Mon, 15 Feb 2016 Ffermio

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-Hello and a warm welcome to Ffermio.

-Dairy farmers have been having

-a hard time since early 2015.

-Milk prices have almost halved

-for many of them.

-We ask how much hope there is

-of things improving any time soon...

-..especially as many processing

-companies are reorganizing...

-..and changing their contracts.

-Later, Alun discovers

-how farmers have come together...

-..to compare and discuss

-their businesses...

-..with the help of Farming Connect.

-Before that, the weather

-has been awful for three months.

-Every sector within agriculture

-is suffering as a result.

-Despite this,

-Daloni meets a young couple...

-..who are venturing into farming...

-..and are busy

-ploughing their own furrow.

-Gwawr Hughes, Tomos Williams

-and their son Elgan...

-..live at Bodgaeaf Uchaf.

-It's near Bryncroes,

-in the heart of the Lleyn Peninsula.

-They're on their second year here,

-and are up to their eyes in lambs.

-How many have come already?

-About a hundred.

-About a hundred twins have gone out,

-and some 50 ewes.

-Fifty ewes have had twins.

-How many ewes are there in all?

-How many ewes are there in all?

-

-A little over 400 this year.

-Then you're only just beginning?

-Then you're only just beginning?

-

-Yes, yes.

-They'll be quick once they start,

-next week and the week after.

-And they're bagged up?

-And they're bagged up?

-

-Yes, as the weather's bad.

-We've had a lot of rain recently.

-Using the coats

-makes a world of difference...

-..just to keep them dry

-and the rain off their backs.

-If it saves one lamb from the cold,

-you've paid for the bags.

-That's how we look at it.

-Gwawr grew up in the Nantlle Valley.

-Her family farms sheep

-and beef cattle.

-Tomos also grew up on a farm,

-Berth Aur, not far from Tudweiliog.

-They have 100 acres at Bodgaeaf,

-and a further 60 acres in Ceidio.

-When did you come here, Tomos?

-When did you come here, Tomos?

-

-We came here in January 2015.

-So, you've only been here

-for 13 months?

-That's right.

-Where are the sheep from?

-Most of them came from my home,

-from Berth Aur.

-How many did you bring here?

-How many did you bring here?

-

-About 300-350 of them, probably.

-And you've had to buy more in.

-We have this year,

-just to raise the numbers.

-Are you still

-trying to find your feet...

-..or are you following the pattern

-set out by your father at Berth Aur?

-We follow a similar pattern.

-Stick to what we know.

-When will the lambs be sold?

-In May, hopefully. That's the plan.

-In May, hopefully. That's the plan.

-

-Where will they go?

-Woodheads, usually,

-but it depends on the price.

-The best offer will take them.

-It's different from home, Gwawr.

-Yes, it is.

-It's usually a lot warmer here

-than in the Nantlle Valley.

-That's not the case today,

-as it's cold and windy.

-But it's quite a change.

-What's the pattern of work here

-between you, Tomos and little Elgan?

-The ewes all lamb in here...

-..simply because we have room

-for them to do so, to be honest.

-Given that they are Suffolk Mules...

-..lambing outdoors isn't as easy

-as it is with Welsh ewes, perhaps.

-To make sure the lambs all come,

-we keep them in the shed.

-We try to move them

-into small pens immediately...

-..on clean straw.

-They're kept in overnight, usually,

-then go out the following day.

-The sooner, the better, really.

-Even though Gwawr's busy at home...

-..she's Farming Connect's

-Pig & Poultry Technical Officer.

-She also has a herd

-of Black Welsh Mountain sheep.

-You grew up on Ffridd Farm

-in the Nantlle Valley.

-We immediately link that name

-with Black Welsh Mountain sheep.

-You have won many times

-at the Royal Welsh Show.

-And you've brought them to Lleyn!

-And you've brought them to Lleyn!

-

-Yes, that was the bargain!

-They have come with me to Lleyn.

-It's a bit different to Ffridd.

-The terrain and so on.

-They tend to grow faster here,

-on the lowlands.

-There's plenty of food

-for them in Lleyn.

-And this big one is the champion.

-And this big one is the champion.

-

-The big one, yes.

-This is Eryri Special...

-..the breed's champion ram

-at last year's Royal Welsh...

-..and the breed's

-overall reserve champion.

