The shock announcement that the Cowbridge Mart is to close, leaving some farmers with a 45-mile trip to sell their stock, will eat into already dwindling returns on livestock.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) is calling for a stay of execution on the closure of the mart, which was granted a charter back in 1254 and has been central to town life every since.
Glamorgan Council said it wants the site to create a carpark for shoppers and is not renewing the leases for local Livestock auctioneers.
Although meetings have been held to discuss relocating the market, there are no firm plans, potentially leaving Glamorgan without a permanent livestock market.
The historic market was previously threatened with closure in 2011 as developers put pressure on the council to put the site to an alternative use.
At that stage, it saw more than a 1,000 lambs a week during its peak season in the summer and autumn. However, following protests from the local farming community, the business was eventually reprieved.
“We are very concerned that this move will be the end of market trading in Cowbridge, something which will cost our local farmers, already under pressure because of uncertainty over red meat sales post-Brexit,” said FUW county executive officer Rachel Saunders.
Currently the site provides an opportunity to sell stock directly to buyers, but if it closes then the closest alternative is at Raglan, Carmarthen or Brecon – and that will mean extra costs for our members.
Cowbridge farmers, who do not have the necessary accreditation, are only allowed to transport their stock for a maximum of 50 km. This means they will have to pay additional haulage costs to sell their produce.
“We are in discussions now with the auctioneers, local farmers and with the council itself. Our very real fear is that if the site shuts down the new one will never be built, and currently, it is understood that there is no guaranteed funding for the new mart.
“Our aim now is to bring together all the different parties and draw up an action plan in an attempt to ensure that our members have easy access to buyers and the long term future of agriculture in the county is supported.
“As it is, the uncertainty in farming now is causing serious mental health issues within the industry, and this announcement only puts further pressure on a worried community,” she added.
