The Farmers’ Union of Wales has urged farmers to ensure their bales are kept in a safe place, away from potential flood risks.
It comes as farmers have been accused of fly-tipping after several bales have ended up in some of the country’s main waterways.
AgriLand understands around a dozen bales have been counted in one of the main rivers in Pembrokeshire in over the last two weeks.
It’s thought the bales have been washed off fields and been carried downstream by flood water.
There have been warnings of heavy wind and rain over the last two weeks with weather warnings in place across southern Wales.
However, the fear is that as the bales begin to become lodged in the water they will become more difficult to remove.
Given that silage bales can weigh anywhere between 500 and 750kg, fishing them from the water will already be a challenge. To further complicate the matter, it’s understood some of the bales have also already split.
‘A premium commodity’
It comes as winter fodder is already in short supply. As a result of the news, the Farmers’ Union of Wales is urging farmers to keep their silage bales in a safe and secure place.
FUW Pembrokeshire chief executive Rebecca Voyle said: “Silage is a premium commodity this year and expensive to replace, in addition, it can cause untold problems if it is not stored securely and finds its way into watercourses during periods of flooding.
“Given that some bales in the counties of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire have already caused problems by blocking rivers, we would urge farmers to check that their bales are stored securely to avoid any further issues over the coming months.”
