it can

-save you money on vet's bills.

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-Precisely.

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-Once you start dealing in situations

-where illnesses are detected...

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-..it spreads in a shed like this

-very quickly.

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-If you can prevent it happening

-in the first place, it's better.

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-At the end of the day,

-if you do that work properly...

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-..and make sure you give priority

-to your animals, they will thrive.

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-If an animal thrives,

-it has less medical problems.

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-We can see on the horizon

-that the grass is starting to grow.

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-Another month or two and

-we'll be over the winter hopefully.

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-It's worth investing now

-to make sure that the animals...

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-..are in their best condition

-to go out.

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-They can then make better use

-of the grass out there.

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-Rain or snow, day or night,

-one thing is certain...

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-..sheep will give birth to lambs.

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-It's busy in this shed

-in Llanfair Talhaearn near Abergele.

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-There are many lambing systems...

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-..but here, at Bron Heulog farm...

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-..brothers David and Huw Lloyd

-lamb 1,500 sheep indoors.

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-The sheep have been in

-for about three weeks.

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-Before that, they were out on swedes

-for three weeks to a month.

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-That works well.

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-It's a good way to keep up the

-numbers and they do well on swede.

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-The rest of the farm

-is given a rest.

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-The grass grows ready for spring.

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-You lamb in two lots.

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-800 in now, and the rest later.

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-As the numbers fall in the shed,

-we'll gather more in...

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-..and keep the shed full.

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-Everything will come through

-the shed.

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-Why do you bring them in?

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-Why do you bring them in?

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-We can look after them better.

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-We can see what's happening and the

-weather's not been great recently.

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-We can manage them from day to day

-and they have a better start.

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-The lamb can go out with the sheep.

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-We don't know what weather

-lies ahead for us.

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-They're not in for a long time.

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-They're not in for a long time.

-

-Just three weeks.

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-There's a lot of work to do, Huw.

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-There's a lot of work to do, Huw.

-

-Yes, quite a lot.

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-What are we feeding them?

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-Wholecrop and some concentrate.

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-Will you continue with this system

-or will you make changes?

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-Who knows? It all depends

-which way the market will go.

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-As it stands now,

-the lambs are holding their ground.

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-What weight do you want

-before you let them go?

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-Most of them go at about 20 kilos.

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-Do you find it difficult not being

-able to plan for the future?

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-It is difficult, yes.

-You're caught in a trap.

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-You don't know where it will end.

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-In the meantime, carry on feeding.

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-Right now, yes.

-We'll see how it goes.

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-David's son, Dewi,

-also works on the farm.

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-You've just celebrated

-your 21st birthday, Dewi.

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-You're David's son.

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-Do you agree with the way your

-father and uncle lamb the sheep?

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-Yes, it works well.

-It works well for the farm.

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-Everything's going well.

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-Do you like the way

-they do everything indoors?

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-It's better when the weather's wet.

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-You can monitor things and sort out

-any losses before they go out.

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-Keeping an eye on everything

-is Bob Lloyd...

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-..the brothers' father.

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-How have things changed

-since you've been here?

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-It's changed a lot.

-They weren't in when we started.

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-We've changed to this system

-since then.

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-Easier for the lads?

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-Easier for the lads?

-

-Yes.

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-Is she OK?

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-Is she OK?

-

-She's coming along.

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-Tight?

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-A good lamb.

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-It's alive, anyway.

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-Leave them alone now?

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-You need eyes everywhere

-in this shed.

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-Then we mix them up.

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-Then we mix them up.

-

-I can see one over there.

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-That's life for a while.

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-And thank goodness for that.

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-I'll go and check these.

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-That's it for this part.

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-After the break, we'll catch up

-with farmer Gareth Wyn Jones...

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-..who's had a busy

-and different time recently.

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-See you soon.

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-.

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-Welcome back.

-It's a very cold, wet morning.

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-There's snow on the Carneddau.

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-The cattle are indoors

-and January is over.

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-It's been a very busy month...

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-..but I've been able to leave

-the farm to do different things.

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-Earlier in the year...

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-..I was invited

-to the Oxford Conference.

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-George Monbiot claimed that no meat

-would be eaten in Britain by 2100.

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-It was a chance for me to debate

-against his claim.

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-I'll be out of a job

-if people don't eat meat.

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-I was a little wary

-of going down to Oxford.

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-I'd never have imagined a lad

-from the mountains...

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-..being invited down

-to such a posh place.

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-I was debating in front

-of some very influential people.

