Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
Over the last week I have continued to work to address and to resolve the pressures faced by farmers who are still experiencing problems in recovering fallen stock, especially in those areas where the snow has only recently thawed and the fallen stock is now being exposed.   While I appreciate there are other areas of Wales where fallen stock are still being dealt with, I also recognise that it was particularly difficult for those who could not even locate their fallen stock, let alone try to recover them.  My officials have worked closely with the local authority trading standards officers in the areas included in the burial derogation areas and will continue to do so to ensure that this difficult process of dealing with fallen stock is concluded as soon as possible.  


 


In view of the continuing pressures I have decided to extend the burial derogation for a further and final week from midnight tonight. This derogation will continue to apply to the area designated last week and details are available on the Welsh Government website.


I am aware of delays in the collection of carcasses in some cases, and in one particular area covered by the derogation.  My officials have sought and obtained agreement via the National Fallen Stock Collection Company (NFSCo) that collectors outside the normal postcode of those areas may contact other collectors as a matter of urgency.  The guidance on our website will be updated to include the contact number for NFSCo who will provide an alternative collector should delays be encountered.  It is essential that any farmers experiencing delays who are members of NFSCo contact them directly in order for them to assist. Officials have urged NFSCo to ensure their members charge fairer prices for these alternative services. I will be monitoring this situation and will do everything I can to prevent any suggestion of undue gains being made in resolving this situation.


A significant part of the problem in relation to collections has been the availability of drivers and appropriate wagons for this type of work.  My officials have been in discussion with the UK Department for Transport (DfT).  DfT have agreed that, where hours of service remain an issue, fallen stock collection should be covered by a national exemption to the EU rules covering “vehicles used for carrying animal waste or carcasses which are not intended for human consumption”.  Therefore, in accordance with the rules applied by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), with whom my officials have also been liaising, relevant fallen stock disposal companies can extend their normal hours of operation to ensure collection of carcases from within Wales is facilitated in a timely manner. This change will apply until midnight on 7 May 2013, one week after the end of the derogation permitting burial in certain circumstances.


My officials will continue to work with local authorities to ensure there is consistency in the interpretation and application of the derogation for on\-farm burial guidance.  The key issues currently being raised by local authorities are in relation to the finding and condition of the carcasses along with delays in collection. I have agreed that local authorities should deal with these queries on a case by case basis and, as long as all the requirements have been adhered to, then a sympathetic view will be given to the situation faced by farmers.


In relation to the granting of derogation for burial referred to in Article 19(1\)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 this is the responsibility of the competent authority of the Member States.   My officials have contacted  DG SANCO in the European Commission who have responded that they expect that U.K, competent authorities, of which the Welsh Government is one, to grant this derogation within the spirit of EU legislation and in a way that cannot be challenged from a legal point of view. Our approach has been to ensure that all interested parties are protected from being challenged on the implementation of the burial derogation. The records kept by both local authorities, and farmers themselves, will ensure any future challenges can be properly addressed with accurate supporting documentation. This has been and remains an essential element of our approach in maintaining the derogation.


The weather has continued to improve in the last week with milder temperatures across the country. My officials have continued their discussions with feed companies and these discussions suggest that bulk supplies of concentrate are now largely keeping pace with demand, even if part loads are being used in some cases to keep farms going for now.  In addition, bagged supplies and deliveries of fodder are still subject to some delays, but the expectation is that within a fortnight, supply arrangements for feed should be largely back to normal.  I have witnessed a strong team effort from these feed companies working closely with their customers, and I hope that others will join me in thanking them for their commitment to keeping the supplies moving in some very difficult circumstances.


I have already made a statement on the support and advice that we and partners have been making available to help those farm businesses facing difficulties in cash flow.  As part of this process I will be meeting with the banks tomorrow (Wednesday 24th) to discuss what they can do to support their clients through this period. I will also seek to address a number of specific issues that have been raised by partners and others dealing with the situation on ground.


My officials have today also met again with those farming charities to whom I awarded financial support last week. We have now finalised the details of the support that they will be offering the farming community who have suffered during this period. I am especially concerned to ensure that the charities can provide pastoral help to meet the human and emotional needs of farming families and I urge all those farmers and family members who require support to contact them directly.


