Advances in technology and research to show how they can help run a business effectively and make life easier for those working in agriculture will be explored at this year’s Farmers’ Union of Wales autumn conference at Aberystwyth Art Centre on Monday November 25.

“Based on the theme Moving Agriculture Forward Through Technology and Research, the conference will be divided into three sections, each focusing on different aspects of technology and research which is already moving agriculture forward,” said FUW president Emyr Jones.

“Such developments allow businesses in any industry to expand quickly and efficiently and for agriculture it couldn’t be more important to embrace the progress made and familiarise ourselves with the latest innovations such as mobile phone apps, alternative energy and cost effective and selective breeding of livestock.

“With ever-increasing pressure on low production costs, farmers have to maximise output whilst controlling costs. This conference will provide a platform for a wide range of speakers and for us as farmers to find out how we can make our businesses run more efficiently and cost effectively through the use of modern technology,” added Mr Jones.

In the first session T G Allison technical engineering manager Tomos Allison will speak about applied on-farm technology, Nuffield Farming Scholar and Montgomeryshire farmer John Yeomans will talk about video grading of carcasses, Aberystwyth University biochemistry lecturer Russell Morphew will give a presentation on advances on the liver fluke vaccine and Nuffield Farming Scholar Robert Hodgkins will speak about ram management, genetic improvement and performance recording.

The second session will focus on mobile phone apps with presentations from  Aberystwyth University Grassland Development Centre extension officer Huw Powell on the university’s “Mobile Farm” apps, St John Ambulance director of marketing, PR and fundraising Suzanne Cass will introduce their “First Aid For Farmers” app, Agri Advisor representative Gail Lewis will speak about their “Farm Med” app and a live demonstration and presentation will be given by Rural Payments Online programme manager Anthony Pritchard on “RPW Online”.

The final session will focus on renewable energy with presentations by Philip Meade of Davis Meade Property Consultants, wind energy specialist Paul Burrell of Anemos and a representative from Harper Adams Energy Ltd will give a presentation on the Anaerobic Digestion Unit at Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire.

Each session will be followed up with a question and answer session.

First-year higher education students are being invited to write a 1,000-word essay on one of three topics involving their future career, farming interests or the barriers facing young people entering the industry for the Farmers' Union of Wales annual £1,500 bursary award launched today.

The union’s higher education bursary, worth £1,000 to the winner and £500 to the runner-up, will follow a similar application process to previous years with applications being submitted from now until Friday November 1.

FUW agricultural education and training committee chairman Alun Edwards, who was impressed with the standard of applications last year, said:  “We have included a farm management element for applicants to give them an option to showcase their understanding of running a business and to demonstrate their understanding of how a farm business can be managed.”

The final candidates for the higher education student bursary will be required to attend the 2013 Royal Welsh Winter Fair at Builth Wells on Monday December 2, when the announcement will be made of the names of the recipients and presentation of the bursary cheques will also take place.

To apply for the bursary applicants must complete the application form, available for download from the FUW website www.fuw.org.uk or from any of the FUW’s county office throughout Wales, and write a 1,000-word essay on one of the following subjects:

• Are we a nation of park keepers or food producers?
• Outline your interest in a particular topic or project associated with the land based industries.
• What do you think are the main barriers facing young people entering the land-based industries today?

Alternatively, applicants can undertake the farm business plan exercise for a farm tenancy, incorporating a statement of funding, a three-year forward budget and supporting cash flow projections, which can be found on the form.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales today welcomed the Chemicals Regulation Directorate’s decision to grant an emergency authorisation for the use of Asulam to control bracken in 2014 .

Asulam, marketed in the UK as Asulox, was banned from use in 2011 by the EU. The product, predominantly used for the control of bracken in Wales, is also authorised for use as a selective weed killer on spinach and lettuce but its use on salad crops provoked safety concerns that prompted the EU ban.

“Since the initial ban emergency authorisations have been granted to allow Asulam to be available and the Chemicals Regulation Directorate has confirmed that repeat emergency authorisations are allowed under Regulation (EU) No1107/2009,” said FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams.

“Emergency authorisation restricts the use of Asulam to a three-month window, which requires a co-ordinated approach from manufacturers, distributers, aerial sprayers and farmers, but at least this provides an opportunity for its use until either an alternative pesticide is found or Asulam regains full authorisation,” said Mr Williams.

The agreed notice of authorisation for the 2014 spraying season is expected to be identical to 2013 apart from a slight difference in start and finish dates.

The Bracken Control Group, which has been campaigning for the full authorisation of the product, expects the dates for 2014 use to be:

May 19 - Start of the emergency authorisation period of 120 days.

July 1 - Application of Asulam products can commence.

September 16 - Sale and distribution of Asulam stops but use can continue.

October 31 - Use of Asulam must stop.

“The bracken control season is coming to a close for 2013  and we urge farmers to be aware of the  expiry date  of October 31. After this date it will be illegal to store Asulam and we would advise anyone who has Asulam in their possession to use it before the final cut-off date or return it to their supplier,” added Mr Williams.

Welsh farmers were reminded today to make sure they register their farm waste exemptions with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) before the deadline on the last day of this month.

The Farmers' Union of Wales stressed that the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010, affect farm-based exemptions registered before 6 April 2010 which are set to expire on 30 September 2013.

When the Regulations were first introduced, the industry was assured registration of exemptions would be a one-off exercise, said FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams. “Unfortunately, despite our repeated representations, changes to legislation now require exemptions to be re-registered on a three-year basis.

“Some of the new exemptions are almost identical to the old ones, some are similar and some are completely new and cover activities such as reusing, treating and disposing of waste, burning hedge trimmings and the use of clean builder’s rubble in the foundations of a new barn or shed.”

Over the summer NRW have sent some 14,000 letters to farmers in Wales advising them to register on-line as early as possible.

“FUW county executive officers have also been offering to help farmers register exemptions and it is extremely important for farmers who undertake these waste activities to either register for an exemption or apply for a permit before the end of September,” Mr Williams added.

Exemptions are free to register and are valid for three years. Farmers can register online at www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk or at through their local FUW county office.