EFFECTIVE fox control in Wales has become a burning issue with many sheep and poultry farmers. And the overwhelming response from NFU Cymru Wales members is that the use of dogs as a method of agricultural pest control should continue for controlling foxes. The importance of fox control in Wales is highlighted by the fact that it has more than 100 fox control societies. Foxes fall into the category of pest where they have an adverse effect on the livelihood of sheep and poultry keepers and their satisfactory control is now as important as ever. Local farming bodies spoke with one voice to protect the interests of these farmers in Wales when they met last month with Environment Planning and Countryside Minister, Carwyn Jones, at the Welsh Assembly Government. Peredur Hughes, NFU Cymru President said: "All four organisations stressed to the Minister the difficulties that The Hunting Act 2004 will cause to sheep and poultry farmers in Wales. "We attended the meeting on behalf of farmers whose income is being, and will be affected, if there is no effective control of fox predation. The exemptions section of the Hunting Act that purports to allow pest control, is totally and utterly inadequate for Welsh conditions." He added: "We asked the Minister to use the Transfer of Function Order to amend the exemptions section in the Act on Welsh holdings. Two dogs to flush foxes from cover are clearly totally inadequate in a country with a high proportion of rough grazing and a 14% woodland cover. Many of these areas are large, and as members have commented, using two dogs to find and flush foxes is like looking for a needle in a haystack." He added: "We suggested that the exemption should be changed in Wales to allow the number of hounds used for flushing foxes to be determined by the acreage of the area to be flushed." "The Act is totally flawed when you look at the exemption that allows the use of a terrier underground to protect game birds, but not lambs or poultry. With five million breeding ewes in Wales, lamb protection must, at least, be on a par with the need to protect game birds. "This is what devolution is about, making legislation that protects the interests and livelihood of people local to the area, in this case those that depend on sheep production to make a living." Peredur Hughes continued: "After all, the Common Agricultural Policy Reform (CAP Reform) encourages getting better returns from the market place. Every farmer has the right to expect to be able to carry out effective fox control on their own and adjoining land. NFU Cymru gave detailed and specific examples of significant lamb losses to foxes in 2005. Peredur Hughes concluded: "The Minister indicated that the industry's concerns and suggestions to amend the exemptions section of the Hunting Act had been well made and noted. He will now discuss the industry's request with Assembly Ministerial colleagues." Anyone with specific views on this important issue should contact their Assembly Members directly to voice their concerns. | 
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