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-Rich people who are very well-known

-in the farming industry.

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-They asked me to debate against one

-of the best orators in this country.

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-He was debating for

-environmentalists and vegans.

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-We can feed everyone in this country

-on 3m of our 18m hectares.

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-The majority of farmers

-that I know, and landowners...

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-..they want to leave that land

-in a better state...

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-..for the next generation.

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-George and I will never agree

-on a lot of things...

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-..but that night, we agreed that

-we need to respect one another...

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-..about what we believe

-is the best way forward.

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-If you can respect someone,

-you don't have to agree with them.

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-If you respect them

-and show respect...

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-..that's important to me and him.

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-As a farmer that lives

-on the hills of North Wales...

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-..and has been farming that land

-for 350 years...

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-..well, my family has, not me...

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-I'm glad I did it.

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-I'm glad I put across my case

-for our industry...

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-..in a positive

-and respectful manner.

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-The response has been excellent.

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-I feel glad

-that I was given the opportunity.

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-I'm a member of Cymdeithas Porwyr

-Aber a Llanfairfechan.

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-We work closely

-with Bangor University...

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-..who use the mountain for grazing.

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-They've been doing experiments

-with greenhouse gases.

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-We hope we'll have some good news

-about what's been happening.

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-The research aims to look at

-grazing systems on the mountains...

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-..to see if they can be made better

-for the environment.

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-What inspired you

-to do something like this?

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-I was brought up in Bethesda.

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-I studied my PhD in Bangor

-with Professor Dave Chadwick.

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-He's studied greenhouse

-gas emissions from grazing systems.

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-When I was doing my PhD, I studied

-grazing systems in Holland.

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-There is very little information

-about nitrous oxide emissions...

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-..on mountainous land.

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-This soil has come from Carneddau.

-What are you doing with it?

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-At the moment, we're measuring

-the pH level of the soil.

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-We can see that the pH levels

-are lower for the higher land.

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-We think this prevents part of the

-nitrogen becoming oxide nitrous...

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-..in the sheep's urine.

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-That's good news for farmers,

-I think.

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-We have to remember that we're

-only looking at one greenhouse gas.

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-There are other greenhouse gases

-such as methane and carbon dioxide.

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-For the nitrous oxide,

-it sounds good for farmers.

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-After visiting the laboratory...

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-..I head up to the testing plot

-on the mountain.

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-Well, we don't usually see sheep

-up on this mountain.

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-Not in winter. We've brought them up

-to see where they usually graze.

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-We collected urine here

-in the summer and autumn.

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-We collected it when they grazed

-the vegetation here.

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-When we get the urine in bottles...

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-..it goes back into the soil

-in these experiment positions.

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-These are the chambers

-that open and close.

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-We can test the greenhouse gases

-being emitted from the soil...

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-..from the areas

-where we put the urine.

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-There are no sheep up here

-during the winter...

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-..but greenhouse gas emissions...

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-..can still be detected

-from the urine positions.

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-We test the soil for a long time.

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-The project's head,

-and greenhouse gas expert...

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-..is Professor Dave Chadwick.

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-A huge amount of research

-has taken place...

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-..by the UK greenhouse gas

-research community.

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-We're having to extrapolate

-the information...

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-..that we're getting

-from those lowland situations...

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-..to livestock that are produced

-up here in the uplands.

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-The soils here are quite wet

-and cold for a long period of time.

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-The animals are actually grazing

-on very different vegetation.

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-The composition of their urine

-is going to be different...

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-..to the urine

-deposited on the lowlands.

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-There's reasons to believe

-that the emissions could be lower.

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-What we're doing up here

-is trying to prove that.

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-In a way, this is a huge experiment

-for us as an industry...

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-..and for upland farmers.

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-If the results

-are good and positive...

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-..this could be a good story for us

-to sell lamb from the mountains.

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-Yes, and that's the way

-it seems right now.

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-Oh, I hope this is true.

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-There's a smile on your face

-and it looks promising.

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-If the results are as good

-as you believe them to be...

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-..it's great for the industry...

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-..and great for the environment too.

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-Interesting things happening

-on the Carneddau.

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-This experiment will show where the

-industry is going on upland farms.

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-The next thing for me is lambing.

-Make sure you call in.

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-From the mountain to the city.

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-Last week,

-the NFU held its conference.

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-Policy and the election of officers

-topped the agenda.

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-The ICC conference centre

-in Birmingham.

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-Last Tuesday and Wednesday,

-farmers came to town...

