Plans to introduce pan-Wales legislation to tackle pollution incidents raises major questions about Welsh Government commitments to work in partnership with other bodies to tackle agricultural pollution, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has said.

Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths announced the plans in a written statement on November 14 - but has yet to respond to a 114 page report containing 45 recommendations aimed at tackling agricultural pollution written by industry and government bodies, and which was submitted to her more than six months ago.

FUW Land Use and Parliamentary Committee Chairman Tudur Parry said: “Taking all farms into account, pollution incidents involve less than 1% of the farms in Wales, and the farming industry is fully committed to bringing this figure down given its impact.

“With a view to doing this, the FUW and a number of other bodies, including Natural Resources Wales, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, Carmarthenshire Fishermen’s Federation and the Welsh Government themselves, compiled a detailed report in April highlighting actions that should be taken to address such incidents.”

The Dyffryn Ogwen branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is holding a meeting next Wednesday evening, helping farmers get up to speed on the upcoming changes to the VAT submission system and livestock movement rules.

The event takes place on Wednesday 21 November 2018, 7.30pm, at the Bethesda Rugby Club.

Guest speakers on the night are Rhys Harris from Owain Bebb a’i Gwmni, based in Caernarfon, who will be talking about the upcoming changes to the VAT submission system from 1 April 2019.

Janet Phillips, Welsh Assembly Government’s Farm Liaison Officer, will be talking about the livestock movement rules and the new CPH regime, and how they can assist farmers and how farmers can help themselves to comply with those rules.

FUW Dyffryn Ogwen Branch Chairman David Williams said: “This promises to be an informative evening, which will help farmers to understand what they need to do to comply with the upcoming changes, including the new format for keeping VAT records, and it is always good to refresh our memories on the rules associated with livestock movements. I hope many of you can join us and look forward to seeing you on the night.”

Following reports of washed away silage bales, in the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire areas of Wales, which have caused problems in rivers, the Farmers’ Union of Wales is urging farmers to keep their silage bales in a safe and secure place.

FUW Pembrokeshire CEO Rebecca Voyle said: “Silage is a premium commodity this year and expensive to replace, in addition, it can cause untold problems if it is not stored securely and finds its way into watercourses during periods of flooding.

“Given that some bales in the counties of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire have already caused problems by blocking rivers, we would urge farmers to check that their bales are stored securely to avoid any further issues over the coming months.”

Farmers are being reminded by the Farmers’ Union of Wales to cross-check Glastir contract extension offers to avoid financial penalties.

One-year Glastir extensions are currently being offered by the Welsh Government, via RPW Online only, to many whose Glastir contracts conclude at the end of 2018.

“It is important that farmers access their RPW Online account and read their contract extension offer so they fully understand any new obligations or changes to their contracts, as even a minor breach can result in significant penalties,” said FUW policy officer, Charlotte Priddy.

“If they are happy with the offer it is also essential that they accept it within the 21 day deadline.”

FUW members who are unsure of their contractual obligations should contact their local FUW county office for further advice or the Rural Payments Wales Customer Contact centre on 0300 062 5004.