The Wales Wildfire Board has launched a campaign aimed to educate individuals on the best practices for avoiding and preventing wildfires in Wales called ‘Wildfire Wise’. The Board wants to work with communities to build a healthier and more resilient countryside and to develop a more biodiverse countryside for the future.
Agricultural Policy
A project is taking place in Carmarthenshire this Spring to photograph and map all surviving milk stands in the county. Anthony Rees in collaboration with Carmarthenshire Young Farmers’ Clubs are undertaking the project and are asking for help in the following ways:
- Any old photos of milk stands, stands being used with churns or lorries or even milk stands in the background of a photo
Farming Connect have announced that 17 new training courses have been added to their training programme from April. There are now 120 courses available that are subsidised by up to 80% to registered individuals.
One of the new courses now offered is BASIS FACTS Fertiliser Advisors Certification and Training Scheme
Latest information on new mandatory registration requirements for bird keepers
New measures for all bird keepers to officially register their birds regardless of the size of their flock were announced on 19 March 2024.
Currently, only keepers with more than 50 birds are required to register their flocks. The changes announced will mandate all keepers, regardless of flock size, to officially register their birds before the deadline of the 1st of October in Wales
From the 1st April 2024 the Agricultural Wages (Wales) Order 2024 replaced the 2023 Order with changes coming into force.
From 1st April:
- Minimum pay rates for all grades of worker have increased.
- All allowances (which include dog allowances) have increased by 8.5%.
- The overtime rate is now payable at 1.5 times the agricultural worker’s actual hourly rate, rather than the applicable agricultural minimum wage hourly rate.
- Calls for Welsh Flocks to join RamCompare genetics project
- Expression of interest window dates April 2024
- FUW response to Sustainable Farming Scheme consultation highlights concerning amount of change required within the timeframe
- FUW meets with Minister for Rural Affairs to discuss finer details of recent statement on farming in Wales