Farmer's anger at minister's sheep deaths response

A farmer who has spent the weekend digging out dead sheep and ponies from the snow say he is angry that Wales' agriculture minister is not taking immediate action to help.

Dozens of animals have perished in the cold weather but EU regulations mean instead of burying them farmers are having to pay firms to pick up the dead stock.

The Farmers' Union of Wales has called for the rules on burying animals to be lifted or allow carcasses to be collected for free.

Conwy valley farmer Gareth Wyn Jones has called on Natural Resources and Food Minister Alun Davies for immediate help, saying farmers are not sleeping and have had massive losses.

Mr Davies said it was an "urgent priority" and he has asked Wales' chief veterinary officer to look at what can be done to ease the burden on farmers.

"I'm very aware of the extreme difficulties farmers in Wales are experiencing as a result of the extreme weather we have witnessed over the last week," Mr Davies said on Saturday.

Mr Wyn Jones, who farms in Llanfairfechan, told BBC Radio Wales' Oliver Hides he is unhappy that Mr Davies will not make a further statement on the matter until Tuesday.

Help for snow-hit sheep farmers

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