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-..to attend the annual

-NFU conference.

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-The theme this year

-was Recipe For Change.

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-It's been an important

-and successful conference.

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-1,500 people attended over the

-two days and it's been excellent.

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-We've had leading politicians

-from Westminster and Cardiff...

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-..industry partners, stakeholders,

-retailers and processors.

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-On Tuesday afternoon, NFU Cymru held

-an event focusing on Welsh needs.

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-It was an opportunity for John

-Davies, NFU Cymru's new president...

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-..and Lesley Griffiths,

-the Cabinet Secretary...

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-..for Energy, Planning and Rural

-Affairs, to address the audience.

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-It's important

-that we keep farmers on the land.

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-It's important

-that we recognise that.

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-We need to make sure they recognise

-the public goods they provide...

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-..but we will need to see

-an increase.

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-Fantastic clean water,

-clean air quality.

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-It's important

-that they continue to do that.

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-Food production is really important.

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-Ask the public what do farmers do...

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-..the first thing they think of

-is produce our food.

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-Andy Richardson, chair of the Welsh

-Food & Drink Board, also spoke.

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-He emphasised the size of the growth

-in this sector.

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-The income Wales generates

-in food production is substantial.

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-There's a turnover of 7bn

-in the Welsh food and drink sector.

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-That's increased by almost 2bn

-over the past four years.

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-This is a good news story.

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-I'm glad that I'm

-a Welsh food producer.

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-It's was good to see

-the good relationship...

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-..between the NFU and the

-other unions with the government.

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-That's something to welcome.

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-There's a lot of cooperation.

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-The minister appreciates

-the work the NFU does.

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-There's a lot of cooperation...

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-..when dealing with pollution

-and water quality.

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-It's been very promising.

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-We have to do something,

-starting now...

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-..about Brexit.

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-There will be changes. We have

-to be ready for those changes.

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-Closing the session was

-Laura Elliott, chair of Wales YFC.

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-As well as raising the question

-of succession...

0:21:200:21:23

-..and cutting taxes

-to help people exit the industry...

0:21:230:21:27

-..she emphasised the importance

-of the YFC...

0:21:270:21:31

-..in transferring information

-from one generation to the next.

0:21:310:21:36

-The next generation

-is really important to me.

0:21:360:21:39

-I have a son and daughter

-who are really interested...

0:21:390:21:43

-..in being involved in our industry.

0:21:430:21:46

-They're excited

-about being part of it.

0:21:460:21:49

-We need the brightest

-and best people involved...

0:21:490:21:52

-..not just in our union

-but in our industry.

0:21:530:21:55

-On the second day, it was time

-to say goodbye to Meurig Raymond...

0:21:550:22:00

-..as the NFU's president.

0:22:000:22:02

-He's been part

-of the union's work for 14 years...

0:22:020:22:07

-..and president for four years.

0:22:070:22:10

-Can I thank the membership,

-the staff...

0:22:100:22:13

-..the officeholders I worked with.

0:22:130:22:16

-Can I wish every success

-to the new officeholder team...

0:22:160:22:21

-..that's going to head up this great

-organisation in the years to come.

0:22:210:22:27

-It was time to elect

-a new president.

0:22:300:22:34

-The deputy president Minette

-Batters was elected as president.

0:22:340:22:38

-Guy Smith became her deputy.

0:22:390:22:41

-Stuart Roberts was chosen

-as vice president.

0:22:420:22:44

-Minette is a beef farmer and runs

-a corporate events business...

0:22:450:22:50

-..from her farm in Wiltshire.

0:22:500:22:52

-She also led the Ladies in Beef

-campaign...

0:22:520:22:56

-..and she organised

-the Great British Beef Week.

0:22:560:22:59

-We have a new officeholder team.

0:23:000:23:02

-It's great to be working

-with Guy as my deputy...

0:23:020:23:06

-..and John and Aled in Wales

-to give us a really strong team.

0:23:060:23:10

-There are different priorities

-in Wales...

0:23:100:23:13

-..but we've got some strength

-in the UK.

0:23:130:23:16

-Congratulations

-to Minette Batters...

0:23:190:23:22

-..the first woman elected leader

-of any farming union in Britain...

0:23:220:23:27

-..despite wives contributing

-so much to the farming industry.

0:23:270:23:32

-That's all for this week.

0:23:320:23:33

-Thanks for your company.

-Goodbye to you all.

0:23:340:23:37

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0:23:550:23:57

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0:23:570:23:57

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