Mon, 10 Apr 2017 Ffermio

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-Every business needs

-a fast connection to the Internet...

-..but it's one of the factors...

-..stopping

-rural businesses flourishing.

-Is the Welsh Government

-doing enough to solve the problem?

-Also on the programme,

-sheep being killed by dogs...

-..and its effect

-on farming businesses.

-What laws relate to this?

-This is a huge problem.

-There are around 100 incidents

-in North Wales every year.

-Sheep are being killed,

-sheep are being injured.

-It's a major problem.

-After a mild March, we look at how

-weather affects farming patterns.

-As we search

-for new markets post-Brexit...

-..it's more important than ever to

-have a strong Internet connection.

-What's the situation right now?

-Alun discovers more.

-At a time when farmers

-are under pressure...

-..to make their businesses

-more efficient...

-..a reliable Internet connection

-is crucial.

-It's needed to promote business

-and to trade each day.

-Until recently, the main problem

-was upload and download speeds.

-In 2012, the Welsh Government...

-..awarded

-the Superfast Cymru contract...

-..to BT.

-The scheme would improve speeds

-to 24mbps or more...

-..by introducing fibre broadband

-to 96% of the country.

-Has this been achieved?

-Julie James is the

-Minister for Skills and Science.

-By the end of the programme...

-..we'll have 690,000 premises

-in Wales...

-..that will have 30meg or over

-download speeds...

-..and another 20,000

-will have between 24 and 30.

-This particular programme was always

-intended to get to 96% of premises.

-It's achieved

-what it intended to do.

-It's for us to get to the next 4%.

-The contract is coming to an end.

-Presumably, the plan was

-for the job to be done by then.

-There's 5-10%,

-depending on who you listen to...

-..that are still waiting.

-Are those in the countryside?

-The programme is in the countryside

-- it's a market intervention.

-We can't go anywhere where

-our commercial operator will go.

-It's no surprise

-that commercial operators...

-..want to go to

-high-population density areas.

-This programme is all

-in the rural area of Wales.

-Without us, whole counties

-wouldn't have any superfast.

-Ceredigion and Gwynedd

-had no commercial roll-out.

-Despite all the efforts

-of the Welsh Government...

-..the success

-isn't celebrated everywhere.

-Many are still without

-sufficient speed.

-Seven of the ten slowest areas

-in the UK are here in Wales.

-With equipment and machinery

-becoming more complex...

-..dairy farmers need a broadband

-connection to run milk parlours.

-Dafydd and Linda Morris

-from Llanrhystud...

-..have invested in their farm but

-they have no fast broadband access.

-With the robots, you need updates

-and these come from Holland.

-We can also incorporate TeamViewer.

-If something breaks down...

-..our suppliers can have

-remote access to repair it.

-We need a download speed of 1.7.

-That's not very fast.

-It's very slow

-but when we started, it was 0.03...

-..so it was very, very slow.

-A local lad wanted

-work experience...

-..before heading

-to an agricultural college.

-He said we'd need 4G

-through an aerial.

-We'd pay for a sim card every month

-on a contract of 24 months.

-That's over 700 just to get

-enough of an Internet connection...

-..for the robots.

-If we had fibre optic, we wouldn't

-need this additional cost.

-Tell us about that pole.

-It's reached the pole!

-It arrived a week and a half ago.

-I saw them change the poles.

-Fibre has reached here.

-We're not sure

-when it will be accessible.

-Agriculture isn't

-the only industry suffering.

-Businesses relying on tourism

-also have problems.

-One company which relies on the

-Internet is Dioni holiday agency.

-Their office

-is in the Ardudwy Valley.

-We employ four local girls,

-all working from home.

-We use Skype to communicate.

-We had 1.2m bookings last year.

-There are over 130 cottages

-on the website.

-How important is fast broadband

-for a company in rural Wales?

-It's crucial -

-this is how we promote the business.

-We don't publish any brochures.

-Everything is online.

-Technically, how do you get

-the broadband connection here...

-..and how much do you pay for it?

-They've rolled out the fibre

-to the cabinet in the village.

-There's fibre in the cabinet

-and it's improved matters...

-..but not as much as I'd hoped for.

-I get 9meg of download.

-What hurts us is the upload -

-0.3meg is our upload speed.

-That does pose a few problems.

-Can you solve that problem at all?

-It's not easy in a rural area

-like this.

-It is difficult but it would be

-nice to lead the way for once...

-..instead of trying to catch up

-with everyone else.

-The companies I compete with,

-they have an advantage over me.

-They upload their videos in no time.

-I have to work hard and pedal harder

-just to keep up with them.

-Under the UK Government's scheme...

-..everyone has a right to a speed

-of 10 megabits per second by 2020.

-Ofcom regulates the service

-across the country.

-They recently fined BT 42m

-for failing to reach the target...

-..of providing

-enough high speed broadband.

-They also insisted that BT

-and Openreach be managed separately.

-Rhodri Williams

-is the director of Ofcom in Wales.

-We believe that the changes we've

-introduced, and BT have accepted...

