Farming Connect webinar will explain all you need to know about the Welsh Government’s new FBG Yard Coverings scheme

Farmers throughout Wales are invited to attend a Farming Connect webinar where invited experts will set out some of the detail about the Welsh Government’s recently announced Farm Business Grant Yard Coverings scheme. 

The webinar, expected to last around one hour, will take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 4 November. 

Guest speaker Keith Owen, an environmental specialist and director of Kebek, who is also an approved Farming Connect mentor on the topic, will be joined by Richard Evans, one of the scheme’s lead policy officials within the Welsh Government’s Agriculture, Sustainability and Development Division.  

Support available through the new Farm Business Grant (FBG) Yard Covering capital grant scheme will support new roofing over existing yards   to separate rainwater and slurry.   This will help reduce the volume of slurry/dirty water currently entering a farm business’s slurry store, releasing valuable storage capacity and helping the farm achieve current SAFFO (Slurry, Silage & Agricultural Fuel Oil) regulations and also prepare for the potential introduction of new pollution control regulations already at the draft stage. 

Mr Owen explained that the grant is aimed at supporting improvements to on-farm nutrient management by improving a farm’s existing infrastructure.  

“Reducing slurry/dirty water production with a view to getting farms closer to achieving current and potential regulatory compliance is critical,” said Mr. Owen, adding that the importance and benefits of infrastructure will be covered in the seminar. 

“This grant to roof over dirty yards is an ideal opportunity to invest in infrastructure which will help farmers achieve current compliance.

“Yard coverings represent an investment which will also help farmers demonstrate to Natural Resources Wales that they are being proactive and have a plan in place to make improvements to their current infrastructure,” said Mr. Owen. 

Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes with Menter a Busnes, which together with Lantra Wales, delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government, said that the availability of this new funding scheme will be an incentive for many farmers. 

“This webinar will encourage any farm businesses that haven’t already addressed the issue to take the first steps to reducing overall slurry and dirty water production on their farms.” 

Mrs Williams, who will chair the webinar, urged farmers everywhere to book their online presence in advance, adding there will be ample opportunity for participants to ask questions. 

To book your online place and receive a log-in code, visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/whats-on.  Alternatively call the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813 who will arrange this for you.  

Farming Connect, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra, has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.