Farming Connect tackling water pollution near Pendine

The first out of a series of meetings aimed at tackling water pollution has been held by Farming Connect near Pendine on the Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire border.

Twenty-eight waterbodies in Wales have been identified as not reaching the required standards. These meetings are part of a wider, national campaign aimed at generating an industry commitment to eliminating pollution to demonstrate the high standards and reputation of Welsh farming.

The water sourced from Morfa Bychan borehole is used by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to supply drinking water to approximately 8,000 people in the area. In order to help protect this important borehole Farming Connect is offering a suite of services to help minimise the risk of agricultural pollution.

There is approximately 1100 ha of land in the Morfa Bychan Source Protection Zone, excluding forests and villages. Those farmers who attended the meeting are active managers of 991 ha of land.

“We are delighted with the response from the farming community”, said Carys Thomas, Farming Connect Regional Manager. “It shows that farmers are taking the issue seriously and are committed to improving the water quality in this area.

This meeting was in addition to the existing Agrisgôp group that has been established to create and implement an approach to protect and improve water quality and benefit farm businesses.”

Speaking at the event, Keith Owen, ADAS provided farmers with information and guidance on silage and slurry, storage and handling, the impact of rainwater and an overview of current legislation and future issues.

“A key message from Keith’s presentation was that small, often fairly low cost improvements, can result in major economic and environmental benefits,” Carys explained.

“For example, broken gutters or downpipes are often over-looked or ignored on farms, but a broken downpipe on a typical 100m x 60m shed could mean 180 cubic meters of rainwater reaching your slurry pit, this equates to an extra 11 trips out with a 2000 gallon vacuum tanker to dispose of what was clean rainwater.”

Those who attended the meeting learned about the ways Farming Connect can support Welsh farmers to make positive changes. The Farming Connect Advisory Service can provide 80% funding for expert, independent, confidential and bespoke advice on soil and nutrient management planning, slurry and farmyard manure management and storage and farm infrastructure. Eligible businesses registered with Farming Connect can also access 100% funding (up to a maximum of €1500) as part of a group of 3 or more.

Planning Surgeries provided by Farming Connect allow farmers to discuss their planning queries with a planning expert for up to an hour, free of charge.  This is an ideal opportunity to discuss planning issues specific to your farm and ensure that you are well informed and prepared before you approach your local planning authority.

Other Farming Connect support mechanisms include;

a one-to-one mentoring service, where farmers can receive up to 22.5 hours of mentoring from another experienced farmer who has addressed issues and introduced novel solutions on their farm,

the Sustainable Management Scheme support service, which provides groups of farmers with support to apply for financial support for a range of activities that will improve the management of our natural resources and

EIP Wales which offers financial support to groups with innovative ideas on how to tackle agricultural pollution.

For further information on the support available from Farming Connect to tackle this important issue, visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect or contact the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813.

Cyswllt Ffermio yn mynd i’r afael â llygredd dŵr ger Pentywyn

Mae’r cyntaf mewn cyfres o gyfarfodydd sy’n anelu at drechu llygredd dŵr wedi cael ei gynnal gan Cyswllt Ffermio ger Pentywyn ar y ffin rhwng Sir Gâr a Sir Benfro.

Mae 28 o gyrff dŵr yng Nghymru wedi cael eu henwi fel ardaloedd nad ydynt yn bodloni’r safonau gofynnol. Mae’r cyfarfodydd yn rhan o ymgyrch cenedlaethol ehangach sydd wedi’i anelu at sicrhau ymrwymiad gan y diwydiant i  waredu llygredd er mwyn dangos safonau uchel ac enw da ffermio yng Nghymru.

Mae Dŵr Cymru yn defnyddio dŵr o dwll turio Morfa Bychan i samplu dŵr yfed ar gyfer oddeutu 8,000 o bobl yn yr ardal. Er mwyn ceisio diogelu’r twll turio pwysig hwn, mae Cyswllt Ffermio yn cynnig nifer o wasanaethau i helpu lleihau’r perygl o lygredd amaethyddol.

