Mon, 03 Oct 2016 Ffermio

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-Hello and welcome to Ffermio

-and the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

-Bovine TB has cast its shadow

-over the chamber once again.

-The question being asked is this.

-Is there an alternative way to

-control the disease here in Wales?

-Also on the programme, Daloni visits

-Richard Tudor from Llanerfyl.

-She'll be looking

-at his beef enterprise.

-Meinir has been following

-the Young Farmers' tractor tour.

-Bovine TB has been

-a burning issue for decades.

-With the current scheme

-to vaccinate badgers...

-..postponed

-for an indefinite period...

-..there are many farmers

-who have to continue their fight...

-..with no certainty of a future.

-They say that a picture

-is worth a thousand words.

-For John and Eirlys Phillips,

-Cilifan, Trelech, Carmarthenshire...

-..there are no appropriate words

-to describe the nightmare...

-..of living with bovine TB

-for 15 years...

-..and seeing the cattle

-leave the farm to be culled.

-Every one of them.

-Neither of them

-felt up to speaking on camera.

-Alun Davies

-is one of the farm's vets.

-The beginning of this incredibly

-sad day starts some 15 years ago...

-..around the millennium.

-John had an annual test.

-Almost 40 cattle

-were diagnosed with bovine TB.

-In the years that have passed

-since then, up until 2012...

-..they've been under a movement

-restriction for their animals...

-..for a year.

-They had six months of being clear.

-Since 2012...

-..they've only had six months

-without a movement restriction.

-During the last 15 years...

-..I think between 400-500 cattle

-have been culled from this farm...

-..due to bovine TB.

-I think that the ministry,

-who make these decisions...

-..saw that the situation

-was becoming impossible.

-Testing wasn't clearing

-the disease from the farm.

-I've been a vet in this area

-for over 40 years.

-For the first 20 years I worked...

-..I don't think

-I saw a positive test.

-In the last 20 years...

-..I fear the situation

-has got much, much worse.

-We've spoken about how wildlife

-can affect this disease.

-I'm not sure if that was the problem

-here, particularly recently.

-It may have played a part

-early on in the situation.

-Recently,

-the biggest problem we had here...

-..was that the tests

-were not picking up infected cattle.

-This has been shown in cattle

-who went from here to the abattoir.

-They'd had over 20 tests but

-when they went to the abattoir...

-..they had symptoms of bovine TB.

-About four miles down the road,

-Gwyndaf Thomas keeps a dairy herd.

-Unlike the situation at Cilifan...

-..bovine TB

-is a recent problem on his farm.

-We had 350 dairy cattle

-here at one point.

-We kept 150 young stock.

-We've been clear and we've been

-farming here for 20 years.

-We haven't had much of a TB problem.

-We had a test back in July,

-and 110 cattle went down with TB.

-It wouldn't surprise me if clearing

-this ridge behind us was a cause.

-Every tree was felled.

-If I was a fox, badger

-or anything else...

-..and saw all those trees

-coming down, I'd move pretty quick.

-I'd think by now

-there was a system in place...

-..that when someone

-is licensed to chop trees down...

-..someone from Animal and Plant

-Health makes an assessment...

-..of which wild animals

-are walking around...

-..before the licence

-is given to fell the trees.

-There has been a drop of 37%

-in the number of TB cases...

-..since the culling programme

-began in 2008.

-What do the two think

-of the government's efforts...

-..in tackling the disease?

-I think the intention of eradicating

-TB is strongly felt by farmers.

-I'm not sure that the political

-element comes into the process.

-There's a source of bovine TB

-in the wildlife.

-Those two things work together...

-..the TB in cattle

-and the TB in wildlife.

-No country in the world

-has eradicated TB completely...

-..without tackling and controlling

-the numbers of their wildlife.

-I don't think

-they're trying hard enough.

-They know that badgers

-and other forms of wildlife...

-..carry this disease.

-They should make an effort

-to sort it out in the wildlife too.

-Taking dairy cattle or other cattle

-out of the system...

