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WFU hosted by Welsh
OUR annual WFU spring conference was hosted this year by the Welsh branches at the Heronston Hotel, Bridgend, Glamorgan, attended by some 200 members and delegates.
What an excellent meeting it was, entitled "Agriculture, are we all facing up to our responsibilities?" Our patron, Baroness Hazel Byford, chaired the conference. Jonwen Lewis, our president, opened proceedings by saying that "food production is a business, not a charity", also that we must reconnect with food and how it is grown.
Our first speaker was Ms Mariann Fischer-Bael, European commissioner for agriculture and rural affairs, who told us that 26% of all EU farms are run by women who make up 45% of the workforce. 30 years of arable set-aside has outlived itself as a control. We must now focus on climate change and water management, etc.
Our next speaker was Dennis Turner, chief economist of HSBC bank in the city. We were treated to a brilliant lecture on global economics and effects and the importance of managing inflation. Interest rates will possibly be cut to 4.5% by the end of 2008, but banks may not follow the basic rate. We still have a sound economy, but the psychological effects of SARS (severe acute recessionary syndrome) can be damaging.
Elin Jones followed. Elin is the Welsh Assembly minister for rural affairs, stating that no sane country would allow itself to be fed by others: feeding the population is now priority. There is a One Wales programme in which tackling the badgers/TB problem is priority. 80% of the Welsh population has voted for a £27million badger eradication programme in the Gower peninsula, which has the sea on three sides and a motorway across the other. The Welsh are working with and for YFC and local food procurement for schools, hospitals, etc.
After lunch, Justin King, the chief executive of Sainsbury, gave an outline of the policy of the government's sustainable farming and food, leadership and nutrition groups and how they tried to have a good relationship with farmers and suppliers.
We also heard from Glyn Howells, a sheep specialist with MLC. He is concerned about the quality of overseas products and that 75% of customers want to see country of origin displayed on their food. He is proud that Welsh lamb is supplied to schools in Rome and that 75% of Welsh lamb is eaten in the UK.
Our final speaker was the well known writer and broadcaster, Henry Fell, who instigated the Commercial Farming group. His family farms sheep and arable land in Eastern England and Yorkshire and 700 acres in France. Henry said: "We should be allowed to be competitive" and "the definition of a business should be profitability" and "there is no depth or sense in government thinking" but finally the government is waking up to the need for national food security. We desperately need investment to stop the rot, to enable us to feed the rapidly growing world population. He believes that we need GM foods in fact 85% of the world's soil is now GM.
The world water supply is diminishing, China has 21% of the world's population and a low water supply, the Yellow River often fails to reach the sea and the water table drops by five feet per year.
The average age of UK farmers is over 60 and there are no young people in production research. Skills are being lost and commercial farming must become sustainable, or go.
Henry believes passionately that hunger sows the seeds of war. New Zealand farmers are building up their market to China.
He believes that nuclear power has to be in the future and that climate change has all happened before: that carbon dioxide emissions are a fashionable excuse to raise tax.
Our theme at the Devon county show was "Eat a rainbow" on our usual stand in the food hall entrance. It was good to see old friends and to distribute teaching packs about farming and the countryside.
Our next outing is on June 10 to Richard Haddock's farm at 11am, followed by lunch at Churston golf club. For details, phone Ann Cross on 01398 361212.
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