Farming

FUW explores innovation at Royal Welsh

Published

6 years ago

July 27, 2018

Bernard Griffiths, FUW: Excited about possibilities to innovate

AMERICAN entrepreneur Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple, once said that ’innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower’. Recognising the importance of innovation in the agricultural industry, the Farmers’ Union of Wales is hosting a special seminar at the Royal Welsh Show.

The innovation seminar, which is held on Tuesday, July 23, at 2pm at the FUW Pavilion, will focus on how farmers can embrace innovation in many different ways, and stay ahead of their competitors as Brexit looms.

Those attending the seminar can look forward to hearing from Geraint Hughes, of Madryn Foods, who leads on Business and Innovation in the Farming Connect’s Agri-Academy scheme, whose forum include Welsh farmers looking at technologies such as Genomics, Smart farming, Virtual reality, Social Media and Vertical farming.

He also operates as a broker for the European Innovation Partnership programme that aims to bridge academia and industry by conducting field trials of cutting edge technologies in a commercial environment.

Previously, Mr Hughes conducted agriculture research at Bangor University and was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study “Crops for functional foods” in 2006.

“I look forward to sharing knowledge I have gained from travels seeing innovation at work, which has now become reality, such as retail vending, the “farmacy” concept in supermarkets such as Planet Organics where shoppers buy with their health being the main consideration, pasture fed meat, robotics, genomics and more,” said Geraint Hughes.

Also joining the panel of speakers is Karina Marsden who is a post-doctoral researcher in the Ecosystems and Environment group at the Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University.

She has researched soil nitrogen cycling in livestock production systems, with a particular focus on emissions of the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, from agricultural soils. Karina works alongside Professor Dave Chadwick who specialises in sustainable land use systems and Professor Davey Jones who specialises in soil and environmental science.

Bangor University researchers have been investigating novel methods of utilising nitrification inhibitors to reduce diffuse nitrogen pollution from agriculture, including nitrate leaching and emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.

Novel strategies include targeting the use of these inhibitors to critical pollution source areas and quantifying how effective they are in terms of cost of application and alleviation of nitrogen pollution. Compounds of biological, rather than chemical origin are also being investigated. There is potential to adopt these technologies, possibly under the support of agri-environment schemes, but research is key to determine how effective they are and how their use can be optimised before wider adoption can take place.

Another novel technology being studied is the use of real-time in-situ sensors which can detect soil nitrate. The major aim is to better improve nitrogen use efficiency, to match the supply of nitrogen fertilisers to the demand of the crops.

The research will assess how these sensors perform in comparison to existing technologies,such as crop canopy sensors measuring greenness. The technology has been advancing with improvements to sensor robustness and design.

Research is continuing into how this technology could be adopted on farms e.g. how many sensors would be required across a given area and how to link the soil nitrate concentration data to crop growth and nitrogen demand.

FUW Policy officer Bernard Griffiths said: “The FUW has collaborated with other industry Welsh stakeholders for the past 18 months to tackle diffuse and point source pollution from agriculture sources and innovation was identified as one of the 5 key prongs to bring about improvement.

“We therefore welcome innovative research that will develop alternative strategies to keep Welsh farmers working on the land and we look forward hearing more about this from Karina at the seminar.“

Updating attendees on the latest developments on a range of sensors to help farmers remotely monitor livestock in extensive systems, is Shiv Kodam of Hoofprints Technologies – who have carried out a year-long trial in collaboration with Scottish Rural Colleges at their remote hill farm in Crianlarich, Scotland.

The company has also developed gate sensors to monitor the opening and closing of gates on farms. The gate sensors could play an important role in notifying the farmer if a farm gate has been opened by someone other than the farmer.

“Currently, Hoofprints Technologies are working on several farms across the UK on a range of different systems for different uses. For example, cows and sheep are collared which log and transmit the location of the animal every few minutes. This can then be displayed on a dashboard in real time.

“Other technology developed will accurately and automatically “mother-up” ewes and lambs within 48 hours with up to 99% accuracy of the ewe and lamb relationship. This also works with ewes with multiple lambs. The technique can be used on suckler cows to identify cross suckling traits.

“The technology allows the accurate identification of the behaviours of remote livestock so that farmers could be notified if their animals behave differently from the norm, or if the animal displays signs of illness, characterised by lack of movement or motion. I’m looking forward to provide further updates on this at the FUW’s seminar and look forward to seeing many of you there,” said Shiv Kodam.

FUW Policy Officer Bernard Griffiths said: “We are very excited about this seminar, which will explore a variety of innovations made, that can help the sector progress in future. The seminar is free to attend and open to all – I hope many of you can join us in exploring further aspects of innovation in agric sector.”

Farming

Dairy farmers hit hard as average incomes plunge by up to 62%

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

DAIRY FARMERS in Wales have suffered a major financial blow, with incomes falling by 62% in real terms between April 2023 and March 2024, according to recent figures. Average farm business income during this period dropped to just £70,900—a significant decline from previous years.

FALLING MILK PRICES

The primary cause of this downturn has been a sharp reduction in farmgate milk prices. After record highs in 2022, milk prices fell dramatically in early 2023, leaving many farmers struggling to make ends meet. This drop in revenue has had a ripple effect across the sector.

RISING COSTS

At the same time, input costs for feed, fertilizer, and fuel have remained stubbornly high. Although there has been some stabilization in feed prices, the overall cost of production continues to strain farm finances. Many farmers report that rising costs are eroding already slim profit margins.

LABOUR CHALLENGES

Labour shortages have also played a role. The dairy sector, which relies heavily on skilled workers, has faced difficulties in recruiting staff, a problem made worse by post-Brexit immigration rules. As a result, many farms have had to pay higher wages, further cutting into their earnings.