I am aware that there are a number of farmers facing difficulties in meeting their agri\-environment obligations. Those farmers experiencing problems in establishing their crops by the deadlines set out within their Tir Gofal or Glastir contracts are able to request a derogation via their Divisional Office to establish their crops by the end of May.  This will allow farmers to better manage their pasture before closing off the arable fields. If any farmer has any additional issues with an agri\-environmental contract then I would ask them to contact their Divisional Office where officials will  consider the issues raised and where possible provide  derogations  to resolve their difficulties.


I will be writing again in the next week to all farms in those areas most affected, setting out additional information on the range of support and advice available to them.


Looking to the future, I have asked Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) to assess and consider the detailed implications of the severe weather for this year’s lamb crop, the national breeding flock, and the wider red meat supply chain, and to provide advice. I have had initial discussions with Kevin Roberts about his review of the resilience of the industry and preparedness of Government for these sorts of contingencies, and of the robustness of the underpinning business models in our farm sectors.  Kevin has already begun work and I will make a further statement about his terms of reference, and other matters relating to his review. We are the only country in the UK to have commissioned such a review and I am already in discussion with the UK Government about the potential wider application of this work.


Unless the situation changes markedly in the coming days, this will be the last of my weekly statements on this episode of severe weather.  I will continue to keep the situation under close review, and will report to the National Assembly on specific matters, including on the work that Kevin Roberts and HCC respectively will be taking forward. I have thanked the farming community for the way in which it has responded to this situation. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Welsh Government officials who have worked hard under some considerable pressures to help deal with theses issues over the last few weeks.


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 







Translation:


 
Yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf rwyf wedi dal ati i weithio i ddatrys ac i fynd i’r afael â’r sefyllfa mae rhai ffermwyr yn dal i wynebu wrth geisio adfer stoc sydd wedi marw, yn enwedig rheini mewn ardaloedd lle mae’r eira newydd feirioli ac mae’r stoc marw yn cael eu dinoethi am y tro cyntaf. Tra mod i’n ymwybodol bod ardaloedd eraill yng Nghymru yn dal i ddelio gyda stoc marw, rwyf hefyd yn cydnabod ei bod wedi bod yn arbennig o anodd i’r ffermwyr nad oeddynt yn gallu darganfod lleoliad y stoc marw heb sôn am geisio eu hadfer. Mae fy swyddogion wedi gweithio yn agos gyda swyddogion safonau masnach awdurdodau lleol yn yr ardaloedd penodol lle llaciwyd y rheolau claddu ar y fferm, a byddant yn parhau i wneud hyn i sicrhau y bydd y broses anodd yma o ddelio gyda stoc marw yn cael ei ddirwyn i ben cyn gynted â phosib.

Yn sgil parhad y pwysau rwyf wedi penderfynnu ymestyn y llaciad rheolau ar gladdu am wythnos arall a therfynnol o hanner nos heno. Bydd y llaciad yn dal yn gymwys i’r ardal a ddynodwyd wythnos ddiwethaf ac mae manylion ar gael ar wefan Llywodraeth Cymru.

Rwyf yn ymwybodol o’r oedi sydd wedi digwydd yng nghasgliadau sgerbydau mewn rhai achosion, ac mewn un ardal benodol o fewn i’r ardal ddynodedig. Mae fy swyddogion wedi llwyddo cael cytundeb drwy’r Cwmni Cenedlaethol Stoc Marw sy’n caniatau i gasglwyr o’r tu hwnt i gôd post arferol yr ardaloedd hynny gysylltu â chasglwyr eraill ar fyrder. Bydd y cyfarwyddyd ar ein gwefan yn cael ei ddiweddaru i gynnwys rhif cyswllt y Cwmni Cenedlaethol Stoc Marw bydd yn darparu casglwr gwahanol os digwydda oedi. Mae’n hanfodol bod ffermwyr sy’n profi unrhyw oedi ac sy’n aelodau o’r Cwmni Cenedlaethol Stoc Marw yn cysylltu â nhw yn uniongyrchol fel y gallant gynnig cymorth. Mae swyddogion wedi anog y Cwmni Cenedlaethol Stoc Marw i sicrhau bod ei aelodau yn codi pris teg am y gwasanaethau amgen yma. Byddaf yn monitro’r sefyllfa yma, a byddaf yn gwneud pob dim o fewn fy ngallu i atal unrhyw awgrym o enillion gormodol wrth ddatrys y sefyllfa.

