Dairy producer First Milk has announced its support of a multi-disciplinary event centred on the dung beetle and its role as a soil engineer, climate enhancer and pathogen reducer on farms.
The event is being run in partnership with Yeo Valley, Farm Carbon Toolkit and leading vets.
The two-day conference will take place on Tuesday, June 11, and Wednesday, June 12, at Yeo Valley’s Holt Farm near Blagdon, south of Bristol.
First Milk said it will bring together farmers, vets, researchers, ecologists and policy makers to stimulate action on integrating nature and farming through a combination of the latest research findings, farmer/vet case studies, workshops and two dung beetle safaris.
Farm carbon and soil adviser at Farm Carbon Toolkit, Hannah Jones, said: “Soil health is paramount in all successful farming operations with the dung beetle a powerful indicator of environmental vibrancy.
Co-organiser and vet Rob Howe said: “We’re building on previous vet-focused dung fauna conferences in a really applied way.
“Coming together at this event gives everyone a chance to learn from each other and develop management strategies supporting dung beetle populations.”
First Milk said farming with nature to secure a sustainable future for UK food production is leading more and more livestock farmers, vets and policy makers to look at alternative ways to control pests and diseases on farm.
