Thank you to Tim Gilbert for kindly hosting the event, to our exhibitors for their support, and to everyone who attended.
Phil Smith from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health challenged all members to go home and change one thing to make their farm a safer place to work, which is something we can all reflect on now the on-farm death toll has risen to seven deaths in the last seven weeks.
SFI
This month we have welcomed the release of more information from Defra on SFI 26 ahead of the first window, including the confirmed budget of £240million a year.
Whilst we welcome the certainty the announcement brings, NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt has shared her concerns with the government that this funding will not go far enough to meet farmers' ambitions, or support everyone already delivering for nature.
Fertiliser Resilience Plan
The NFU has also called for more support for farmers with rising production costs due to the war in the Middle East, this week launching our Fertiliser Resilience Plan.
The plan sets out a series of immediate actions needed from government, such as mirroring EU schemes to compensate farmers and postponing the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism- a tax on fertiliser.
bTB strategy launched and changes to BVD regulations in Wales
Last week Defra published the long awaiting bTB strategy, with the ambition to deploy a cattle vaccine by 2030.
In Herefordshire, we have always faced additional challenges thanks to differences in regulations between England and Wales.
You may already be aware that Welsh rules on BVD are changing on 1 July and this will impact English keepers selling across the border.
The Livestock Auctioneers' Association has agreed to pass on BVD certification to Welsh buyers if a copy is supplied with the animal passports.
We will continue to work with our Welsh counterparts to lobby both governments for practical solutions.
River Wye
Locally, we have seen renewed focus on the River Wye and its tributaries in the media, following the launch of the river charter last month.
However, thanks to £1million of funding from Defra and the Welsh Government, we do have the opportunity to ensure that future work and support to improve the condition of the river is grounded in practical farming experience, through a series of Living Lab workshops across the county in coming weeks.
Herefordshire Rural Hub is supporting the University of the West of England Bristol to test practical solutions for soil health, nutrition management and water quality in the Wye catchment.
At this stage it is vital to have input from the people who ultimately can implement the findings, so please do attend one of the following sessions:
- Monday 29 June, 12-4pm, Garway Village Hall, HR2 8RQ
- Monday 27 July, 12-4pm, Weobley Village Hall, HR4 8SN.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided, please RSVP via the hub.
Dates for your diary
Monday, 15 June - 1pm - online
Membership Talks webinar with County Chair Will Watkins
In Herefordshire’s next instalment of Membership Talks, our host and Deputy County Chair, Esther Rudge, welcomes County Chair, Will Watkins, to the hot seat to discuss his vision for his business and for farming in Herefordshire.
Monday, 6 July - 6:30pm - Hereford Rowing Club
Herefordshire Water Abstraction Group launch
With increasing pressure on water resources and growing regulation, this is an opportunity to understand what’s coming, hear from those already navigating the challenges and explore how working collectively can strengthen our position.