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Montgomeryshire Rural Enterprises (MRE)

 –formally known as Montgomeryshire Farm Enterprises, was created in 1997 following the result of an economic and agricultural survey commissioned by the Llanfair Caereinion and District Forum, in partnership with Mid Wales Machinery Ring. The survey highlighted the fact that visitors to the area spend little time in the rural areas of the county due to the limited recreational, tourism and entertaining activities on offer, One of the main aims of MRE was to rectify this by creating visitor facilities building on the culture and heritage of the area and to link the projects by shared sources of funding, advertising and publicity. At the same time, the farmers could see that despite the fact that their primary source of income was diminishing, alternative income from the projects would enable them to continue to farm.

Grant funding was sourced from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, the Rural Development Grant and Powys County Council. Together with members' contributions, the total project fund was œ1.3 million. This was to cover capital expenditure on the individual projects but also training and joint publicity material so that the members had the necessary skills and advertising to ensure the success of their projects.

The main emphasis has been on tourism but there was also a farm redevelopment element involved. This has included the renovation and conversion of redundant farm buildings into workshops to provide accommodation for small businesses. Another example is the anaerobic digester installed by one farmer in Mellington. Organic waste is collected and is used to produce green electricity which reduces the amount of methane released into the atmosphere. The methane gas is extracted and used as gas or can be converted into electricity and fed into the national grid. The liquid and solid end products of this digestion, which are pathogen and weed free, can both be spread on fields, reducing the use of artificial fertilisers. The solid matter can also be processed and transformed into a peat substitute.

Montgomeryshire Country Holidays
– is the tourism arm of MRE and there are currently 22 farming family members, most of whom are under the age of 40. They have an office in Llanfair Caereinion where the MRE Project Officer, Elaine Price, is based. Carwyn Jones' visit in March was to see for himself how their projects had progressed. The Minister was accompanied by Assembly Member, Mick Bates, who had been one of the main instigators of the scheme.

The first port of call was to Pen-y- bryn Farm in Castle Caereinion where Stave Smith and Helen have used the project money to convert a barn into two self-contained holiday cottages. They also having riding facilities and stables so that visitors can bring their own horses if they want.

In addition Steve has also set up a falconery business offering day, weekend and week long courses. This part of the farm business has proved so successful that he now employs a full-time falconer. Steve and Helen also plan to run other courses, such as furniture restoring weekends, using the skills of a close neighbour.

Steve told the Minister:  
'MRE has given us the opportunity to develop our business to ensure that we encourage, holistic and sustainable approaches to rural development. Our diversification has integrated very well with the agricultural enterprises, meaning that the natural landscape and traditional buildings and our livelihoods are preserved for the future.'

After a visit to an organic farm in Aberbechan where Karen and Bryan Bebb offer horse riding activities, Carwyn Jones and Mick Bates called in at Parth Farm, Caersws, where Lavinia Vaughan has set up a cookery school. After a delicious lunch made from locally sourced products, they travelled on to Ty Mawr, Machynlleth, where Sioned and Alun Pugh have a quad trekking and laser shooting enterprise. They also offer conference facilities in a converted 14th century stone building.

Whilst most members in the group offer some kind of accommodation, bed and breakfast, holiday cottages, camping and/or touring caravan sites, others provide facilities for activities such as fishing and horse riding. Arrangements can be made so that visitors can have their luggage transported while they ride from one accommodation provider to another.

At the end of his visit the Minister, who had obviously enjoyed the sunny day in the glorious hills of Montgomeryshire, said: "I was very impressed with my visit. The farm businesses 1 saw were prime examples of how diversification can work successfully within the agricultural environment. 1 was particularly encouraged by the number of younger people involved in these businesses and I would like to see their good example spread throughout Wales."

On a visit to the MRE office in Llanfair Caereinion, Elaine Price told me that future plans including offering 'walking days' and producing a fishing brochure. She told me that the whole point of the project was not just about individual farms but about encouraging farmers to work together.

"All in all," she said, 'the members are battling through the recent setbacks in farming and are looking forward to a brighter future for themselves and their families."

Montgomeryshire Rural Enterprises Ltd
The Institute
Llanfair Caereinion
Welshpool
Powys
SY21 ORY
Tel / Fax 01938 811173
mch@ruralwales.org.uk
www.mont-hols.co.uk

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