Da Byw ’22 – The Sustainable Livestock Farming Conference

Members of the Welsh rural and agricultural community, policymakers, and stakeholders are invited to attend the inaugural running of Da Byw, a day-long conference focussed on sustainable livestock farming.

Hosted by the Feature County of Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Clwyd, the conference will take place on Friday 17^th June 2022 at Coed Coch, Dolwen, Abergele, Conwy, LL22 8AY, home of the RWAS President Harry Fetherstonhaugh. An opening introduction will be given by Harry and his wife Davina starting at 9:45am.

The purpose of Da Byw ’22 is to demonstrate to the agricultural sector and wider community how changes to current farming practices can significantly improve the environmental and economic sustainability of farming businesses. It is time to highlight that agriculture can be part of the solution to many of the environmental challenges the world is facing.

It is a well-known fact that, second to the oceans, the world’s soils are the largest global carbon sink. With close to 90% of land in Wales being used for agriculture, Welsh farmers have a key role in national carbon capture as we work towards the national commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. It is essential that farming becomes part of the solution.

With an excellent line-up of speakers throughout the day, attendees can expect to hear from key figures in the agricultural and environmental industry such as Patrick Holden, Director of the Sustainable Food Trust, Professor Prysor Williams, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management at Bangor University, and Clare Pilman, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales. The conference will also include a panel discussion with farmers who are already practicing regenerative farming.

Aims of Da Byw ’22

• To help Welsh livestock farmers to move towards more sustainable and low-input farming practices.
• To provide guidance on how to build soil health.
• To reduce the carbon footprint of our food, capture carbon, and work towards zero emissions.
• To reverse the trend of struggling rural communities. To encourage the rebirth of family farms.
• To give the policymakers the confidence to help Welsh farmers to achieve all of the above.

Following the panel discussion there will be evening food from The Flameblaster, a North Wales chef specialising in fiery dishes, and live music from the fantastic Police Dog Husband and later DJ Farmer of Funk.

A huge debt of gratitude must go to the very generous sponsors and supporters who have enabled Da Byw to go ahead. Thank you to The Kleinheinz Foundation, The Prudence Trust, Rathbones Bank, The Naylor-Leyland family, Crime Prevention Services, Rhug Farms and Dewi Glyn Roberts, Bryn fford, Betws yn Rhos.

For more information about the conference, or to buy tickets please visit www.dabywlivestock.com/.