Rhywbeth bach arall o flog Glyn 'Pluen Eira' Davies. Chwi gofiwch i'r ffermwr a'r Aelod Seneddol o Galdwyn ymgyrchu i adael yr Undeb Ewropiaidd. Yn ei flogiad diweddaraf mae'n myfyrio ar ddyfodol ffermio yng Nghymru. Dyfynaf yn helaeth:
There are two main concerns facing the farming industry. Firstly there is the annual subsidy payments, guaranteed up to 2020, but not afterwards. The background to this policy of subsidy was the then Govt's 'cheap food policy' after the Second World War. Over recent years it's become an essential support to farming. Many farms would not be viable without the subsidy payment. It's not a healthy position for any industry to be dependent on subsidy into the far distance but a cliff-edge cut off in 2020 would be devastating. Let me take a guess at what might happen post Brexit. Subsidy will gradually move from being universal to being paid for a specific 'public benefit' - principally environment enhancing payments. It's moving that way already. Perhaps this could involve planting up land, currently used for arable or livestock, with trees. I've long thought a forestry expansion programme to make sense, economically and environmentally. Support guarantees would have to be long term, include for public access for recreation - walking, biking activities etc.. Whatever, most switched on farmers are already looking at diversification of one sort or another.
The second concern for farmers, especially sheep farmers in Wales is access to EU markets at nil or manageably low tariffs. Wales is particularly dependent on lamb exports. All the current talk by the NFU about 'food security' doesn't apply here. Hopefully, there will be a UK/EU deal which covers lamb exports, but in the longer run, we could see development of other markets or a gradual move from sheep farming to forestry perhaps.
There are two main concerns facing the farming industry. Firstly there is the annual subsidy payments, guaranteed up to 2020, but not afterwards. The background to this policy of subsidy was the then Govt's 'cheap food policy' after the Second World War. Over recent years it's become an essential support to farming. Many farms would not be viable without the subsidy payment. It's not a healthy position for any industry to be dependent on subsidy into the far distance but a cliff-edge cut off in 2020 would be devastating. Let me take a guess at what might happen post Brexit. Subsidy will gradually move from being universal to being paid for a specific 'public benefit' - principally environment enhancing payments. It's moving that way already. Perhaps this could involve planting up land, currently used for arable or livestock, with trees. I've long thought a forestry expansion programme to make sense, economically and environmentally. Support guarantees would have to be long term, include for public access for recreation - walking, biking activities etc.. Whatever, most switched on farmers are already looking at diversification of one sort or another.
The second concern for farmers, especially sheep farmers in Wales is access to EU markets at nil or manageably low tariffs. Wales is particularly dependent on lamb exports. All the current talk by the NFU about 'food security' doesn't apply here. Hopefully, there will be a UK/EU deal which covers lamb exports, but in the longer run, we could see development of other markets or a gradual move from sheep farming to forestry perhaps.
Felly ymddengys bod Glyn o'r farn mai coedwigoedd ydi'r dyfodol i ffermydd da byw, mai coedwigoedd ydi'r dyfodol i ffermydd ar ac mai coedwigoedd ydi'r dyfodol i ffermydd defaid. Peidiwch a chamddeall rwan - does gen i ddim byd fel y cyfryw yn erbyn coed, ond wnaeth Glyn na neb arall ddweud wrth ffermwyr Cymru y byddai'n rhaid iddynt gladdu eu caeau efo coed os oedd yr ochr Brexit yn ennill. Wnaeth o ddim dweud chwaith y byddai'r diwydiant amaeth yn gorfod symud oddi wrth gynhyrchu bwyd a mynd yn estyniad o'r diwydiant coedwigaeth.
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