-He's ready to go again this year,

-hopefully.

-As long as we give him enough food

-until then, we'll be fine.

-They also keep cattle here.

-How many do you have, Tomos?

-About 20 cattle this year.

-Have these come from Berth Aur too?

-Have these come from Berth Aur too?

-

-Yes, 14 of them came from home.

-We bought six in calf last summer.

-Have you left anything

-for your father and brother?

-They do alright!

-What's the pattern with the cattle?

-The same as at home.

-Finishing fatstock, in a way.

-We have options

-about what to do with them.

-We can sell them as sucklers,

-stores or as fatstock.

-I'll stick as we are for now.

-I may try to finish them earlier.

-Younger, in a way.

-Younger, in a way.

-

-How much earlier?

-We finish them

-at two years to 30 months now.

-I may try to finish them

-aged 20 months, maybe.

-It may be a challenging time

-for agriculture...

-..but this enthusiastic young couple

-clearly love farming...

-..and are looking forward

-to the future.

-We've been lucky

-to have had a fairly good start.

-Yes, we've been very lucky that way.

-Because we've both

-been raised on a farm...

-..I think we're both aware...

-..of the fluctuations

-in the industry for many years now.

-We've learnt how to deal with it

-and how to carry on.

-It isn't an ideal situation...

-..to come into the industry

-as it is currently...

-..but we have to adapt and move on.

-It's important for every farmer

-to try to look ahead.

-Don't stand still and be satisfied,

-always try to improve and change.

-That way, at least

-you try to move ahead every year.

-What's your biggest worry?

-At the moment, our biggest worry

-is potentially coming out of Europe.

-If that happens, it seems no-one

-will get any Single Payments.

-For us now, it's a huge help.

-Starting out, definitely.

-It's a step to move on,

-instead of going around in circles.

-The Single Payment helps us to

-improve the business year on year.

-The only answer for us currently...

-..is to make sure

-that we adapt now...

-..in preparation for a time...

-..when the Single Payment

-will no longer be available to us.

-We'll have to consider a way

-to bring in extra income.

-What that will be, we'll see.

-But you enjoy it

-and it's in your blood.

-Yes, it's in our blood.

-I doubt you could do it

-if you didn't like it.

-I can't think of a worse job

-if you didn't like it!

-If your heart's not in it,

-you couldn't do it.

-It's definitely in us

-and always has been.

-It's clearly in Elgan too.

-Well, yes.

-That, farming, and eating.

-Yes.

-Yay!

-Good luck to the young couple.

-Statistics show that Wales

-has 58 fewer dairy farmers...

-..compared to this period last year.

-That's the equivalent

-of one farmer a week...

-..giving up

-and leaving the industry.

-Peter Rees from Llandovery has been

-keeping an eye on the industry.

-What is his opinion

-about the current situation?

-Unfortunately, it's still serious.

-The price of milk worldwide

-is still low.

-Nothing has changed.

-We're still producing too much milk.

-Production in the UK is up 2%-5%.

-It's still up across Europe.

-Nothing has changed in the market.

-Something must change

-before the price goes up.

-If there's too much milk on

-the market, the price can only drop.

-We see that milk production

-is now down in New Zealand.

-Some of the cattle

-have been slaughtered.

-That is having an effect.

-There's no sign of it

-happening in Europe yet.

-How have the processing companies

-changed the contracts?

-Over the past year,

-the contracts have changed.

-There are A contracts

-and B contracts.

-The level of the A contract...

-..depends on how much milk you have

-produced over the past two years.

-You get 90% of that

-at one price level...

-..and the B contract covers

-the additional 10% that's produced.

-It's a way for the processors...

-..to control

-how much milk the farmers sell.

-But the problem we have

-is that as it stands...

-..it doesn't seem to be worthwhile

-for a farmer to produce less milk.

-Can we expect prices

-to stay unstable for the long term?

-Oh, yes.

-Everyone said that it would happen

-once quotas were abolished.

-It has happened, and it's now worse

-than we thought it would be.

-But the price will definitely rise,

-production will rise too high...

-..and the price will fall again.

-The fluctuations in the market

-will continue.

-But if the market does grow,

-we have to ensure...

-..that we make enough profit

-to survive when the price is higher.

-That has happened for years

-in the pig industry.

-It'll be true

-for the dairy industry too.

