CEREDIGION Penfro MS Anna Nicholl has welcomed the Welsh Government’s broad ambition to strengthen rural resilience and sustainability, but has warned that farmers and local communities must be involved in shaping the detail if policies are to work in practice.

Speaking during a Senedd debate on June 23, Ms Nicholl referred to a recent visit to a farm in Pembrokeshire with the Farmers’ Union of Wales, where she heard first-hand about the significant challenges facing the sector.

She highlighted examples of farms working with Farming Connect to reduce emissions, boost biodiversity and increase profits at the same time.

Ms Nicholl welcomed some of the Government’s stated priorities, including tackling bovine TB, reforming nitrate vulnerable zone regulations and cutting red tape, saying they had given the industry “fresh hope”.

But she pressed ministers on how they would work with farmers when drawing up the detail of future policy.

In response, the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability said the Sustainable Farming Scheme was being refined following feedback, with an emphasis on working with the sector, making the system easier to navigate and offering greater long-term certainty.

Ms Nicholl said: “It’s clear that change is needed to respond to the climate and nature crises, but that change must happen with our rural communities, not against them.

“It’s not just farming that matters here – it’s about keeping our food system strong, supporting local businesses, and securing jobs in our rural areas.

“Farmers in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire want to see a system that is fair, simple to navigate, and provides real financial security, while also tackling the nature and climate crisis.

“It’s positive to hear that the Government is talking about less bureaucracy and more partnership. I look forward to seeing that happen in practice now.”

Photo caption: Anna Nicholl MS, Member of the Senedd for Ceredigion Penfro, on a farm visit in north Pembrokeshire arranged by the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

AMENDED plans for a rural mid Pembrokeshire slurry lagoon have been given the go-ahead after an initial scheme was altered due to the presence of mine workings.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Owen Thomas, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought permission for the excavation of an earth bank nutrient ‘slurry lagoon’ store of 60 by 48 metres near to New House Farm, some one kilometre from the village of Cresselly.

A supporting statement said: “The dairy farming operation at New House Farm covers approximately 290 hectares of mixed tenure land with the herd comprising of 250 milking cows, which have a yield of between 6-9 thousand litres per cow and associated youngstock.”

It added: “The current slurry storage arrangements at New House are insufficient based on the livestock numbers to accommodate a five-month slurry storage capacity. The purpose of the proposal is to increase the slurry and dirty water storage capacity for the farming enterprise to be compliant with the control of Agricultural Pollution (Wales) Regulations 2021 (CoAPR) requirements.

“It is not the applicant’s intention to increase stock levels at the holding. The existing slurry store on the farmstead following the deduction of rainfall and freeboard has a capacity of 1,178 cubic metres.”

It said the required capacity would be 5,481 cubic metres over a five-month period, leading to a current shortfall of 4,303 cubic metres, which the proposal would address.

It added: “A further environmental benefit bought by the development is the nutrient store would allow the spreading of nutrients during suitable weather conditions, rather than needing to be disposed of in unfavourable weather conditions.”

Local community council Jeffreyston raised no objections but noted concerns about its size, although recognising the development is required to meet legislation, requesting all appropriate mitigation measures would be explored and implemented.

The Coal Authority objected to the original proposed location, owing to the presence of a recorded mine shaft and associated zone of influence, leading to an amended scheme moving the store some 150 metres.

An officer report recommending approval for the amended scheme said: “The principle of the development is considered acceptable, given its direct functional relationship with the agricultural enterprise and the demonstrated operational need for additional storage capacity.

“The proposal would remain closely associated with the existing farm holding and would not result in the introduction of an unrelated use within the countryside.”

It added: “The proposal would improve slurry management arrangements at the holding and assist in reducing the risk of pollution incidents associated with insufficient storage capacity.”

The application was conditionally approved.

PEMBROKESHIRE sheep farmers are being urged to use weaning as a key opportunity to check ewe condition and deal with any problems before tupping.

With many local flocks now moving towards weaning, farmers are being advised to assess body condition score, as well as checking teeth, feet and udders, while there is still time to improve nutrition ahead of the breeding season.

Dr Alison Bond, Technical Services Manager at Rumenco, said close monitoring at this stage can help avoid major changes in ewe condition and improve overall flock productivity.

She said weaning at around 12 weeks was a good target, when lambs should usually be between 25kg and 30kg and taking very little milk from the ewe.

“There will of course be a focus on the lambs’ readiness for market at this stage, but it is equally important to put a hand across the ewes to assess their condition,” she said.

For lowland flocks, ewes with a body condition score below 2.5 at weaning should be given priority, as they may struggle to reach the target score of around 3.5 by tupping.

Those poorer condition ewes should be grouped separately, moved onto the best available grazing and given appropriate supplementary feeding where needed.

Dr Bond said waiting until closer to tupping could be less effective and may affect performance.

She added that ewes in good condition at tupping are more likely to scan with more lambs, produce healthier lambs after birth, and rear heavier lambs by eight weeks of age.

“It affects the whole production cycle, and not just one element,” she said.

The advice will be particularly relevant to farms across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, where sheep remain a major part of the rural economy and where grass quality can vary sharply depending on weather, soil type and stocking pressure.

Dr Bond said the aim should be to keep ewes between body condition score 2.5 and 3.5 throughout the cycle, avoiding big dips and peaks.

Routine checks at weaning, she said, give farmers the best chance of correcting problems before the tups go in two to three months later.

Pic: Farmers are being urged to check ewe condition at weaning to protect flock performance ahead of tupping (Pic: Tim Scrivener/Agriphoto).