Farming

FUW honours RABI champion

Published

10 years ago

August 11, 2014

RECENTLY-RETIRED Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) regional officer for Wales Erys Hughes was honoured by the Farmers’ Union of Wales at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd last week, when he was presented with the union’s annual external award for services to the agricultural industry in Wales.

Mr Hughes joined RABI in May 1999 as a part-time regional welfare officer looking after beneficiaries in Wales and joined the fundraising, marketing and communications team on a full-time basis in September 2001. Paying tribute to the contribution of Mr Hughes to Welsh farming for so many years, FUW president Emyr Jones said: “It is highly significant that the nominations for this award are made by the union’s members throughout Wales and then our county branches vote on each nomination. “This ensures those who receive the award are very worthy recipients and can be assured they have the strong support of a huge number of Welsh farmers. Therefore, I am delighted to present Erys with this award today. “The work RABI does for farming families in Wales is invaluable. We have seen extreme weather such as drought, rain, floods, heavy snow, and more floods making recent years the most challenging for farming families and RABI have, since 2001 when foot and mouth wreaked havoc, supported farming families in Wales totaling over one million pounds in grants. “Erys has been at the forefront of these efforts here in Wales and for this we thank him today.” Mr Hughes was born and raised on a smallholding and even today he assists close family during some of the busy periods of the farming calendar. He worked for over 30 years for three county councils in Wales in positions including mental welfare officer, social worker and senior social worker. He is a founder member and chairperson for a number of years of the Welshpool branch of MIND, an active committee member of the Mid Wales branch of RELATE and a regular member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal which involved sitting on appeals usually on a monthly basis. RABI chief executive Paul Burrows said: “Erys has certainly raised the profile and awareness of RABI since he became the charity’s first regional manager for Wales. “His charming and persuasive personality certainly helped him become well-known across the whole of Wales and in addition to promoting the work of RABI he helped promote Welsh agriculture. He is a gentleman and a true professional. “The overall impact of the last three years means it may take many farmers years to recover their losses. This is in addition to the economic effect of other problems we help people with such as illness, accidents, family breakdown, bereavement, and animal disease such as bovine TB, or simply the inability to make a living from their business, or survive comfortably in retirement. “Throughout 2013 we gave £393,322.00 to help farming families in Wales. “Even the best-managed business can be hit by unexpected events, and farms of all sizes, all over the country, have been affected, with the impact falling on owner farmers, tenant farmers and farm workers as well as their families.

Crime

Farmer cleared of restraining order breach at Haverfordwest court

Published

2 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been found not guilty of breaching a restraining order after being accused of referencing a protected individual in a Facebook post.

Philip Stoddart, 58, of Monkhill Farm, St Ishmaels, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jan 20) to face the charge. The prosecution, led by Ann Griffiths on behalf of the crown, alleged that between December 4 and December 13, 2023, Stoddart made a Facebook post that, by inference, referred to a person he was prohibited from contacting under a restraining order imposed by Swansea Crown Court on April 16, 2021.

The restraining order, issued under Section 360 of the Sentencing Act 2020, barred Stoddart from making any form of contact with her.

Prosecutors argued that the Facebook post constituted a breach of the order, contrary to Section 363 of the same act.

Stoddart denied the allegations and entered a not guilty plea during a prior hearing on October 1, 2024.

Magistrates Professor N. Negus, Mr. J. Steadman, and Mrs. J. Morris presided over the trial, which concluded on Monday.

After reviewing the evidence, the bench found Stoddart not guilty, dismissing the case.

The dismissal brings to a close legal proceedings that had been ongoing for over a year.

Farming

Get up to £5,000 for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

2 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FARMERS in Wales are being called to apply for the next round of funding for on-farm trials.

The Farming Connect initiative, which has funded projects such as growing lucerne in Brecon, is inviting applications for the Try Out Fund.

The new application window opens on January 27, 2025, and will run until February 17.

Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund trials that experiment with new ideas on their farms.

The last round of funding supported several projects, including integrated pest management at a pick-your-own strawberry enterprise.

Menna Williams, the Farming Connect project lead, said: “Farming Connect has developed the Try Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment.”

She added: “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.”

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

Ms Williams said: “Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100 per cent effort right from the start.”

Projects should focus on enhancing production efficiencies and profitability while ensuring environmental protection through adherence to sustainable land management principles.

A guidance handbook is accessible on the Farming Connect website, providing support for farmers in outlining their projects and completing the application process.

To apply, individuals must be registered with Farming Connect and capable of finishing their projects by January 2026.

Ms Williams explained: “Funding can be used for technical assistance, sampling, testing and other reasonable expenses such as those relating to short-term hire of specialist equipment or facilities directly relating to the project.”

The findings will be shared with other producers in Wales by collaborating with a Farming Connect team member.

Interested parties can apply on the Farming Connect website.

To receive the link or get further information, contact [email protected].

Farming

Funding window to re-open for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

2 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WITH Farming Connect-funded trials ranging from growing lucerne in Brecon to establishing sunflowers as a companion crop with maize, farmers are being invited to apply for the next round of funding from the initiative that brought these projects to life.

The new application window for the Try Out Fund opens on 27January2025 and will run until 17 February. Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund on-farm trials that experiment with new ideas. The last round of funding saw farmers supported for several projects including integrated pest management at pick your own strawberry enterprise.

Project lead Menna Williams of Farming Connect said the aim is for farmers to compare different treatments or management systems – the project is not intended to fund new equipment she stressed.

“Farming Connect has developed the Try-Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment,’’ she said. “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.’’

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

“Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100% effort right from the start,’’ said Ms Williams.

Suitable projects must aim to improve production efficiencies and profitability whilst protecting the environment by aligning with sustainable land management outcomes. A guidance handbook is available on the Farming Connect website to help farmers scope their project and complete the application form.

Applicants must be registered with Farming Connect and be able to complete their projects by January 2026.