Less young people are taking up careers on farms

Low incomes has been blamed for a drop in the numbers of young people following their parents into farming.

The poll conducted by the Farmers' Union of Wales showed just 44% of those questioned said their children wanted to farm compared to 58% in 2002.

The FUW said the situation was reaching "crisis point".

The survey was conducted at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Llanelwedd, Powys in December.

The poll showed that almost 30% of those questioned said their children wanted to pursue a career away from the farm, up from 25% in 2002.

Emyr Jones (l), his son Wyn and his grandfather Llew on their farm

With the average age of the Welsh farmer being 61-years-old, the FUW said that encouraging more young people into the business was vital.

Alan Morris of the FUW said: "We are approaching crisis point definitely.

"It is possibility that young people can see their parents struggling to make money on the farms and feel that it would be easier to go elsewhere to make a living."

FUW president Gareth Vaughan, who farms at Dolfor, near Newtown, said: "I'm disappointed but not entirely surprised by the results."

"It is worrying when so many young people feel there is no future for them in farming.

I have a son who is thinking of coming into farming and I don't know what to tell him Emyr Jones, farmer

"I hope our politicians take note and take urgent action to remedy the situation because young people are the lifeblood of agriculture in this country.

"It's vital that young people become farmers to rejuvenate the industry and through local investments help keep rural communities alive."

Emyr Jones runs a 400-acre sheep and cattle farm outside Llandovery, in Carmarthenshire.

His elderly father Llew was a founder member of the FUW in December 1955 and his family has farmed the area for at least five generations.

"I have a son who is thinking of coming into farming and I don't know what to tell him," said Mr Jones.

"If I was his age and thinking of starting out I really would not know what to think."

Other results showed that confidence in the industry has dropped to the lowest point since the 2001 Foot and Mouth epidemic.