Big name debates at Royal Welsh grass and muck event

Big name agricultural debates will be part of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s annual Sustainable Grass and Muck Event at Trawsgoed farm in Ceredigion next week (Thursday 30 May).

Among the speakers will be Ceredigion MP Ben Lake, NFU Cymru President Aled Jones, and Ian Rickman FUW President.

As well as a political seminar, there will be discussions about the future of food production, future generations and sustainable science.

There will also be displays by Aberystwyth University academic departments including the School of Veterinary Science, IBERS and the Department of Life Sciences.

The event is part of Ceredigion’s year as the society’s feature county. Wyn Evans, who is a Fellow of Royal Agricultural Society and Chair of the organising committee, said:

“We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to Trawsgoed to the premier silage making demonstration in the UK.

“Alongside silage demonstrations from leading machinery manufactures, we’ll have muck spreading demonstrations, farm tours, industry and research-based seminars, indoor and outdoor trade-stands, and a classic machinery display. As well as being a great educational day there will also be catering units, a licenced bar, and evening entertainment on site. We are also extremely lucky to be able to offer you two different farm tours during the event.

“The committee is extremely grateful to DeLaval, Germinal, and their other various sponsors for making this event possible. The committee would also like to extend their grateful thanks to Aberystwyth University for allowing us to hold this event at Trawsgoed.”

Trawsgoed is a 436 hectare farm consisting of flat land at about 60 metres above sea level in the Ystwyth Valley, rising to grazing at about 280 metres above sea level. It also has 100 hectares of managed woodlands comprising native trees and conifers.

With 150 acres put aside for demonstration machinery, the event will give grassland farmers the chance to see the latest silage-making machinery in action. It will also feature demonstrations of efficient and effective spreading of slurry and farmyard manure.

Professor Jon Moorby, Chair in Livestock Science and Director of Sustainable Farming Systems at Aberystwyth University added:

“It’s an enormous pleasure to welcome such an auspicious event in the farming calendar here. The significance of this event in the agricultural calendar is a sign of the importance Welsh farmers place on producing and harvesting sustainable, high quality and home-grown forage.

“As a university, we are proud to be internationally recognised for agricultural research – our plant breeding programmes, as well as our research expertise in animal and crop science.”

In addition to the machinery demonstrations, the event will feature plots showing different grass varieties, farm tours, trade stands and technical seminars and an opportunity to meet Aberystwyth University’s alpacas.

Catering units and a licenced bar will be in attendance, with evening entertainment also provided.

Tickets and more information are available from the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s website: www.rwas.wales/grasslandevent