-One thing is certain.

-Every farmer must be efficient...

-..know how much

-it costs them to produce milk...

-..and assess

-any decision thoroughly.

-That's all for part one.

-After the break, I meet a family

-that's going against the flow...

-..and is investing

-in the dairy industry...

-..and Alun meets farmers who are

-cooperating to improve performance.

-We'll see you in two minutes.

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-Welcome back.

-As we heard in the first part, it's

-a difficult time for dairy farmers.

-But today, I'm visiting a family

-who have faith in the industry.

-They've decided to invest

-at an uncertain time.

-Gelligatrog, Llandyfaelog,

-Carmarthenshire...

-..is home

-to Elwyn and Cheryl Thomas.

-They've just built

-a new milking parlour...

-..and increased

-the size of the herd.

-They've supplied many companies

-but their milk now goes to Muller.

-What kind of year has it been?

-It's been quite exciting.

-As you know,

-we have a new set-up here.

-The old parlour

-was coming to the end of its days.

-If we were to remain in the

-industry, we felt we had to invest.

-Otherwise,

-we had to leave the industry.

-That wasn't an option for us.

-We've invested a considerable amount

-in the set-up.

-We just hope

-that things will improve.

-I feel that we may have done it

-at the wrong time.

-But we've geared ourselves up

-and we're ready...

-..so it's heads down now

-and get on with it.

-What is the biggest problem

-for the industry?

-There are many contributing factors

-to the current situation.

-For one thing, I don't feel

-that milk is marketed enough.

-If you go to the dentist...

-..your dentist will tell you

-to drink milk or water.

-In that case,

-why don't we as an industry...

-..take the opportunity

-to better market our product?

-The unions and companies

-such as DairyCo...

-..should be marketing milk

-and making it more trendy to buy.

-It should be the obvious choice

-for the cup holder...

-..when you're on the road.

-Do you think overproduction

-has also contributed to the problem?

-Yes, to some extent.

-Having said that,

-there's been nothing in place...

-..to stop overproduction.

-We can all say

-that we shouldn't have expanded...

-..but if there was nothing

-to stop us expanding...

-..and importing animals,

-it was the obvious thing to do.

-Nowadays, everyone looks after

-their own business.

-Every farm is different.

-Something that suits us on this farm

-may not suit the farm down the road.

-Another big problem is that

-everyone's situation is different.

-Some are paid as little as

-8 or 9 pence per litre.

-Others are still being paid

-28 or 30 pence per litre.

-I think the average price

-is 24p per litre.

-There is such a vast difference.

-As an industry, we can never unite

-under these circumstances.

-Those being paid 28p

-are perfectly happy.

-I would be happy enough too

-and I wouldn't go out to protest.

-But we have to consider

-the bigger picture.

-Within six months, those being paid

-28p might be down to 20p per litre.

-They may want to protest.

-Are further protests

-being organized?

-We have a protest in March.

-It will be on Wednesday 23 March.

-Farmers will be protesting

-on the streets of London...

-..and the protest

-will end at Downing Street.

-How does the situation

-affect you mentally from day to day?

-I'm very concerned.

-I'd be lying

-if I pretended otherwise.

-When I'm milking, I really enjoy

-my time in the milking parlour.

-But when it comes to paying

-the bills, it's no joke.

-I'm determined to see it through.

-I hope that thousands of others

-feel the same as me.

-We chose this career.

-We're not going to let

-the government walk all over us.

-In an attempt to keep farm targets

-ambitious and realistic...

-..Farming Connect advises farmers

-to form benchmarking groups.

-They can compare prices,

-systems and figures.

-Alun has more information.

-It's important to view the farm

-as a business these days.

-Gethin Owen, who farms at Nant yr

-Efail with his father Richard...

-..has decided to work with

-Farming Connect.

-He wants to take advantage

-of expert advice...

-..as he plans for the future

-and works to develop the farm.

-It's crunch time, I suppose.

-In another five years, it's likely

-there won't be a single payment.

-So we have five years

-to make sure our businesses...

-..can stand on their own two feet.

-I believe the best way to learn

-and to improve your business...

-..is to keep an open mind...

-..and talk things over with other

-farmers who run similar systems.

-Everyone can learn

-from each other's strengths.

-Gethin and his father

-now farm 650 sheep and 35 cattle...

