NFU Cymru’s Next Generation Group has visited the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences and Aberystwyth University.
The group was welcomed by John Davies, business development manager, before Professor Alison Kingston-Smith who outlined the role of IBERS and some of the work being undertaken at the university.
The group was then told about sustainable livestock systems and the role of grasslands by Dr Christina Marley.
She outlined the challenges of net zero and how some of the diverse forages have been proven to improve livestock production. Dr Marley told the group about the Prosoil and Prosoil+ projects. She outlined the need to look at retaining the carbon we already have in the soil and that grassland management needs to safeguard carbon regulation.
Next, the group heard from Dr David Lloyd, from Germinal, about their work on grass breeding and seed production.
Dr Lloyd told the group they are breeding forage crops to help farmers reach net zero. He spoke about the difference between self-fertilising crops and open-pollination crops, as well as their current grass breeding work.
Dr Kerrie Farrar spoke about the university’s work with miscanthus and biomass production.
She described miscanthus as a flexible substitute for fossil fuel. She also said that the crop has all the climate change mitigation and biodiversity benefits of planting trees but with quicker outcomes.
Dr Catherine Howarth spoke about IBERS’ oat breeding programme. She told the group that the aim of the breeding programme is to breed varieties suitable to be grown by farmers that match the demand of the consumer.
The group was given a tour of The National Phenomics Centre, Aber Innovation and Food Processing and the Biorefinery Labs.
Over lunch, they heard from NFU Cymru Ceredigion county chairman and Wales Farm Safety Partnership Ambassador Glyn Davies about the importance of staying safe on farms, and highlighted the help available to farmers to ensure safety.
In the afternoon, the group was joined by members from Brecon and Radnor and had a tour of the TB Centre of Excellence where they visited the labs, hearing about the on-going work with bovine TB research and upcoming vaccine trials.
Finally, the group visited the Veterinary Education Centre where they had a tour of the training labs and heard about the work trainee vets will undertake with farmers during their time at Aberystwyth University.
NFU Cymru Next Generation Group’s Rebecca Williams said: “It’s fantastic to see the work going on at Aberystwyth, all of which is aimed at making our crops more efficient, our animals healthier and will ultimately help us achieve our net zero target faster. The vital work that the scientists are doing at Aberystwyth is crucial to ensuring we are equipped with the best technology to deal with the challenges that lie ahead for Welsh farmers.”
Another member of the group, Richard Jones added: “We heard a powerful reminder from Glyn today about the importance of farm safety. It was great to hear about the resources that are available to help us ensure our farms are safe places to live and work. It is all of our responsibility to ensure we come home safe to our families and friends.”