-..will guarantee improvements in

-the service provided by Openreach.

-Openreach will be a separate company

-with independent directors.

-They won't be answerable

-to the Chief Executive of BT.

-They'll be answerable

-to the industry as a whole.

-By the time we finish, the

-percentage of Welsh properties...

-..which have superfast broadband,

-300 megabits a second...

-..there will be more of it in Wales

-than in the rest of the UK.

-There's an irony there

-at the end of the day...

-..but we have to wait longer

-to get it.

-Time will tell if the provision

-of fast broadband...

-..will improve in rural areas...

-..but with all the uncertainty

-in the industry...

-..it's crucial that we have

-the resources to compete...

-..with the rest of country

-as we reach out to the world...

-..to sell our produce

-and manage our businesses.

-It's packed here in Carmarthen Mart.

-Over 250 cattle and 600 calves

-are being sold...

-..but with so much selling

-and buying...

-..it's not all good news

-for the dairy industry.

-According to recent figures, profits

-are at their lowest for 13 years.

-The figures provided

-by the Welsh Government...

-..are based on a survey of farming

-businesses between 2016 and 2017.

-It shows that dairy farm profits

-have decreased by 25%...

-..while beef and sheep farm profits

-have increased.

-What's the response of the unions?

-The price of milk

-has been low for two years.

-It comes as no shock

-that dairy profits are down 25%.

-That's true around the world.

-It's important to recognise

-that this will happen from now on.

-We have volatility, especially in

-the dairy sector, and other sectors.

-We need a system that helps us

-through the volatility.

-It will happen again.

-It's no surprise that profits

-are down considerably...

-..over the past two years.

-The price of milk plummeted. Some

-of us have seen the price halved.

-How are things now?

-How are things now?

-

-The situation has improved.

-Prices have returned to 25p

-per litre, up to 30p for some.

-There has been an improvement.

-I hope we can maintain these prices.

-We don't want peaks and troughs

-where the price fluctuates so much.

-We can't sustain a business

-like that.

-The dairy industry

-has had difficult times.

-Have lessons been learnt?

-Have lessons been learnt?

-

-With what's happened...

-..the milk price went so low, people

-lost confidence in investment.

-If we're going to invest

-going forward...

-..we need the guarantee

-of a good price for a year or two.

-Fluctuations won't help

-with investment.

-We need a system that ensures people

-are moving in the right direction.

-That's what's important for us.

-How can farmers make sure

-this won't happen again?

-Well...

-..it's too late for us

-as an industry to work together.

-As an industry,

-we're dispersed as dairy farmers...

-..with so many interests

-working against each other.

-That debate has been knocked

-on its head a long time ago.

-It's up to the individuals

-to look at their business...

-..and find some stability.

-They shouldn't expand too much.

-That's the main problem -

-we see too many cattle imports...

-..and that's no better than

-buying milk from Europe or Ireland.

-People must consider what they're

-doing before acting unwisely.

-That's it for Part 1.

-Dogs killing sheep and

-the effect of the weather in Part 2.

-Stay right where you are.

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-The Easter holidays

-are fast approaching.

-More people will visit rural areas

-to walk with their dogs.

-This can create problems

-for farmers.

-Porth Yr Hirfaen farm,

-Morfa Bychan, Porthmadog...

-..is home to Twm and Rhian Hughes.

-They keep 500 sheep

-They have a problem here.

-Dogs. Dogs not on a lead

-which attack their sheep.

-How many attacks have there been

-on your sheep by dogs?

-There have been four or five

-in the past two years.

-There were two a month ago,

-at the beginning of February.

-The injuries were horrific.

-There was no flesh left

-on their faces.

-They were still standing...

-..but we had to slaughter them.

-18 months ago, a sheep

-which had a lamb was attacked.

-The injuries she suffered

-were horrific.

-The skin hung off her.

-We took her to the vet's...

-..hoping she could be stitched

-back together but there was no hope.

-The injuries were too severe.

-Do you think dog owners

-have too many rights?

-Some of them think they have rights.

-We only ask them for two things.

-Close the gates after you

-and keep your dog on a lead.

-There are signs up.

-People pull them down.

-We ask people to put their dog

-on a lead and they refuse.

-According to

-the NFU Mutual's statistics...

-..there was an increase in insurance

-claims following dog attacks...

-..on stock from 18,000 in 2015...

-..to 27,000 in 2016.

-What rights do farmers have?

-How can they safeguard their stock?

-This is a huge problem.

-There are around 100 incidents

-in North Wales every year.

-Sheep are being killed,

-sheep are being injured.

-It's a major problem.

-We had five incidents

-in North Wales last weekend.

-Sheep died in each incident.

-It is a major problem.

-What exactly happens, Dewi?

-Usually, a dog escapes from the

-garden when the owner is in work.

-The dog attacks the animals

-in the field and then returns home.

-Often the owner

-knows nothing about it.

-Also,

-people take their dogs for walks.

-They slip off their lead

-or they're released...

-..and they attack the animals.

-We're trying to educate

-the dog owners, not the farmers.