-..isn't good enough.

-They say they make decisions

-based on evidence.

-How much more evidence do they need

-when the number of cattle...

-..killed because of TB

-keeps climbing?

-Or do they use that as an excuse

-not to take responsibility?

-As a country, we've voted

-to leave the European Union.

-Industry leaders

-and the government...

-..need to open doors for us...

-..and promote our produce across

-the world as high-quality produce.

-If this black cloud

-continues to hang over our heads...

-..their work will be more difficult.

-That's our worry for the long term.

-At the Senedd today,

-four opposition AMs...

-..are calling

-on the Welsh Government...

-..to deal with bovine TB

-in the most effective way possible.

-We hope this argument

-will give the government support...

-..by giving them

-a deep and wide illustration...

-..of the problems

-farmers face at present.

-95% of Welsh herds are free of TB.

-Over the last year,

-there was an increase of 43%...

-..in the number of cattle

-culled in Wales.

-The purpose of doing this

-across the parties today...

-..is to put pressure

-on the government.

-They're going to announce their plan

-to eradicate TB in three weeks.

-We want to make sure

-they hear from the Assembly...

-..that we give voice to the worries

-farmers and rural people have...

-..in the chamber.

-We're hoping to lead the government

-to be more inclusive...

-..in the way

-they deal with the problem...

-..of TB in cattle

-and in wildlife as well.

-Lesley Griffiths is the Secretary

-for Environment and Rural Affairs...

-..in the Welsh Government.

-It was good

-to have that discussion today.

-Since I've come into post in May,

-I've said I'd look at the policy.

-I intended to refresh it and I've

-spent the summer considering that.

-I'll be making a statement

-on 18 October.

-Compared to last year...

-..the number of cattle culled

-so far this year has increased.

-How much of a worry is that

-in the context of your decision?

-I don't want to see

-that number rise.

-It is rising

-because of the hard testing...

-..and how sensitive we are being.

-That accounts for the rise

-in the number of reactors.

-The incidence in herds,

-however, is falling considerably.

-Is it fair to say

-that the politicians are stalling...

-..because of public opinion

-on badger-culling?

-No, my predecessors and I

-have clearly said...

-..that we would take the decision

-about our eradication programme...

-..on evidence-based research.

-That was the stance in the manifesto

-and that is how I think...

-..we should get the eradication

-programme moving forward.

-I'm very glad we've had this

-discussion and what we want now...

-..is to see action being taken

-by the Welsh Government.

-It is an unfortunate fact...

-..that previous administrations

-have failed to act on this matter.

-I want to see a holistic approach

-of dealing with this awful disease.

-Several AMs are saying

-that it is time to act now.

-We have to bear in mind the effect

-it will have as we leave the EU.

-The Welsh Government has to act

-and act quickly.

-The big problem

-is that the government...

-..does not have

-a meaningful policy on TB.

-There's no prospect of solving

-this problem for the future...

-..unless we take advantage

-of all the options...

-..which includes a humane and

-effective cull of infected badgers.

-We're no nearer the shore.

-People can play around

-with statistics...

-..but the truth is

-we're not succeeding.

-Governments in Wales

-have failed again and again.

-Politicians like to say

-they listen to experts.

-Vets and farmers say

-that there needs to be a cull...

-..as part of a wider scheme.

-That's something

-the Welsh Government must introduce.

-Although opposition parties

-claim the government has failed...

-..the Badger Trust

-here in Wales disagrees.

-We are really impressed.

-Wales is on the cusp

-of going TB free.

-Do you realize

-what that means for Wales?

-It means you can trade your animals

-all over the world.

-In Europe,

-there will be no hold-back.

-The farmers need congratulating for

-working with the Welsh Government.

-We are well impressed.

-Looking at the discussions

-that took place today...

-..on the menu

-is the possibility of a return...

-..to some kind of badger management,

-possibly including a cull.

-How would you feel about that?

-Disappointed, because

-it's a road that's going nowhere.

-It's clear that this is a subject

-which divides opinions.

