Hill sheep ‘exodus’ warning for Wales in wake of Brexit
FALLING prices for Welsh light lambs and the threat of post-Brexit trade tariffs could jeopardise hill farming in Wales, the industry has warned.
In a worst case scenario, the mountains of Wales would become depopulated and they would lose the farmer-led landscape and habitat management which makes the uplands such an iconic draw, said the FUW.
Gwynedd hill lamb producers Arwel and Sioned Jones fear the threat to exports following Brexit could have a devastating knock-on effect on the management options within their Glastir agri-environment contract.
They recently hosted Arfon AM Siân Gwenllian at Talymignedd Isaf, a 1,500-acre mostly hill farm in the Nantlle valley which they run in partnership with Arwel’s father Hugh Jones.
Since 2000 the farm has been in agri-environment schemes, firstly under Tir Gofal, then Glastir from 2014.
“Why would we want to keep livestock if there is no market for them?” said Arwel. “That’s all you can keep on the mountains.
“Losing the European market could be disastrous for us and could lead to a mass exodus of sheep from Wales’ highest peaks.
“How then will we be able to control vegetation on the mountains in order to satisfy the management options under our Glastir agreements?”
Advances in breeding and a more favourable climate mean that fewer lambs now fall into the light category – around 15% of total production in Wales.
However the price differential has widened, often being 20p less per kilo liveweight than for standard lambs.
Causes include economic difficulties in traditional markets in southern Europe, where consumers are also moving towards cuts rather than whole carcases: light lambs are more costly to process than their larger counterparts.
Arwel said trade barriers imposed by Brexit could be the final nail in the coffin.
“During 2016 we saw the prices received by farmers for light lambs plummet for all kinds of reasons – we received around 60% of the prices we had in 2011.
“What future is there for them if this trend continues - and how can we survive with an even smaller market for our produce in future?”
At last week’s on-farm meeting, the FUW stressed that politicians must be aware of the complexity of agricultural supply chains and the wide network of businesses which depends on the farming industry.
Siân Gwenllian voiced her support, saying was “imperative” that an appropriate deal was established with Europe to secure the light lamb industry in Wales.
Another worry for Welsh lamb producers is the impact of a potential free trade deal between Britain and New Zea- land.
Rural affairs secretary Lesley Griffiths recently told the National Assembly’s rural affairs committee that the prospect was a cause for concern.
“If we have this huge influx of New Zealand lamb it will absolutely destroy the Welsh lamb industry,” she said.
FUW president Glyn Roberts fears that moves to agree postBrexit free trade deal would be for reasons of “political expediency”, with negligible benefits to Wales and the UK.
“New Zealand has a population of around 4.5m, which is about 1% of the size of the EU market, and is 11,500 miles away,” he said.
“A free trade deal may be a great opportunity for New Zealand, but the benefits for the UK as a whole are zero, and for agriculture are extremely negative.”