Farming Connect has concluded a successful series of 15 farm walks throughout September, showcasing sustainable land management (SLM) practices through on-farm trials and demonstrations.
These events, held across Wales, attracted over 1,030 attendees and featured insights from 66 expert speakers.
The farm walks provided an opportunity for farmers to learn from their peers and learn from a wide range of 66 different speakers. Events were held across each sector including, horticulture, red meat, dairy, arable, and mixed farming, with a strong focus on the benefits of sustainable practices and innovative technologies.
Fifteen farms, participating in the Farming Connect Our Farms network, hosted the events. The speakers, who were working closely with these farms on their individual projects, shared valuable knowledge and experiences.
In addition, agricultural establishments such as the Welsh Farm Safety Partnership, Arwain DGC and Plantlife were invited to join the events to showcase their projects and discuss with farmers.
Ceinwen Parry from Tir Dewi noted a surge in inquiries following the events, highlighting their positive impact on farmer engagement, showcasing how these events can have a lasting effect on farmers, long after the events have finished.
Siwan Howatson, head of technical at Farming Connect, expressed gratitude to the participating farmers.
“To the Our Farms farmers, we are incredibly grateful for all your work preparing for these events and for your commitment to the on-farm trials to date.”
Siwan explained that each event aimed to share knowledge among farmers.
“Thank you also to all the attendees, we hope you have learned something new or have new ideas to take forward on your own farms.”
Attendees expressed enthusiasm for the informative nature of the events, with many citing the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals as a significant benefit. One farmer, who attended the event at Cwmcowddu shared how they might implement changes on their farm following the information shared during the event.
“I may change our pasture system, and reconsider my use of manure.”
Throughout all the events, Farming Connect staff emphasised that all the services that the host farmers had used were also available to every farmer registered with Farming Connect.
Currently, Farming Connect has a range of joint venture opportunities available for individuals looking to venture into running their own farm or forestry business.
