Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Mae’r sector llaeth yn rhan hanfodol bwysig o ddiwydiant bwyd\-amaeth Cymru, gan fod llaeth a chynnyrch llaeth yn cyfrif am draean o’n cynhyrchiant amaethyddol.  Mae 1,835 o ffermwyr godro yng Nghymru a chynhyrchwyd 1,670 miliwn o litrau o laeth ganddynt yn y flwyddyn odro ddiwethaf (2013/14\).  

Mae’r gostyngiad ym mhrisiau llaeth yn destun gofid mawr imi.  Mae’n effeithio ar elw a chynaliadwyedd y sector ac yn ergyd i’r hyder sydd ei angen i fuddsoddi.  Cyn y toriadau diweddaraf, roedd prisiau llaeth uwch a thywydd da gyda’i gilydd wedi helpu i gynyddu lefelau cynhyrchu gan wneud i ffermwyr godro deimlo’n fwy sicr wrth gynllunio a buddsoddi ar gyfer y dyfodol.

Mae’r holl arwyddion yn dangos bod ar y byd angen mwy o laeth.  Mae poblogaeth y byd yn cynyddu ac yn dod yn fwyfwy cefnog gan arwain at fwy o alw am laeth a chynnyrch llaeth.  Rwy’n deall bod rhai yn awgrymu y dylem o’r herwydd gynhyrchu llai o laeth – i gyfyngu ar y galw er mwyn cadw prisiau’n uchel.  Nid dyna’r ateb yn fy marn i.  Unig ganlyniad cynhyrchu llai yng Nghymru a’r DU fyddai mewnforio mwy.  Rhaid inni allu cystadlu ar lefel prisiau allforio gwledydd eraill sy’n cynhyrchu llaeth.  O’i reoli’n gynaliadwy, mae sector llaeth Cymru mewn sefyllfa dda i allu manteisio ar y duedd o gynnydd tymor hir yn y galw am gynnyrch llaeth.

Rydym wedi gwneud defnydd da yng Nghymru o’r Rhaglen Datblygu Gwledig diweddaraf, gyda Cyswllt Ffermio’n creu cyfres o becynnau i gefnogi busnesau godro a llaeth.  Mae ffermwyr godro wedi gweld gwerth y gefnogaeth, gyda thros dri chwarter ohonynt wedi manteisio ar help Cyswllt Ffermio.  Bydd y Rhaglen Datblygu Gwledig nesaf ar gyfer 2014\-2020 yn caniatáu inni barhau â’r gwaith da a byddaf am fanteisio’n llawn ar bob cyfrwng y mae’n ei gynnig i ddarparu gwasanaethau cynghori, cynnal gweithgareddau trosglwyddo gwybodaeth, datblygu cadwyni cyflenwi a buddsoddi cyfalaf i gefnogi’r gweithgareddau hyn.  Mae’r Tasglu Llaeth, sydd â chynrychiolwyr o bob rhan o’r gadwyn gyflenwi yn perthyn iddo, wedi bod yn ein cynghori ar sut orau i ddefnyddio’r Rhaglen Datblygu newydd i helpu i ddatblygu’r diwydiant.  

Serch hynny, wrth i’r diwydiant ddechrau ar gyfnod o newid ac ar gydbwysedd newydd rhwng y cyflenwad llaeth a’r galw amdano, rwy’n credu mai nawr yw’r amser i bwyso a mesur y diwydiant llaeth yma yng Nghymru.  Mae’r Cynllun Llaeth a’r Cod Gwirfoddol wedi bod yn eu lle ers dwy flynedd ac yn unol ag addewid y Gweinidog Cyfoeth Naturiol a Bwyd diwethaf, rwy’n credu y dylem edrych o’r newydd ar eu heffaith ac ystyried beth dylem ei wneud nesaf. I wneud hynny, byddaf yn holi fy Nhasglu Llaeth pwy ddylai ein helpu i gynnal yr adolygiad ar ein rhan ac i baratoi’r cylch gorchwyl.

