Farming Connect campaign to reduce agricultural pollution

Farming Connect campaign to reduce agricultural pollution

Farming Connect is coordinating an industry-led initiative to tackle pollution from agriculture head-on in Wales

The Wales Land Management Forum’s sub-group on agricultural pollution – a body incorporating Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government, Farming Unions and others want an industry commitment to eliminate pollution to reflect high standards in Welsh farming and has launched ‘Reducing Agricultural Pollution’, a campaign co-ordinated by Farming Connect.

Sara Jenkins, Menter a Busnes’ Development Manager, explained that Farming Connect will be heading up a campaign to provide support, advice and guidance to farmers, in order to reduce the number of pollution incidents in Wales.

“The new campaign will focus on supporting farmers to take action to prevent pollution through the improved management of manures, slurries and soils and a reduction in the use of chemicals such as pesticides” she explained.

“In line with the Environment Act (Wales), preventing pollution from agriculture will have significant benefits for farm businesses and the wider community and economy who are reliant on a healthy water environment.’’

Farming Connect funded through the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government has a suite of services available to assist farmers, these services include the advisory service which provides farmers registered with Farming Connect up to 80% funding for Nutrient Management Plans or fully-funded NMP’s as group advice.

Advice is also available on an individual or group basis for slurry and farmyard manure management and storage plans, farm infrastructure including clean-dirty water separation, slurry, manure and silage storage and many more technical aspects.

Other 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, and planning surgeries, where farmers can access an hours’ worth of advice free of charge from a planning expert.

“I would urge all farmers in Wales to consider their potential impact on the environment and discuss their individual requirements with their local Farming Connect Development Officer, who will be able to guide them to the most appropriate support.”

“Engaging with these services will have significant benefits for farm businesses and the wider community and economy who are reliant on a healthy water environment” said Sara Jenkins.

More specifically, farmers with land around 28 priority watercourses identified by NRW will be encouraged to engage with a programme of support through Farming Connect to make improvements to freshwater quality over the coming months.

The initiative will link in with best practice projects already underway at Farming Connect Innovation Sites, Demonstration Farms and Focus Sites; these include techniques for producing, storing and feeding silage and dealing with effluent in the dairy unit at Gelli Aur Innovation Site and improving field drainage at Tyreglwys Demonstration Farm to reduce poaching from cattle and improve soil structure.

If you require further information about how to improve water quality you are encouraged to contact the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813 or visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnectto find contact details for your local Development Officer, who will be able to guide you through the services.

Ymgyrch Cyswllt Ffermio i leihau llygredd amaethyddol

Mae Cyswllt Ffermio’n cydlynu cynllun dan arweiniad diwydiant i fynd i’r afael yn uniongyrchol â llygredd o amaethyddiaeth yng Nghymru.

Mae is-grŵp Fforwm Rheoli Tir Cymru ar lygredd amaethyddol – corff sy’n cynnwys Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, Llywodraeth Cymru, Undebau Ffermio ac eraill eisiau ymrwymiad gan ddiwydiant i ddileu llygredd er mwyn adlewyrchu safonau uchel ym myd amaeth yng Nghymru ac mae wedi lansio ymgyrch ‘Lleihau Llygredd Amaethyddol’, sy’n cael ei chydlynu gan Cyswllt Ffermio.

Eglurodd Sara Jenkins, Rheolwr Datblygu Menter a Busnes, y bydd Cyswllt Ffermio’n arwain ymgyrch i gynnig cymorth, cyngor a chyfarwyddyd i ffermwyr, er mwyn lleihau nifer yr achosion o lygredd yng Nghymru.

“Bydd yr ymgyrch newydd yn canolbwyntio ar gefnogi ffermwyr i gymryd camau i atal llygredd drwy wella’r ffordd y mae tail, slyri a phriddoedd yn cael eu rheoli a thrwy ddefnyddio llai o gemegau fel plaladdwyr,” eglurodd.

“Yn unol â Deddf yr Amgylchedd (Cymru), bydd atal llygredd o amaethyddiaeth yn dod â budd sylweddol i fusnesau fferm a’r gymuned ehangach a’r economi sy’n dibynnu ar amgylchedd dŵr iach.’’

Mae Cyswllt Ffermio, a ariennir gan Raglen Datblygu Gwledig 2014-2020, sy’n cael ei hariannu o Gronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig a Llywodraeth Cymru, yn cynnig nifer o wasanaethau sydd ar gael i helpu ffermwyr. Mae’r gwasanaethau hyn yn cynnwys y gwasanaeth cynghori sy’n cynnig cymhorthdal o hyd at 80% i ffermwyr sydd wedi cofrestru gyda Cyswllt Ffermio ar gyfer Cynlluniau Rheoli Maetholion neu Gynlluniau Rheoli Maetholion wedi’u hariannu’n llawn fel cyngor grŵp.

Mae cyngor hefyd ar gael yn unigol neu ar sail grŵp ar gyfer cynllunio rheoli a stori slyri a thail fferm, seilwaith fferm yn cynnwys gwahanu dŵr glân a dŵr budr, slyri, tail a storio silwair a nifer o agweddau technegol eraill.

Mae dulliau cefnogi eraill yn cynnwys; gwasanaeth mentora un-i-un, lle gall ffermwyr gael hyd at 22.5 awr o fentora gan ffermwr profiadol arall sydd wedi delio â phroblemau a chyflwyno atebion newydd ar eu fferm, a chymorthfeydd cynllunio, lle gall ffermwyr gael mynediad at werth awr o gyngor am ddim gan arbenigwr cynllunio.

“Buaswn yn annog pob ffermwr yng Nghymru i ystyried eu heffaith bosibl ar yr amgylchedd a thrafod eu gofynion unigol gyda’u Swyddog Datblygu Cyswllt Ffermio lleol, fydd yn gallu eu cyfeirio at y cymorth mwyaf priodol.”

“Bydd manteisio ar y gwasanaethau hyn yn dod â budd sylweddol i fusnesau fferm a’r gymuned ehangach a’r economi sy’n dibynnu ar amgylchedd dŵr iach,” meddai Sara Jenkins.

Yn fwy penodol, bydd ffermwyr sydd â thir o gwmpas 28 o gyrsiau dŵr â blaenoriaeth a restrwyd gan Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru yn cael eu hannog i gymryd rhan mewn rhaglen gymorth trwy Cyswllt Ffermio i wneud gwelliannau i ansawdd dŵr ffres yn ystod y misoedd nesaf.

Bydd y cynllun yn cysylltu â phrosiectau arfer gorau sydd eisoes yn cael eu cynnal ar Safleoedd Arloesedd Cyswllt Ffermio, Ffermydd Arddangos a Safleoedd Ffocws;  mae’r rhain yn cynnwys technegau ar gyfer cynhyrchu, storio a bwydo silwair a delio ag elifiant yn yr uned laeth ar Safle Arloesedd Gelli Aur a gwella draeniad tir ar Fferm Arddangos Tyreglwys fel bod gwartheg yn postio llai a bod strwythur y pridd yn gwella.

O oes angen rhagor o wybodaeth arnoch ynglŷn â sut i wella ansawdd dŵr, cysylltwch â Chanolfan Gwasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio ar 08456 000 813 neu ewch i www.llyw.cymru i gael manylion cyswllt eich Swyddog Datblygu lleol, fydd yn gallu eich arwain drwy’r gwasanaethau.