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Agri-tech innovation centre completed

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ON TIME and on budget, the final set of keys were handed over at the Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus (AberInnovation) on Monday, August 24, to mark the completion of the new world-leading bioscience facility after a two-year construction programme.

The AberInnovation team, along with key stakeholders and representatives from construction contractor Willmott Dixon, celebrated the completion of the final building at the new Campus’s Innovation Hub.

Maintaining social distancing, the team held a ceremonial key handover to recognise the completion of the project which has seen the creation of a new Biorefining Centre, Seed Biobank and Processing Facility, Future Food Centre, Advanced Analysis Centre and Innovation Hub.

Dr Rhian Hayward MBE, Chief Executive Officer at AberInnovation said: “AberInnovation is a major investment in the research and innovation infrastructure for the UK. I am delighted to receive the keys from our contractors, who have delivered these complex facilities to an exceptional standard.

“We are already attracting a pipeline of collaborative projects to be hosted in the new buildings which is a testament to the vision of our investors. AberInnovation will be a catalyst for innovative, interdisciplinary research and development and we look forward to supporting new product development and job creation.”

The handover marks the start of the operational phase of the Campus which was recently and awarded an additional £3m in revenue funding from the Welsh Government.

Jeremy Miles, Counsel General and Minister for European Transition in Welsh Government, said: “This new facility will create excellent quality jobs, new opportunities for Welsh businesses and enable world-leading research in bioscience to take place at the University – it’s great news for Aberystwyth and the local economy as we rebuild Wales following the pandemic. I’m delighted the Welsh Government has been able to support this venture with £23m through our European Regional Development Fund programmes.”

With this support AberInnovation is now perfectly placed to develop a pipeline of collaborative research and development projects within the biotechnology, agri-tech, and food and drink sectors.

Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University said: “Today marks a hugely significant milestone for the Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus and for the University’s Gogerddan campus.

“This development forms one of three major capital projects at Aberystwyth University and I congratulate everyone who has been involved with delivering the work on time and on budget – no mean feat in the current climate.

“The challenges we face are unprecedented and these new cutting-edge facilities for collaborative research and development projects within the biotechnology, agri-tech, and food and drink sectors offer an exciting prospect and an important and timely boost for the Welsh economy, and in particular the rural economy of mid and west Wales.”

Construction has continued safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with contractor Willmott Dixon strictly implementing the Construction Leadership Council’s Site Operating Procedures.

Neal Stephens, Managing Director Willmott Dixon said: “It is great that we have been able to hand over the final building today. Despite everything that COVID-19 has thrown at us, the team have worked tirelessly to keep the project both safe and operational throughout. It is a testament to everyone involved that we have delivered the project on time and on budget.

“This new facility is going to play such an important role in protecting our food, water and energy security now and in the future; and we are delighted in playing our role in helping make that happen.”

Bill Poll, BBSRC’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “As one of the partners investing in the Campus, BBSRC is excited to see the completion of this key milestone and how these facilities will enable AberInnovation to continue driving the development of a vibrant and thriving innovation community, enabling entrepreneurs and businesses to collaborate with researchers, access specialist facilities, and benefit from support networks and targeted events.”

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, BBSRC – part of UK Research and Innovation – and Aberystwyth University, the Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus provides a world-leading facility for bio-science research

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Farming

Value of hedges in storing carbon below ground studied in soil project

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THE ROLE hedges play in capturing carbon and storing it in soils is being investigated as Farming Connect gathers soil samples from across Wales in an initiative that will provide important benchmarking data for farmers.

Data collection for the second year of the Welsh Soil Project is underway, and this time soil samples have also been taken from land within a metre from field hedges, in addition to within-field samples.

Dr Non Williams, Farming Connect’s Carbon Specialist Officer, said the aim is to compare soil carbon stocks within fields and under woody vegetation.

“We often get questions from farmers about this, and we hope that the results of this project will provide them with the answers,’’ she said.

“Estimating the soil carbon levels by hedges will help to highlight their importance for climate change mitigation.’’

Farmers have a key role to play in tackling climate change and soils can play an important part in that.

The Welsh Soil Project samples are being analysed ahead of Wales Climate Week in December.

Over 1,000 samples were taken from farms that are a part of Farming Connect’s Our Farms Network, which were then analysed for organic matter content and bulk density, as well as other measurements.

For uniformity, all samples were collected within the same period this autumn and from grass fields including permanent pasture, hay and silage fields, and reseeds.

