Welcome to CARA Wales, agricultural and rural consultancy and advice. We offer an individual, unbiased and efficient service to help move your business forward.

Archive for January, 2024

Small Grants Environment – Landscape & Pollinators

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024

The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants Environment is 08 January to 16 February 2024.

This round of Small Grants -Environment will address the theme of Landscape & Pollinators, and is a standalone scheme providing a maximum of £7,500 funding per business for Capital Works Projects. These include:-

  • Hedge coppicing and gapping up
  • New hedge planting
  • Hedge laying
  • Dry Stone Wall Restoration
  • Pond Restoration

(with Fencing as supportive capital works for some options)

Capital Works projects must be claimed for and submitted with before and after geo-tagged photos by 15/02/2025.

The relevant Scheme documents can be viewed by following the links below:
Technical Guidance Booklet

 Payment Rates

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact the CARA Office as soon as possible on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk 


Cross Compliance 2024

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024
On 18/12/23,  Rural Payments Wales (RPW)  issued a letter to all their clients re. an update to Cross Compliance Regulations from 01 January 2024, and the new requirements applying to ALL LAND in Wales under the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021. The content of that letter is to be found below, and here is also the link to the Cross Compliance Verifiable Standards for 2024 – these must be followed if you intend to apply for payments under the Basic Payment Scheme 2024 :-

Verifiable Standards 2024

 

CARA staff will be available to help you meet the record keeping requirements, including preparation of a Digital Workbook and Risk Maps – if you would like to be added to the waiting list, please phone us on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk

RPW Letter of 18/12/23
Cross Compliance Factsheets and Verifiable Standards have been updated for 2024 to reflect changes to the requirements from 1 January 2024, good practice and to clarify wording. The revised documents are available at https://gov.wales/cross-compliance-2024.
The vast majority of Cross Compliance rules continue to apply as in 2023, however, you should regularly check and review the Cross Compliance regulations to ensure you remain compliant.
Statutory Management Requirement (SMR) 1 – Water Protection, has been updated to reflect new requirements applying to all land from 1 January 2024 under the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021. These changes include the requirement not to exceed a limit of 170kg of Nitrogen per hectare from all livestock manure across the whole holding, unless undertaking the Enhanced Nutrient Management approach and submitting notification to NRW by 31 March 2024.
It is important you understand how these changes may affect the management of your holding and if you need to take any action to meet the requirements of the regulations. To support the roll-out of these regulations a range of resources are available.
The updated requirements and detailed guidance, together with a digital workbook to help you meet record keeping requirements are available at https://www.gov.wales/control-agricultural-pollution-regulations-guidance
The Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations Helpline – 01974 847000 – is a dedicated technical helpline operated by ADAS on behalf of the Welsh Government, to support farmers through the introduction of the regulations on an individual farm basis. Farming Connect has a range of resources and information available. Further details can be found at
https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/ or by telephoning the Service Centre on 03456 000 813.
Additional Cross Compliance requirements will apply to all land in Wales from 1 August 2024,as part of the agreed transition period for land not previously in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ)


Sustainable Farming Scheme

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024

The final consultation for the new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) was published in December 2023. To view a copy, please click on the link below:-

SFS Document

Before the consultation period closes on 7 March 2024, there will be a series of engagement events held around Wales during January and February with formal presentations and information stands where you can discuss how the proposed scheme actions can be carried out on your farm. Event dates and locations are as follows:-

  • 17 January 2024: Celtic Royal Hotel, Caernarfon LL55 1AY
  • 18 January 2024: Pavilion, Llangollen, LL20 8SW
  • 22 January 2024: Llandovery Rugby Club, SA20 0BA
  • 24 January 2024: Livestock Market, Welshpool, SY21 8SR
  • 30 January 2024: The Cliff Hotel, Gwbert, Cardigan, SA43 1PP
  • 31 January 2024: The Plas, Narberth, SA67 7AB
  • 5 February 2024: Llanarth Village Hall, Raglan, NP15 2AU
  • 6 February 2024: Best Western Heronston Hotel, Bridgend, CF35 5AW
  • 9 February 2024: International Pavilion, Builth Wells, LD2 3SY
  • 14 February 2024: Y Plas, Machynlleth, SY20 8ER

If you wish to book a place at one of the above please click here:-

BOOK NOW