Rhan arwyddocaol o’r broblem sydd wedi bod ynghlwm â chasgliadau yw argaeledd gyrwyr a wageniau priodol ar gyfer y math hwn o waith. Mae fy swyddogion wedi bod mewn trafodaethau gydag Adran Drafnidiaeth y DU. Mae’r Adran Drafnidiaeth wedi cytuno, lle bo oriau gwasanaeth yn broblem, dylai casglu stoc marw ddod o dan eithriad penodol cenedlaethol i reolau’r Undeb Ewropeaidd yn ymwneu â “cherbydau a ddefnyddiwyd i gario gwastraff anifeiliaid neu sgerbydau na fwriedir at gymeriant dynol” . Felly mewn cytundeb â rheolau cymwysiedig Asiantaeth Gwasnaethau Cerbydau a Gweithredwyr, y mae fy swyddogion hefyd wedi bod mewn cysylltiad â nhw, gall y cwmniau stoc marw perthnasol ymestyn eu horiau arferol o weithio er mwyn sicrhau bod casglu sgerbydau yng Nghymru yn digwydd mewn modd amserol. Bydd y newid hwn yn gymwys tan hanner nos ar 7 Mai 2013, un wythnos wedi diwedd y caniatad i gladdu stoc mewn amgylchiadau arbenning.

Mae fy swyddogion yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol er mwyn sicrhau cysondeb yn y dehongliad a’r cymhwysiad o’r cyfarwyddyd ar y llaciad rheolau ar gyfer claddu ar y fferm. Mae’r prif faterion sy’n cael eu codi gan yr awdurdodau lleol ar hyn o bryd yn ymwneud â chanfod a chyflwr y sgerbydau yn ogystal â’r oedi yn y casgliadau. Rwyf wedi cytuno y dylai awdurdodau lleol ddelio gyda’r achosion yma yn unigol, a chyda bod yr holl ofynion wedi eu diwallu, yna ystyrir y sefyllfa sy’n wynebu ffermwyr gyda chydymdeimlad.

Yn ymwneud â chaniatad llacio rheolau claddu a gyfeiriwyd ato yn Erthygl 19(1\) (c ) o Rheoliad (CE) Rhif 1069/2009 mae hyn yn gyfrifoldeb i awdurdod cymwys yr Aelod Wladwriaeth. Mae fy swyddogion wedi cysylltu â DG SANCO yn y Comisiwn Ewropeaidd sydd wedi ymateb eu bod yn disgwyl i awdurdodau cymwys y DU, y mae Cymru yn un ohonynt, i ganiatau y llaciad hwn yn y rheolau o fewn ysbryd deddfwriaeth yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ac mewn modd nad yw’n bosib ei herio o safbwynt cyfreithiol. Rydym wedi gweithredu mewn modd sy’n gwarchod pawb ynglhwm â’r pendefyniad rhag cael eu herio ar weithredu y llaciad mewn rheolau claddu. Bydd y cofnodion a gedwir gan yr awdurdodau lleol a’r ffermwyr eu hunain yn sicrhau y gellid fynd i’r afael ag unrhyw her yn y dyfodol gyda dogfennaeth fanwl gywir. Roedd hyn, ac mae’n parhau i fod, yn elfen hanfodol o’n ymdriniaeth â chynnal y llaciad mewn rheolau.

Mae’r tywydd wedi parhau i wella yn ystod yr wythnos ddiwethaf gyda thymhereddau mwynach ar draws y wlad. Mae fy swyddogion wedi parhau eu trafodaethau gyda chwmniau porthiant ac awgryma’r trafodaethau yma bod cyflenwadau swmp dwysfwyd yn cwrdd â’r galw, mwy neu lai, erbyn hyn, hyd yn oed os yw rhan\-lwythi yn cael eu defnyddio dros dro. Yn ogystal, mae oedi o hyd mewn cyflenwadau wedi eu bagio ac mewn porthiant, ond disgwylir i drefniadau cyflenwi bwyd yn gyffredinol ddychwelyd  i’r sefyllfa arferol o fewn pythefnos. Rwyf wedi bod yn dyst i ymdrech tîm cryf iawn gan y cwmniau porthiant wrth iddynt weithio yn agos gyda’u cwsmeriaid a gobeithiaf bydd eraill yn ymuno gyda fi yn diolch iddynt am eu hymroddiad i gadw cyflenwadau i symud o dan amgylchiadau anodd iawn.