“This project looks at how varying management intensities, along with geographical factors, are impacting soil carbon stocks across Wales.”

Soil was taken from multiple depths, from the top 10cm layer to a depth of 50cm.

Dr Williams, who is leading the project, is a speaker at a major soil science event in Belfast in December.

At the British Society of Soil Science and the Soil Science Society of Ireland Annual Conference, she will deliver a presentation on the preliminary results of the project.

Soil carbon and carbon in general are also themes at three Farming Connect Masterclasses taking place in February 2024.

Dr Williams, who will lead these workshops, said it will give farmers an opportunity to improve their understanding of the basics of carbon footprinting prior to carrying out a carbon audit for their farms.

“These interactive workshops will focus on breaking down the carbon jargon, allow farmers to learn about the significance of the carbon cycle to their farm, and how it can be influenced to help reduce the farm’s carbon footprint in the future,’’ she said.

The events will take place at Llety Cynin, St Clears, Carmarthenshire, on 6 February, at Elephant and Castle, Newtown, on 8 February, and at Nanhoron Arms Hotel, Nefyn on 20 February, all from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Further details on how to book a place can be found on the Farming Connect website.

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Farming

Time to ‘protect Welsh farming from the Welsh Government’ – Gwlad Gwlad

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GWYN WIGLEY EVANS, leader of Gwlad Gwlad, the Welsh Independence Party that believes in a working economy (www.gwlad.org) has spoken out on the threat not just to Welsh farming but the lives of Welsh farmers posed by the Welsh Government’s new Habitat Wales scheme.

Gwyn Wigley Evans explained the impact of the scheme: “The Welsh Government’s new scheme will reduce farmers to badly paid environmental managers. It is equivalent to planting trees on rugby pitches and still expecting games of rugby. The former farmers will see incomes fall by 50 to 90%. Each family farm supports 7 businesses within 20 miles. They can all expect massive reductions.”

Gwyn Evans has direct engagement with the social impact of difficulties in rural communities. He has been a Samaritan and CRUSE (Bereavement Counselling) counsellor for 23 years. Addressing his remarks to Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Government Rural Affairs Minister, he pointed out “This policy will leave blood on the Welsh Government’s hands. The Samaritans, DPJ, Tir Dewi are going to be busy. This policy will pull the trigger on the guns. The effects of the Habitat Wales scheme will clear the environment of people as deliberately as the Highland Clearances.”

When addressing actions to follow he said “Plaid Cymru is no use to Welsh Farmers. They support Mark Drakeford’s Rural Affairs policies meeting the goals of London Labour environmentalists not Welsh Farmers. Gwlad Gwlad will hold a meeting at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells on 27 November 2023 to focus on how to resist the worst impacts of the Habitat Wales scheme.Exports of Food and Drink were worth £797m to the Welsh economy in 2022 and are growing faster than the UK as a whole.

The world is full of small countries which have powered ahead, economically and socially, since achieving their independence. Gwlad Gwlad believes that Wales should be one of them: a prosperous, successful independent country enjoying good relations with its neighbours and comfortable in its own skin.

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Farming

Leader of Welsh Lib Dems visits Carmarthenshire farm to highlight farmers concerns

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LAST WEEK (Nov 16) the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS visited Blaencennan farm in Llangadog to highlight issues affecting common land farmers in Wales.

During the visit, the following issues were raised:

-Concerns around the Habitat Wales Scheme.

-The importance of Welsh communities and the Welsh language and how the farming industry ties into that.

-The willingness of farmers to diversify their businesses.

-Commonland farming being included in the Universal payments in the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

-Ensuring that land is being farmed and not just being left, with non-grazed dry land presenting a potential fire risk.

Mrs Dodds also welcomed on the visit the Rural Affairs Minister for Wales Lesley Griffiths MS, as well as representatives from the National Farmers Union.

Commenting, Jane Dodds MS said: “It was a pleasure to visit Blaencennan farm today alongside the Minister Lesley Griffiths MS and representatives from the National Farmers Union.

Many farmers across Wales are being faced with an uncertain future and they desperately need our support.

My hope from this visit is that the concerns of the farming community are listened to and acted upon.

The Habitat Wales scheme is laden with pitfalls caused by incorrect mapping of farmland areas and a considerable low compensation offer to farmers that will leave them worse off.

If we are going to be serious about the creation of a sustainable farming model, then it is vital that we fix these errors before the scheme is launched.

It is clear to see that farmers want to do the right thing by helping the environment and by working together we can bring a brighter and greener future for Wales.”

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