This month I stand down as chair of Montgomeryshire NFU Cymru and Huw Bessent a dairy farmer from Machynlleth takes over. I was very honoured to be asked to lead the Montgomeryshire group for the last two years, and have got to know a lot of very committed farmers in the county and also in Wales. I have enjoyed writing articles in the County Times and the NFU Cymru magazine, Farming Wales.

It has been a frustrating few years with Brexit hanging over the country but I have learnt how committed farmers are to the business of agriculture, and to ensuring a future for young farmers in our rural economy. There are many issues that are a worry to the industry. How can the problem of bovine TB in cattle be solved? Will Welsh Government implement the draconian NVZ rules in 2020? How fairly is Rural Development Programme being rolled out? What will the recently set up Access Forum Group looking at footpaths and open access land put into legislation? How can farmers in Wales tell the story of grass fed beef and lamb?

I believe that farming is going to have to adapt in the next few years to not only produce high quality food but also biodiversity. As I have often written, the areas of Cwmfron dedicated to wildlife provide a range of flowers, insects, birds and mammals. This week we have seen a barn owl, a snipe, several hares, flocks of starlings and some beautiful bullfinches. Famers cannot decrease their area of production and put in infrastructure to encourage biodiversity and woodlands to capture carbon if we are not profitable, so future policy will have to bear this in mind.

I would like to thank everyone at NFU Cymru, the staff in Builth Wells, the group secretaries and our Montgomeryshire county adviser, Joe Mault, who has been my right-hand man. I would also like to thank my husband, Jo, who has always supported and encouraged me.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all in Montgomeryshire. I hope everyone has time to rest and enjoy family and friends. Who knows what the next year will bring.