Livestock

With changes on the horizon regarding support payments, Tom Tolputt has looked at various financial models to ensure his business will stack up in the future. Rebecca Jordan reports. 

If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that the safe, reliable supply of sustainable food is important to the public. Welsh Government would be wise to recognise food production as a public good, says NFU Cymru president John Davies.

Food defence ought to be number one on the Government’s priority list during this pandemic, but the new Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution does not even include agri-food, says Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City, University of London.

There is no comparison to the UK’s food system in 2020 and the 1800s Corn Laws, and free traders are doing us all a disservice by denying this fact, says arable farmer and NFU Sugar Board member Tom Clarke.

Picture the scene. It is the end of 2021 and there has been a no-deal Brexit, while Basic Payments have also started to reduce in line with Government plans to move towards a more environmentally-based farming support structure.

Changes to the distribution of red meat levy across England, Wales and Scotland to reflect the country of production rather than slaughter have been strongly welcomed by industry.

The problem with parasites in dairy cattle is the often invisible impact. If left uncontrolled, parasite infections in youngstock and adult cows can lead to a reduction in lifetime milk production and fertility.

Farm groups have welcomed the ‘positive’ news that new TB incidents across Wales have dropped by 10 per cent in the 12 months to August 2020.

THE timed online auction of working sheepdogs hosted by Farmers Marts, Dolgellau, peaked at 13,200 with eight lots selling for more than 7,000.

The auction sale record for a Charollais ewe was broken twice at the production sale from the Tullyear flock of Drew and Stephen Cowan, held at Beattie Livestock Yard, Omagh, Northern Ireland.