REGULATORY BURDENS

Environmental regulations have added another layer of financial stress. Farmers have been required to invest in costly infrastructure, such as improved slurry storage systems, to meet new standards. While these measures aim to protect the environment, they have placed additional pressure on farmers already grappling with tight budgets.

UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER

Weather volatility has also contributed to the challenges. Unpredictable conditions have impacted forage quality and availability, affecting milk yields and increasing costs for supplementary feed.

CALLS FOR SUPPORT

Industry leaders are calling for greater support to help dairy farmers weather the storm. They are urging the government to provide relief measures and address the ongoing issues of market volatility and regulatory costs.

Farmers’ Union of Wales Deputy President, Dai Miles said: “The latest statistics on Farm Business Incomes in Wales demonstrate the economic reality of attempting to maintain levels of profitability against a backdrop of increasing costs and red tape.

“Dairy farms have seen significant declines due to both an average increase of 10% in overall farm business costs coupled with reductions in income.

“Across the board, however, the proportion of farm businesses in Wales generating a negative income continues to increase to over 20%. At the very least, this demonstrates the need for the future Sustainable Farming Scheme to offer an equal level of economic stability, currently provided through the Basic Payment Scheme, the maintenance of which for 2025 has been welcomed by the industry.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Despite the challenges, some industry analysts remain cautiously optimistic, suggesting that stabilizing milk prices and improved market conditions could provide relief in the coming year. However, without significant intervention, many fear that the sector may continue to struggle.

Dairy farming has long been a cornerstone of the Welsh economy, and the current crisis serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust support for this vital industry.

Farming

Farmers’ Union of Wales responds to Foot and Mouth case in Germany

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FARMER’S UNION OF WALES has responded to reports of a confirmed case of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) in Germany.

The disease was identified on 10 January in a water buffalo on a farm in Märkisch-Oderland, Brandenburg, marking Germany’s first case of FMD in nearly 40 years.

Foot and Mouth disease does not pose a risk to human health or food safety.

In response, the UK Government has implemented a ban on the import of cattle, pigs, and sheep from Germany. Additional measures include the suspension of import health certificates for live animals and fresh meat from species susceptible to Foot and Mouth disease.

Commenting on the development, FUW President Ian Rickman said:

“The recent case of Foot and Mouth disease in Germany will be a source of concern for livestock farmers across Europe.

The news inevitably brings back memories of the devastating impact the disease had on the agriculture sector and the countryside in 2001. This serves as a timely reminder of the importance of stringent border checks to prevent such diseases from entering the UK.

We welcome the proactive steps taken by the German authorities and the UK Government’s decision to ban livestock imports from Germany. As the situation unfolds, we will closely monitor developments and encourage livestock keepers to remain vigilant.”

Farming

West Wales dairy farm leads the way in sustainable agriculture

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A Welsh farming family is making significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of their dairy business, achieving an impressive carbon footprint of 1.06kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per kilogram of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM).

Roger and Catherine Howells, who run Blaengelli Farm in Whitland, attribute this achievement to years of investment in infrastructure and a steadfast commitment to high animal welfare standards.

Sustainable efforts and key milestones

The Howells family continues to evolve their sustainability journey, recently participating in an assessment funded by Lloyds Banking Group through the Soil Association Exchange. This comprehensive evaluation examined six critical areas: soil, biodiversity, animal welfare, water, carbon, and social impact. The resulting analysis provided the family with tailored insights to identify areas for further improvement.

“As part of our contract with our milk processor, we’ve taken part in sustainability audits for the past five years, so we’re pretty well versed in this area,” Roger explained.

“However, we saw this as an opportunity to build a full picture of the farm and thought it might support us in looking more closely at our soil health. The assessment considered soil pH, phosphate and potash levels, as well as copper and magnesium, which we hadn’t analyzed before,” he added.

Tailored action plan for improvement

The audit process provided Blaengelli Farm with a bespoke action plan, highlighting areas where environmental and operational efficiencies could be achieved. Farms undergoing this process are also signposted to funding opportunities to implement recommended improvements.

The Howells family scored particularly high in animal welfare, reflecting their focus on herd management and disease prevention.

However, their sustainability efforts have faced challenges. A recent TB outbreak forced the family to double their youngstock numbers to replace lost animals, increasing their replacement rate from 25% to 50%. Consequently, methane emissions rose, leading to an increase in their CO2e footprint to 1.27kg CO2e per kilogram of FPCM.

Tackling challenges with innovation

Despite setbacks, the Howells remain committed to progress. Measures to address their farm’s environmental impact include:

Introducing clover to reduce nitrogen inputs.
Applying farmyard manure to fields with low phosphate levels.
Planting deeper-rooting grasses and legumes to boost soil organic matter and carbon capture.
Adjusting soil pH to improve fertilizer efficiency.

“We’ve already started applying farmyard manure to low-phosphate and potash fields and plan to apply lime to fields that weren’t at the optimum pH at the time of testing,” said Roger.

A wider initiative for sustainable agriculture

The achievements at Blaengelli Farm are part of a broader effort by Lloyds Banking Group to support farmers transitioning to sustainable practices. By funding over 80% of farms participating in the Soil Association Exchange assessment, the bank is helping establish a robust environmental baseline for UK agriculture.

Lee Reeves, UK Head of Agriculture at Lloyds Bank, highlighted the importance of this partnership:
“The partnership between Lloyds Banking Group and the Soil Association Exchange is the most ambitious of its kind, focusing on building a holistic view of farming’s environmental impact.

“By providing farmers with the tools and finance they need, we’re helping the sector to adapt during a great time of change.”

This pioneering approach positions Blaengelli Farm and others like it at the forefront of the transition to sustainable agriculture in Wales and beyond.