Opportunity for new entrants to run Welsh hill farm

Two people are to get the chance to run a livestock farm in the Welsh hills for five years as part of a university research initiative.

Aberystwyth University plans to team up with two new entrants with some experience in managing a livestock hill farm to develop research programmes unique to upland farming.

The initiative will be based at the Pwllpeiran research farm in Ceredigion.

See also: Welsh farmer mentoring scheme to inspire new entrants

The aim of the Pwllpeiran New Entrant Partnerships is to identify rural or land-based enterprises and business opportunities for Welsh upland farms.

Nigel Scollan, professor in sustainable agriculture at Ibers, said the challenges of food security and global warming mean that informed and improved use of the uplands will be needed. This can be achieved through the development of new plants and animal systems.

“Innovative, science-driven approaches will be developed to meet these challenges, and as such Ibers is exceptionally well positioned to make a major contribution to the UK uplands agenda,” he said.

The initiative, known as the Pwllpeiran New Entrant Partnerships, will help two new entrants into their own farming enterprise.

The successful candidates will be offered a five-year farm business tenancy starting on 1 September 2015.

Application packs can be obtained by emailing John Davies at jod28@aber.ac.uk. Applications from existing farm businesses will not be considered, but the applicant could be related to an active farmer.

Planned research includes crop establishment and conservation, alternative cropping and livestock grazing.

Pwllpeiran has been a research centre since the 1930s, working to improve the viability of farming the uplands of Wales.