-Whilst that is the case...

-..a few farmers

-will have to continue to trade...

-..under the shadow

-of this awful disease.

-The big question is whether

-the politicians acknowledge...

-..that cattle and wildlife

-need to be dealt with equally.

-John will wake up tomorrow to no

-animals in the fields or sheds.

-The problem is still there.

-It's going to take a while

-to get used to it...

-..over the next few weeks.

-He can't own any stock

-for two months.

-He has to wash

-and disinfect the buildings.

-John is confident he can carry on

-and I hope that is the case.

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-Welcome back.

-This week, the Farmers Weekly

-annual awards ceremony...

-..is being held

-at a grand hotel in London.

-There are lots of categories...

-..one of them being

-the best beef cattle farmer.

-Daloni visited one farmer

-from Wales who's in the race.

-Richard Tudor and his family's home

-is Llysun Farm in Llanerfyl.

-They keep 140 breeding cows,

-Simmental-Saler cross...

-..and over 1,200 sheep

-on 290 hectares.

-Congratulations on your nomination,

-Richard.

-Thanks. It's a surprise

-that we've reached the last three.

-We'll see how it goes on the night -

-one step at a time.

-What sort of farm is it?

-An uplands farm.

-It's not a mountain farm,

-but it's not a lowland farm either.

-We have a mixture of lower land

-and mountain land.

-That's where the importance

-of the cattle comes in...

-..to get the best from the mountain

-and the lowlands.

-What attracted you to these breeds?

-They all have their own advantages

-and virtues.

-Simmental cows are good for milk

-production and are good mothers.

-The calves grow well,

-but they are often overdue.

-We decided to go for Salers

-because they calve on time.

-They come on better as a result

-and better suit the mountains.

-And the Charolais?

-And the Charolais?

-

-Yes, Charolais is the last cross.

-Once we have the Sim-Salers,

-the Angus and Stabilisers come in.

-Then we use Charolais because

-our main market is store cattle.

-Customers come to buy them, so you

-have to produce what they want.

-Richard has a spring calving system.

-The emphasis is on fertility

-and improving the breeding...

-..to develop cattle which

-will flourish here on the uplands.

-When do the cattle come up here?

-Once they've calved,

-which happens from April onwards.

-Once we dehorn the calves, tag them

-and sort them into groups...

-..they come up here

-from about the middle of May.

-They're here then

-when they're serviced by a bull.

-With luck, they'll be here until the

-end of the first week in November.

-You're a lot higher up here

-than Llysun.

-Yes, it's 1,400 feet

-on the top here.

-This is the highest part

-of the mountain and the whole farm.

-There's one group of Saler cattle.

-They have been

-with the Saler bull this year.

-The cross cattle

-have been with the Charolais bull.

-We keep them in groups of about 25

-to a bull during the first month.

-Once they've had a month

-with one bull, we collate them...

-..so there'll be about 50 plus

-running in groups then.

-Do you sell them

-from about ten months old?

-Yes, the strongest calves,

-the Charolais and the Salers.

-There's a sale in Welshpool,

-usually at the end of February.

-We're lucky that we've got

-good customers there.

-The same customer has bought

-most of them the last two years.

-That's a sign that the cattle

-are performing for him.

-These are the heifers, Richard.

-Yes, heifers between

-12 and 15 months old.

-They will calve as two-year-olds.

-They've had AI.

-We synchronize everything to get

-the bull at the beginning of July.

-They then run with the bull

-for two cycles.

-The aim is that within 45 days...

-..they should all have had

-three chances with the bull.

-Which AI bull do you give them?

-Which AI bull do you give them?

-

-These have all had Angus this year.

-One advantage of using an AI bull

-is that you can try different ones.

-There are a couple of Stabiliser

-heifers here, and Angus.

-We've been comparing them.

-We can try the Saler

-and the Simmental with the heifers.

-At the moment,

-Angus is the favourite.

-Seeing Richard work, and his pride

-in the herd, is a pleasure.

-The main aim is to get a cow

-that suits its environment.