Mae oddeutu 1100 ha o dir o fewn Parth Gwarchod Ffynhonnell Morfa Bychan, heb gynnwys coedwigoedd a phentrefi. Mae’r ffermwyr a fynychodd y cyfarfod yn rheolwyr gweithredol ar 991 ha o’r tir.

“Rydym ni’n hapus iawn gyda’r ymateb gan y gymuned ffermio,” meddai Carys Thomas, Rheolwr Rhanbarthol Cyswllt Ffermio. “Mae’n dangos bod ffermwyr yn rhoi ystyriaeth ddifrifol i’r mater a’u bod wedi ymrwymo i wella ansawdd dŵr yn yr ardal hon.”

Roedd y cyfarfod hwn yn ychwanegol i’r grŵp Agrisgôp sydd eisoes wedi cael ei sefydlu i greu a gweithredu dull i ddiogelu a gwella ansawdd dŵr a buddio busnesau ffermio.”

Yn ystod y digwyddiad, bu Keith Owen, ADAS, yn rhoi cyngor ac arweiniad i ffermwyr yn ymwneud â thrin a storio silwair a slyri, effaith dŵr glaw a throsolwg o ddeddfwriaeth bresennol a materion at y dyfodol.

“Un o brif negeseuon Keith yn ei gyflwyniad oedd bod gwelliannau bychain, sy’n aml yn gymharol rad, yn gallu arwain at fuddion sylweddol yn economaidd ac yn amgylcheddol,” eglurodd Carys.

“Er enghraifft, mae cafnau a pheipiau glaw sydd wedi torri’n cael eu diystyru neu eu hanwybyddu’n aml ar ffermydd, ond byddai peipiau glaw wedi torri ar sied nodweddiadol 100m x 60m yn gallu arwain at 180 metr ciwbig o ddŵr glaw yn cyrraedd eich storfa slyri, sy’n gyfwerth ag 11 taith ychwanegol gyda thancer 2000 galwyn i waredu beth oedd yn ddŵr glaw glân.”

Cafodd mynychwyr gyfle i ddysgu am y ffyrdd y gall Cyswllt Ffermio gefnogi ffermwyr Cymru i wneud newidiadau cadarnhaol. Gall Gwasanaeth Cynghori Cyswllt Ffermio ddarparu cyllid 80% ar gyfer cyngor arbenigol, annibynnol, cyfrinachol wedi’i deilwra ynglŷn â chynllunio rheoli maetholion, rheoli a storio slyri a thail buarth ac isadeiledd fferm. Gall busnesau cymwys sydd wedi cofrestru gyda Cyswllt Ffermio hefyd gael mynediad at gyllid 100% (hyd at uchafswm o €1500) fel rhan o grŵp o 3 neu fwy.

Mae Cymorthfeydd Cynllunio a ddarperir gan Cyswllt Ffermio yn galluogi ffermwyr i drafod eu hymholiadau cynllunio gydag arbenigwr cynllunio am hyd at awr, a hynny am ddim. Mae hyn yn gyfle delfrydol i drafod materion cynllunio sy’n benodol i’ch fferm a sicrhau eich bod yn derbyn digon o wybodaeth ac wedi paratoi’n ddigonol cyn mynd at eich awdurdod cynllunio lleol.

Mae cefnogaeth arall gan Cyswllt Ffermio yn cynnwys; gwasanaeth mentora un i un, lle gall ffermwyr dderbyn hyd at 22.5 awr o fentora gan ffermwr profiadol arall sydd wedi mynd i’r afael â materion ac wedi cyflwyno atebion newydd ar eu ffermydd;

gwasanaeth cefnogi Cynllun Rheoli Cynaliadwy, sy’n rhoi cefnogaeth i ffermwyr i ymgeisio am gymorth ariannol am amrywiaeth o weithgareddau a fydd yn gwella rheolaeth o’n hadnoddau naturiol; ac

EIP Wales, sy’n cynnig cefnogaeth ariannol i grwpiau sydd â syniadau arloesol ynglŷn â sut i drechu llygredd amaethyddol.

Am ragor o fanylion ynglŷn â’r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael gan Cyswllt Ffermio i fynd i’r afael â’r mater pwysig hwn, ewch i www.llyw.cymru neu cysylltwch â Chanolfan Wasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio ar 08456 000 813.