-..on 300 acres of land.

-As well as farming,

-Gethin also works for AHDB.

-His work at AHDB

-and Farming Connect...

-..have allowed him

-to see a variety of systems.

-He realizes the importance

-of planning and benchmarking.

-To be honest, we have

-a liquorice allsorts of sheep here.

-We've tried lots of breeds and every

-cross under the sun over the years!

-Before we started

-measuring and weighing...

-..and making use of EID...

-..we weren't sure

-which sheep was best for this farm.

-The most productive and the most

-profitable sheep for this farm.

-Since we started

-making use of EID...

-..we can link a lamb to the sheep

-at birth and follow its progress.

-I weigh the lambs

-when they're weaned.

-I then follow the lamb's progress

-up until slaughter.

-Which breeds came out on top

-following your assessment?

-One sheep was head and shoulders

-above the rest.

-That was the Aberdale cross sheep.

-For every kilo of sheep

-introduced to the ram...

-..they produced

-almost 30% more kilo of lambs...

-..compared to the others.

-The only drawback is the fact

-that they're so productive.

-We have to try and control

-the number of triplets.

-By weighing and measuring and

-attending the benchmarking group...

-..I saw there was room to improve...

-..the number of kilos of lamb

-produced per hectare.

-I'm not sure if I want to produce

-more lamb meat from the same land...

-..or produce the same amount

-from less land.

-Not far from Nant yr Efail

-is Ifan Ellis's farm.

-He's also taken advantage

-of Farming Connect advice...

-..and has planned carefully

-for the future.

-The farm is on quite high land.

-We keep about 1,200 breeding ewes

-and their resulting shearlings.

-We also buy in a few young store

-cattle to clear up every summer.

-When we started the group, our aim

-was to increase our output...

-..for every hectare we farm.

-I think that's what

-every sheep farmer should do.

-We need to make more

-of every piece of land we have.

-We looked at grazing systems.

-We thought it would help

-to make the most of the grass...

-..and try and fatten

-as many lambs as possible on grass.

-I feel that the sheep industry

-is lagging behind...

-..compared with the dairy industry.

-They record everything and know

-the exact cost of a litre of milk.

-I think it would help

-the sheep industry...

-..if we did the same

-in terms of recording information.

-Gethin Prys Davies

-is responsible for...

-..the red meat demonstration farm

-network in North Wales...

-..on behalf of Farming Connect.

-One aspect of discussion groups

-in terms of sharing information...

-..is benchmarking - something

-we feel farmers should be doing.

-We hope to develop a programme

-that is available to farmers...

-..so that they can

-compare themselves...

-..with other farmers in Wales,

-not just within their group.

-They will be able

-to compare their performance...

-..in different aspects

-of the business...

-..whether relating to

-cattle or sheep.

-The Farm Business Survey

-is sent to farmers every year.

-Can that be linked in to this?

-Yes, they can both be used.

-You can compare your own figures

-with the figures in the survey.

-That is very good practice to see

-if your business is performing...

-..below average or whether

-it's in the top or bottom third.

-It's a very useful benchmark

-for farmers.

-This is the system

-for inputting the information.

-What's the name for this?

-This programme has been developed

-by Farming Connect.

-This spreadsheet

-is called Measure to Manage.

-The resource is available

-to discussion groups...

-..to facilitate benchmarking,

-whatever their system...

-..cattle, sheep or mixed.

-There are a great many

-successful farmers of all ages.

-The older generation based their

-knowledge on experience, prudence...

-..and a good eye for an animal.

-For the younger generation,

-the terminology has changed.

-They base their work

-on business planning...

-..and measuring

-animal performance...

-..based on collecting

-and sharing information.

-The message I want to convey...

-..is that people should be willing

-to weigh things up at home.

-You need to understand your costs

-and also join benchmarking groups.

-I think it's the way forward,

-not only as a way of learning...

-..but also as a way

-of having fun together.

-I feel it's a way of keeping

-the industry young and fresh.

-More events

-are held by Farming Connect.

-For more information, visit

-their website or give them a call.

-That's it for this programme.

-Despite it being a challenging time

-for farmers...

-..it's nice to see young people

-having a go...

-..to ensure a prosperous future

-for themselves and their families.

-Until next time,

-thank you for joining us.

-Goodbye.

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