Wales Rural Network News Round-up Issue 16; December 2017

Issue 16; December 2017

 
 

Seasons Greetings from the Wales Rural Network Support Unit Team

What's Happening in Wales?

Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 - Scheme Windows

timber bus

Timber Business Investment Scheme

Expression of Interest Window Opens 1 February 2018

The Timber Business Investment scheme provides funding for capital investments that add value to forests by enabling woodland management activities, timber harvesting and/or timber processing.

coop forest

Co-operative Forest Planning Scheme

Expression of Interest Window Now Open

Encouraging planning for the creation of broadleaved and conifer woodland, and contribute to the delivery of the objectives of the Environmental and Rural Affairs Monitoring and Modelling Programme (ERAMMP).

coop supply

Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme

Expression of Interest Window Closes 20 December 2017

Support for co-operation activities across the agriculture, food and forestry sectors.

farm bus

Farm Business Grant

Next Expression of Interest Window will Open on 29 January 2018

The Farm Business Grant (FBG) scheme is a capital grant support package, designed to help farmers in Wales improve the economic and environmental performance of their agricultural holding.

food

Rural Business Investment Scheme - Food

Expression of Interest Window Closes 24 January 2018

The Rural Business Investment Scheme - FOOD (RBISF) is a capital investments scheme to support projects that offer clear and quantifiable benefits to the food and drink industry in Wales.  The scheme is open to existing and start up micro & small food and drink processor’s and manufacturers throughout Wales.

Glastir

adva

Glastir Advanced - Unclaimed Capital Works 

All 2016 and 2017 Capital Works have to be completed by 31 December 2017 and claimed no later than 28 February 2018 via your RPW online account. Rural Payment Wales will be issuing individual reminder letters and regular follow up broadcast messages to anyone who hasn’t submitted their claims, up to the 28 February 2018. 

organic

Glastir Organic

New Glastir Organic contract holders in 2017 are required to submit their Organic Business Plans via RPW Online no later than 31st December 2017.  Glastir Organic claims can only be processed after plans are received. All Glastir Organic contract holders are reminded that a valid Organic Control Body (OCB) certificate and Land Schedule with a recognised OCB must be submitted to meet the continuous certification scheme rules.  Claims can only be processed after certificates are received.

advanced

Glastir Advanced – Contract Renewals

Glastir Advanced contracts that commenced in 2013 and 2014 may be offered a ‘renewed’ contract after their original 5 year contract period has expired. Please make sure that you carefully read all the information contained within your renewed contract and the frequently asked questions at the link above.  

stocking

Glastir Commons: Stocking Dairy

In order to validate the 2017 claim, Glastir Commons customers are reminded that stocking diaries will soon be requested by Rural Payment Wales.

Tourism 

msbf

Micro Small Business Fund (MSBF)

The Micro Small Business Fund (MSBF) is available for micro to small size businesses with fewer than 50 FTE employees.

Other News from Wales

facebook

WRN Facebook Page Has Arrived

Wales Rural Network now have a Facebook presence - visit the page for the latest news and information about scheme EOI Windows.

Please like and share us!!

commons

20 Tonnes of Rubbish Cleared From Common

A recent clean up initiative saw around 20 tonnes of rubbish collected from Gelligaer and Merthyr Common.  Items collected on the day included building waste and household items including fridges and TVs.

wefo

Welsh Government Launches 'Regional Investment in Wales After Brexit' Policy Paper

The publication of the policy paper Regional Investment in Wales after Brexit (link) is the first step in the process of designing a new approach to regional economic development and investment in Wales.

bryony

Farmer's Daughter Returns to Her Roots to Develop Family Farm with Farming Connect Support

Bryony Gittins needed no persuading when she had the opportunity to return to the family farm in Llanthony near Abergavenny, where she grew up helping her parents with the day to day running of the business.

raw milk

Raw Milk Sales Secure Future of Welsh Family Farm

A vending machine dispensing raw milk produced by one of the last remaining pedigree Ayrshire herds in South East Wales has helped to secure the future of that herd.

ceredigion

Making Ceredigion an Even Better Place to Live and Work

Over the past two years, the Cynnal y Cardi Local Action Group (LAG), has supported 24 rural community led ideas totalling £841,300.

nw sheep

North Wales Sheep Farmers Set to Target New Markets Thanks to Farming Connect’s Agrisgôp Programme

Aim high, do your research and try and identify a gap in the market, is the advice from one farming family from Pwllheli who have done just that!

conwy farmer

Conwy Farmer Yields Cash Saving From New Crop at Farming Connect Focus Site

An innovative Conwy farmer is yielding a cash saving of nearly £6,000 a year thanks to support from leading agricultural experts.

outside eu

New Research Taps into Potential Income Streams for Welsh Farming

Farmers in Wales could in future produce ethanol and bioplastics from their grass instead of livestock as Welsh scientists investigate alternative income streams to make farming pay outside the European Union.

monmouth

Our View: Ambassadors

Join us on our journey around rural Monmouthshire and Newport. 

digital

Free Digital Workshops at the 'Hwb Arloesi' in Porthmadog.

A great opportunity to attend a series of FREE workshops. Alroesi Gwynedd Wledig have partnered with Coleg Meirion Dwyfor to provide digital workshops at the ‘Hwb Arloesi’ located at Porthmadog's Y Ganolfan over the next few weeks. (Dec17-Jan18).

 

agri

Award for Agri-Academy Student’s ‘Exceptional’ Farm Action Plan

One sheep farmer’s vision for shaping the future of a traditional family farm has earned him a Farming Connect Agri-Academy award at the 2017 Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

nrw

NRW Funding and Support Open Call 2018/19

Natural Resources Wales is making £3million available to projects to improve the environment across Wales.

no dig

"Embrace The Universe Under Your Feet"

On Wednesday 10th January at 3pm, Charles Dowding will deliver an illustrated talk about the reasons for and methods needed for no dig gardening.

What's Happening In The UK

lotto

National Lottery Awards for All

National Lottery Funding can help you to make a difference in your community. National Lottery Awards for All offers funding from £300 to £10,000 to support what matters to people and communities.

What's Happening In Europe?

cap

The Future of Food and Farming – For a Flexible, Fair and Sustainable Common Agricultural Policy

Simpler rules and a more flexible approach will ensure the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) delivers real results in supporting farmers and leads the sustainable development of EU agriculture.

ec

European Commission Joins Forces to Help Bringing More Broadband in Rural Areas

The European Commission together with the Member States have set up Broadband Competence Offices to advise local and regional authorities on ways to develop broadband, and help citizens and businesses get better internet. At the same time the Commission presented a 5 point toolkit on how to bring better broadband in rural areas of the EU.

rural news

New edition of ENRD’s RuralConnections Magazine Online

Read a variety of stakeholder voices, learn about 'RuralProofing', catch up with the latest ENRD news.

eip

EU Funding for Agriculture and Forestry

EIP-AGRI Brochure on Funding opportunities under Horizon 2020 - Calls 2018

Useful Links

Websites

Other Newsletters

 
 
 

ABOUT

Wales Rural Network News provides a round-up of news, information and networking opportunities relating to the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. It helps to facilitate the sharing of common issues and examples of good practice within Wales, the UK and Europe. If you have items to contribute which are related to rural development in Wales, please contact Ruralnetwork@gov.wales

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gov.wales/ruralnetwork

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