Rwyf eisioes wedi gwneud datganiad am y gefnogaeth a’r cyngor rydym ni a phartneriaid wedi cyflwyno i gynnig cymorth i’r busnesau ffermio hynny sy’n wynebu anhawsterau gyda llif arian. Fel rhan o’r broses yma, rwyf  yn cwrdd â’r banciau yfory (Mercher 24\) i drafod yr hyn y gallant wneud i gefnogi eu cwsmeriaid drwy’r cyfnod hwn. Byddaf hefyd yn ceisio mynd i’r afael â nifer o faterion penodol a grybwyllwyd gan bartneriaid ac eraill sy’n delio gyda’r sefyllfa ar lawr gwlad.

Heddiw mae fy swyddogion wedi cwrdd unwaith eto gyda’r elusennau ffermio hynny y dyfarnais gefnogaeth ariannol iddynt yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Rydym erbyn hyn wedi cytuno ar fanylion terfynol y gefnogaeth y byddant yn cynnig i’r gymuned ffermio sydd wedi dioddef yn ystod y cyfnod yma. Rwy’n arbennig o awyddus i sicrhau bod yr elusennau yn gallu darparu gofal bugeiliol i gwrdd â gofynion dynol ac emosiynol teuluoedd ffermio ac anogaf yr holl ffermwyr ac aelodau teuluol hynny sydd angen cefnogaeth i gysylltu â nhw yn uniongyrchol.

Rwy’n ymwybodol bod nifer o ffermwyr yn wynebu anhawsterau yn cwrdd â’u goblygiadau amaeth\-amgylcheddol. Gall y ffermwyr hynny sy’n cael problemau yn sefydlu eu cnydau o fewn y terfynnau amser yn eu cytundebau Tir Gofal neu Glastir wneud cais drwy gysylltu â’u Swyddfa Ranbarthol leol am estyniad i’w caniatau i sefydlu eu cnydau erbyn diwedd mis Mai. Bydd hyn yn caniatau i ffermwyr reoli eu tir pori yn well cyn cau allan y caeau âr. Os oes gan ffermwyr unrhyw broblemau ychwanegol gyda chontract amaeth\-amgylcheddol, yna gofynnaf iddynt gysylltu â’u Swyddfa Ranbarth leol lle bydd swyddogion yn ystyried achosion penodol a, lle bo hynny’n bosib, gweithredu eithriad i’r rheolau i ddatrys yr anhawsterau.

Byddaf yn ysgrifennu unwaith eto yr wythnos hon at yr holl ffermwyr yn yr ardaloedd yr effeithiwyd arnynt waethaf, yn eu hysbysu o’r ystod o gefnogaeth a chyngor sydd ar gael iddynt.

Wrth edrych i’r dyfodol rwyf wedi gofyn i Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) asesu ac ystyried goblygiadau penodol y tywydd garw ar y cnwd oen eleni, y ddiadell fridio genedlaethol, a’r gadwyn gyflenwad cig coch ehangach ac i gynnig cyngor. Rwyf wedi cynnal trafodaethau cychwynol gyda Kevin Roberts am ei adolygiad o hydwythedd y diwydiant, parodrwydd y Llywodraeth i ddelio gyda’r mathau yma o sefyllfaoedd, a grymusder y modelau busnes creiddiol o fewn ein sector ffermio. Mae Kevin eisioes wedi dechrau ar ei ganfyddiadau ffeithiol ar lawr gwlad a byddaf yn gwneud datganiad pellach am ei gylch gorchwyl penodol a materion eraill yn ymwneud a’i adolygiad gyda hyn. Ni yw’r unig wlad yn y DU i gomisiynnu’r fath adolygiad ac rwyf mewn trafodaethau yn barod gyda Llywodraeth y DU am gymhwysiad pellach posib y gwaith yma.

Oni bai y bydd y sefyllfa yn newid yn syfrdanol yn y dyddiau nesaf, hwn fydd y datganiad wythnosol olaf byddaf yn gwneud am y cyfnod tywydd garw diweddar. Byddaf yn parhau i gadw golwg manwl ar y sefyllfa, a byddaf yn adrodd i’r Cynulliad Cenedlaethol ar faterion penodol, gan gynnwys y gwaith y bydd Kevin Roberts ac HCC yn gwneud. Rwyf wedi diolch i’r gymuned ffermio am y modd y mae wedi ymateb i’r sefyllfa yma. Hoffwn hefyd gymryd y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi gweithio’n galed o dan gryn bwysau i ddelio gyda’r materion yma dros yr wythnosau diwethaf.