As of Monday the 29th of November, the all Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (which has been in place since the 3rd of November) has been extended and it is now mandatory to house poultry and captive birds. These measures, alongside existing biosecurity rules, will help minimise the risk of Avian Influenza spreading from wild birds to kept birds:

• House or net all poultry and captive birds to keep them separate from wild birds
• Cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
• Reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and use effective vermin control
• Thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing on a continuous basis
• Keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
• Minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds

Public health advice and food standards bodies advise that the risk to human health and food safety risk for UK consumers is very low.

If you are suspicious of Avian Influenza infection within your flock you should call the following Wales only line: 0300 303 8268.

Dead wild birds that are found should be reported via the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

For further information please visit: https://gov.wales/avian-influenza

The FUW recently raised concerns with Rural Payments Wales (RPW) and during a meeting with Minister for Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths regarding the timing of issuing Glastir extensions contracts just prior to the Christmas period.

Due to the timing of the Programme Monitoring Committee meeting, the three week period which would follow for Glastir contract holders to accept their extensions would have come to an end on 31st December - during a time when RPW and Welsh Government offices operate at a reduced capacity meaning those wishing to query contracts may be unable to do so before the deadline.

It has since been announced that the deadline to accept contract extensions has been extended until the 31st January 2022.

Whilst existing contracts expire on 31st December 2021 and contract holders will have until 31st January 2022 to accept their new contract, it is important to note that contract holders will need to continue to abide by all the conditions of their current contract from 1 January 2022 if they intend to accept the contract extension.

The first ‘All Wales Rural Survey’ by Aberystwyth University and the Police Co-ordinator is now open for people who live and/or work in rural communities to provide feedback on rural crime and police response.

It provides an opportunity to suggest what can be improved when it comes to the response and strategy towards tackling rural crime.

The survey is open until 31st December and can be accessed via the links below, with the hope to publish the results in Spring 2022.

Cymraeg: https://aber.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/astudiaeth-trosedd-wledig-cymru

English: https://aber.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/rural-crime-wales

The DPJ Foundation, the FUW President’s Charity, is organising free, on-line, mental health awareness sessions for people who work in agriculture or are in roles that support the farming community.

The sessions are funded by the Welsh Government and are open for anyone working in farming, working with farmers or living in rural communities in Wales. You could be a farmer, from a farming family, or work for an organisation supporting farmers such as health, teaching, a statutory agency, a vet, a farm supplier, local business, livestock market, support agency or charity.

Sessions will talk about the main factors causing stress in agriculture and will help you to spot the signs of poor mental health, know how to open a conversation with someone who is struggling, understand the support that’s available and how to access it. They will also cover suicide prevention and some self-care tips, including how to improve your own resilience.

Sessions are three and a half hours long, delivered via Zoom or in a local community venue, with options for day or evening and in Welsh or English.

Next dates available for training in 2021 are:

• 12th January via Zoom
• 20th January in person at a community venue in the Wrexham Area
• 9th February via Zoom

Sessions can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-dpj-foundation-32983967795

For further information, contact Kay Helyar at the DPJ Foundation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 07984169507.