-They have the responsibility

-of a dog.

-If you own a dog,

-a responsibility comes with it.

-If your dog is in a field

-with sheep, chasing the sheep...

-..the farmer has a right

-to shoot the dog.

-Seeing a sheep after an attack...

-..is heart-breaking.

-People aren't prosecuted

-sufficiently.

-They won't put their dog

-on the lead...

-..because they don't think their dog

-will chase or attack sheep.

-People do need to take

-their dogs for walks, Twm.

-That's true, but if they put them

-on a lead, they'd be OK.

-I don't have a problem with that.

-Once they come this way,

-they release the dog and it's gone.

-How are we going to

-educate these people?

-If they're walking on land

-with sheep and lambs...

-..just put your dog on a lead -

-that's what I don't understand.

-The forecast for the economy

-doesn't look that favourable...

-..but the weather

-has been kind to us.

-70 years ago, the story was

-very different. Daloni has more.

-The snow of 1947 is mythical.

-It snowed heavily

-for 55 consecutive days.

-Many farms were completely isolated.

-Roland Jones, Ty'n Llwyfan,

-Llanfairfechan, remembers that time.

-I was a young lad

-of 10, 11 years old.

-I have a strong recollection of it.

-Yes, my father was very worried

-at the time.

-They were chaffing.

-It was a very difficult time

-for all concerned. Yes indeed.

-The roads were all closed. We were

-isolated, we couldn't do a thing.

-We could only wait for the council

-workers to come and open them.

-How deep was the snow?

-About 15ft. Sheep had suffocated.

-How many sheep did you lose?

-During my father's time,

-I'd say he probably lost 70, 80.

-Really?

-Really?

-

-At that time.

-It was a huge blow for him.

-How did the great snow

-affect you as a family?

-It really affected my father.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Such a pity.

-It was a hard time.

-This is rough terrain.

-Yes, it can be cruel up here

-at times but there are good times.

-We've had heavy snow since 1947...

-..in '63, '82

-and more recently, in 2013.

-The snow affected Ty'n Llwyfan

-then too.

-One who remembers is Roland's son,

-Gareth Wyn Jones.

-Where we are here,

-in Llanfairfechan...

-..the Carneddau are behind us,

-27,000 acres.

-The drifting snow

-came through this valley.

-Through this valley

-and the next, Llys y Gwynt.

-Local farmers

-lost hundreds of sheep overnight.

-It was a very difficult time,

-Daloni.

-I'm a positive person...

-..as you know.

-It's difficult, when you suffer

-losses like that, to see positives.

-As you see it now,

-covered in lush green grass...

-..there's a huge difference.

-This time four years ago,

-we were surrounded by snow.

-I was searching for sheep every day.

-We come through it,

-we get over it...

-..we learn something

-and it makes you respect nature...

-..the weather

-and what we deal with every day.

-One thing sticks in my mind.

-The day we buried the ponies,

-I came down that night...

-..and I'm usually in high spirits...

-..but I was down in the dumps

-when I passed Dad's house.

-He knocked on the window

-and beckoned me in.

-He said, "Sit there and have

-a whisky. You're not yourself."

-He sat me down and said,

-"This has happened for a reason.

-"Ponies have wandered free on the

-mountains for thousands of years.

-"What you'll see is the weakest

-and the oldest will die."

-Do you know what?

-The following autumn,

-we rounded up the ponies...

-..and I can't remember seeing

-so many strong ponies before.

-Nature has a way

-of regaining its balance.

-It's not nice, I wouldn't

-want to see it happen again...

-..but in your mind, you believe

-it's the survival of the fittest.

-It's the survival of the fittest

-for the farmers up here sometimes.

-There are plenty of old sayings

-for the weather.

-Warm January, cold May.

-Whatever comes in May

-will come in summer.

-Naturalist Twm Elias

-has a keen interest in the weather.

-There are weather signs

-in the clouds and wind direction.

-There are also seasonal indicators.

-At this time of year,

-the equinox has just passed...

-..when the length

-of day and night are the same.

-When the equinox is here...

-..the weather will stay the same

-for the next month.

-This time, around March and April...

-..March kills, April skins.

-A mild May to sell the skins.

-It shows the uncertainty.

-It is quite cold at the moment.

-They're very interesting sayings.

-At home on the Llyn Peninsula...

-..if we see the mountains of Wicklow

-it will rain within three days.

-So far, it's been true every time.

-It's the changing weather, sometimes

-it's nice, sometimes it rains.

-Every area has an indicator

-for the weather.

-Head on the block, Twm, what will

-spring and summer be like this year?

-Hallelujah, hallelujah.

-The indicators we'll have over the

-next few days are usually correct...

-..if you follow the clouds

-and the wind direction.

-Those who forecast the weather

-in the long term are romanticists.

-The sayings are often more important

-than the accuracy.

-Only a fool predicts

-too far into the future.

-Can we live in hope?

-You must live in hope

-whatever your circumstances.

-That's all for this week

-from Carmarthen Mart.

-Thanks for your company. Cheerio!

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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