-Perhaps a cow that is a bit smaller

-works better on the grass.

-We're looking

-at how the market is changing.

-They want smaller cattle.

-The abattoirs want smaller cattle.

-You can see the influence of native

-breeds such as Angus and Shorthorns.

-We just keep an eye on the market...

-..and be ready to develop

-and have a more flexible system...

-..to move into that market,

-if need be.

-This year, the YFC has been

-celebrating its 80th birthday.

-Over the decades, the movement

-has offered various experiences...

-..to young people in rural Wales.

-Meinir joined in the celebrations.

-As part of Welsh Young Farmers

-Clubs' celebrations...

-..the chairman is travelling

-by tractor to all the counties.

-Today, it's Carmarthenshire's turn

-to host the event.

-It's starting from the home

-of the County President...

-..Tyllwyd Farm, Felingwm Uchaf,

-Carmarthenshire.

-I've been involved with the

-Young Farmers for almost 80 years!

-It's an honour to have

-the whole day here...

-..raising money for the national

-movement on a Wales level...

-..and also for Carmarthenshire.

-My term as President

-ends in two months.

-It is an honour, believe me.

-Vicky Hope has been the Chairman

-during the last year.

-She has enjoyed travelling

-all over Wales...

-..going from county to county

-in her new tractor.

-How's the journey going?

-How's the journey going?

-

-It's a very bumpy journey.

-It's nice to look around places

-that I might not otherwise go.

-How many miles have you done?

-With all the tractor runs so far,

-it has been over 300 miles.

-It has been a fantastic year.

-I've had so many experiences.

-I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

-Eurios Thomas,

-the county organizer...

-..is key to the Young Farmers

-in Carmarthenshire.

-With the movement across Wales

-celebrating 80 years...

-..Eurios has been in her job

-for about half that time.

-How has she seen the movement

-changing over the years?

-We still hold the same competitions

-- stock judging and so on.

-And they're still as popular,

-if not more popular these days.

-It has kept going and developing.

-If people want to take part...

-..the opportunity is there.

-There's something for everyone,

-from the countryside or the town.

-What is the main challenge

-facing the movement?

-Finding money

-to finance the movement...

-..on a national Wales level,

-and on a county basis.

-I'm afraid that's the problem

-facing them in the near future.

-Arwel Jones will take over as

-the Chairman of Wales before long.

-The movement lost 40,000 last year,

-so what future does he foresee?

-There's a glowing future.

-The movement is at the heart

-of rural Wales...

-..and brings people

-of all ages together.

-It's important for the members

-to learn countryside skills.

-They are the next leaders

-of the rural communities...

-..and county councils, and I hope

-one or two will be in the Assembly.

-You lost funding last year.

-How did you cope?

-It was very hard

-for the officers preceding me.

-We've restructured

-and we've had to tighten our belt.

-It's important

-that we look to the future.

-We're looking into developing

-the youth village...

-..and also developing other events

-that could bring in profit.

-After travelling over 20 miles

-around Carmarthenshire...

-..the fun was obvious to see

-on everybody's faces.

-So far so good. 30 tractors have

-turned up. It's important to us.

-It's been a special day, seeing

-the scenery in Carmarthenshire.

-I don't know where we've been!

-It went well.

-We didn't have much trouble.

-It was a bit tight in some places,

-but it was a good day.

-It was a bit challenging going

-through a river and up mountains...

-..but it was a nice variety.

-It has been superb. It's good

-to see different members here.

-Most of the people here today

-don't compete in the Eisteddfod...

-..but it's good

-that we get them together too.

-It's important to raise awareness

-of the movement.

-The movement is 80 years old and

-has gone from strength to strength.

-We're seeing

-a lot more young people joining.

-That's it for another week.

-There's a feeling...

-..that the decision of the Welsh

-Government in three weeks...

-..will be critical to the future

-of our cattle farmers in Wales.

-From me here in Cardiff,

-and everyone at Ffermio...

-..thank you for your company

-and goodbye to you all.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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