Cafodd adolygiad annibynnol y DU o’r Cod Gwirfoddol ei gynnal gan Alex Ferguson MSP a’i gyhoeddi wythnos ddiwethaf.  Rwy’n cytuno â phrif argymhelliad yr adroddiad y dylai ffermwyr a phrynwyr llaeth fel ei gilydd wneud yn siŵr eu bod yn deall egwyddorion y Cod a mynd i’r afael â nhw. Fodd bynnag, hoffwn ystyried yn gyntaf a oes unrhyw beth y gallwn ni yng Nghymru ei wneud i wella’r ffordd y mae ffermwyr a phrynwyr llaeth yn gwneud busnes â’i gilydd.

Rwy’n hyderus bod dyfodol diogel a phroffidiol i’r diwydiant a thrwy’r adolygiad hwn ar y cyd â’r Tasglu Llaeth, rwy’n gobeithio y gallwn weld ble mae’r cyfleoedd gorau a gweithio gyda’n gilydd i wireddu’r amcanion hynny.  Mae gennym y tir, y gwartheg, yr hinsawdd, y llafur a’r seilwaith – a’r ewyllys i wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn.







Translation:


 
The dairy sector is a vitally important component of the overall agri\-food industry in Wales with milk and milk products accounting for a third of agricultural production. There are 1,835 dairy farmers in Wales producing a total of 1,670 million litres in the last milk year (2013/14\).


The cuts in milk prices this autumn are of significant concern to me.  They impact on the profitability and sustainability of the sector and reduce the confidence needed for new investment. Prior to the most recent cuts, higher milk prices and good weather were together helping to support increased levels of production and this had allowed dairy farmers to feel more secure in planning and investing for the future.


All the indications are that there needs to be an expansion in dairy production across the world. The global population is increasing and consumers are increasingly affluent resulting in a greater demand for milk and dairy products. I am aware there are some suggesting a reduction in milk output – to restrict supply in order to try to help increase milk price.  In my view this is not the solution.  Cutbacks on our own UK and Welsh dairy products will simply be met with further imports and we need to be able to compete at the level of export prices from other milk producing countries. If managed sustainably, Welsh dairying is well\-placed to take advantage of the rising long\-term trend in demand for diary products.  


We have made good use in Wales of the current Rural Development Programme  with Farming Connect tailoring a suite of packages to support dairy businesses. Dairy farmers have valued this support with more than three\-quarters of our dairy farms having been supported through Farming Connect. The next Rural Development Programme from 2014 – 2020 will allow us to continue with this good work and I will be looking to fully utilise the tools available to us by offering a comprehensive package of advisory services, knowledge transfer activities, supply chain development as well as capital investments to support these activities.  The Dairy Task Force, which includes representatives from across the supply chain, has been advising us on how best to use the new RDP to support the development of the industry.


Nevertheless, as the industry is entering another period of change with milk supply and the demand for dairy products re\-balancing, I feel that now is the time to take stock of the dairy industry here in Wales. The Plan for Milk and the Voluntary Code have been in place for two years and as promised by the previous Minister for Natural Resources and Food, I believe we need to review what impact there has been and what needs to be done next. To achieve this, I will be consulting with my Dairy Task Force to identify who best should help us undertake this work on my behalf and to scope out the associated terms of reference..


The UK’s independent review of the Voluntary Code, undertaken by Alex Ferguson MSP, was published last week. I agree with the report’s key recommendation that both farmers and milk buyers should fully understand and engage with the principles set out in the current Code. However, I would like to consider if there are any actions we can take in Wales which could further improve the way business is done between farmers and their milk buyers.


I am confident there is a secure and profitable future for this industry and through this review, working with the Dairy Task Force, I hope we can identify the key opportunities and work together to achieve those goals. We have the land, the cows, the climate, the labour and the infrastructure \- and the collective will to make a positive difference.