A new farmers’ union was formed in Wales in early December 1955. A small group of farmers from west Wales broke away from the National Farmers’ Union to form the Farmers’ Union of Wales, and although many prophesied that the new Union would be short-lived, it was soon playing an influential role in Welsh agriculture.
As they celebrate their 70th anniversary, this is the story of the beginning of the Union through seven items that are in various collections of The National Library of Wales.
One of the first tasks of the new Union was to publish a leaflet giving eight reasons why the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) had been formed. It was drafted by J. B. Evans, General Secretary of the Union with the help of Ivor T. Davies, Brynmafon, Llanfihangel-ar-arth and D. T. Lewis, Llwynwermwd, Myddfai, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Union, at the home of J. B. Evans, Parc Glanyrannell, Crug-y-bar, Llanwrda after Sunday lunch on the weekend following the Union’s formation in December 1955. It was published by David Jones, Pencader – the only printer who was prepared to do the work on credit.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales presented a Draft Long Term Policy for the Small Farmer at the first conference of their members in Aberystwyth on 25 May 1956. This first policy statement was prepared by D. J. Davies, Chairman of the Policy Committee with the aid of J. B. Evans and John Morris (later Lord Morris of Aberavon). Copies of the six-page document were circulated to agricultural authorities, journals, societies and all members of Parliament. Two of the main proposals were included in the Agricultural Bill which was before the House of Commons the following year – namely the one on the Price Review procedure and the proposals for giving grants towards the improvement of buildings and fixed equipment.
The first newsletter, described as Monthly News Bulletin, appeared in July 1956, in the form of four pages of typed news edited by John Morris, the Assistant General Secretary who was responsible for initiating and editing the early issues. He was appointed Deputy General Secretary and Legal Adviser to the Union in September 1956. The second issue, published under the title Y Tir (The Land) in January 1957, was a two-page broadsheet printed by the Cambrian News. Although the title has varied over the years, Y Tir continues to be published to this day.
The first Annual General Meeting of the Farmers’ Union of Wales was held at the King’s Hall, Aberystwyth on 3 June 1957, eighteen months to the day the Union was formed in Carmarthen. It was reported that organisation had been established in every county in Wales, except Flintshire and Monmouthshire, and that the Union had been able to show a profit of more than £3,000. The fifteen resolutions which were discussed ranged from a condemnation of the Price Review to a call for a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons.
In July 1957, the Farmers’ Union of Wales convened a National Conference at the Parish Hall, Aberystwyth “to decide on ways and means of safeguarding an adequate supply of water for the population of Wales; agriculture and other industries; and future development.” This was done because the Council of the Union was “very perturbed that the proposals of Liverpool Corporation to flood Tryweryn Valley should be allowed such an easy passage through the House of Lords.” It was attended by representatives of Welsh local authorities, and was addressed by three MPs.
A Statement of Policy for the Farmers of Wales was published in September 1958, which was the Farmers’ Union of Wales policy for the agricultural industry in Wales, reiterating the reasons for the formation of an independent union for the farmers of Wales. It maintained that any long-term policy for agriculture in Wales should not only ensure the livelihood of full-time farmers, but should also safeguard what remained of the smallholding system. Among its other recommendations, the document recommended that agricultural education should start in primary schools and it also repeated the FUW’s call for a Welsh agricultural college and for the establishment of a veterinary college within the University of Wales.
The photograph at the top of this page shows the the founder members of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, taken in March 1959.
Seated (left to right): J. B. Evans (first General Secretary), Ivor T. Davies (first Chairman and President), D. T. Lewis (President, 1958-1961).
Standing: J. W. O. Davies, Llanymddyfri; Dewi I. Thomas, Carmarthen; J. H. Davies, Llanybri; Llewelyn B. Bebb, Goginan; Aelwyn Hughes, Llanymddyfri; Tom Price, Llanymddyfri.
Three other founder-members were absent when the photograph was taken: D. J. Davies, Aberaeron; Llewellyn Jones, Rhandir-mwyn and D. J. Jones, Llanymddyfri.
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