Lorna Davis of the Water Friendly Farming research project, which is led by Cardiff University, supported by NFU Cymru and overseen by the National Environmental Research Council, was guest speaker at the event.
During the meeting, attendees were introduced to a number of practical low-cost interventions that could assist them in improving water quality on farm. Ms Davis outlined how these measures were already assisting with improving water quality particularly in respect of soil run off and protecting watercourses.
Members were invited to participate in field-based trials as part of the project where water quality could be measured on farm both before and after the interventions had been put in place. Interventions such as buffer strips, sediment barriers, coppice bundles along with ditches and swales all featured as potential measures that could be implemented on farm to reduce soil run off.
Anyone who wasn’t present at the event can contact NFU Cymru on 01982 554200 to participate in the project where it is foreseen that Lorna Davis will attend farms on the island again for a further series of water sampling and advisory visits.
Lorna Davis said: “Far too often as an industry we’re led to believe that all measures to improve water quality on farm involve expensive infrastructure projects, but we’ve set out how low-cost interventions can really have a significant effect on sediment and soil run off in rivers. Anglesey is highlighted as a priority catchment due to the importance of the two reservoirs on the island and the large part that coastal recreational activity plays within the local economy.”
Brian Bown, Anglesey NFU Cymru County Chairman commented: “With the likely changes envisaged in the proposed new agriculture bill in Wales and a clear emphasis on water, air and soil quality this has been a very timely presentation for us. Learning of these low-cost methods has been enlightening, with many of them simple to adopt and effective in their approach.”