Farming
Director for Rural Affairs visits Welsh project farm

AS THE BRO CORS CARON SMS project comes to an end, we were fortunate to have a visit to Cruglas Farm from the Welsh Government’s Director for Rural Affairs, Gian Marco Currado. Responsible for the team devising the Sustainable Farming Scheme (or SFS, the future Welsh agri-environment scheme due in 2025), Mr Currado had visited the project area to learn more about the work of Terry Mills at Cruglas Farm and of the wider Bro Cors Caron Farmer Cluster; the research of the GWCT relating to sustainable land management; and to hear from the Welsh farmers involved with the project.
The day started with a tour around Cruglas Farm, a beef and sheep farm owned by Terry Mills who has spent 30 years creating a haven for wildlife. The habitat creation includes the establishment of extensive hedgerows and wooded areas across the farm, with 42 different tree species.
A key element of the future SFS is tree planting, which has resulted in numerous discussions surrounding how tree planting could be implemented through the scheme to ensure that tree cover increases in Wales, but without impeding food productivity and the profitability of Welsh farms. GWCT Wales have, along with most farmers in Wales, expressed reservations about a blanket approach and highlighted several measures that could be adopted to ensure a more proportionate approach and potentially increase the scheme uptake amongst the farming community. GWCT would like at least some hedges be included in the tree planting quota and with GWCT’s recently developed hedgerow carbon code we can measure the carbon stored within each hedgerow. We would like to see trees planted in the right place, so they don’t remove productive land from food production; don’t disadvantage nature while meeting the desired outcome of continuous suitable woodland. GWCT would also like to see the multiple benefits of hedgerows for wildlife and livestock farming, including biosecurity, and their ability to store carbon.
In addition to habitat creation, management practices traditionally related to game management that Terry uses were discussed. Terry Mills carries out predation management and overwinter supplementary feeding on Cruglas, and these practices have now been implemented on a wider scale across the Bro Cors Caron Farmer Cluster within the SMS scheme. We were able to explain these measures on the tour around Cruglas, highlighting the research conducted by the GWCT at the Allerton Project showing the importance of these management practices for threatened farmland species and their potential for inclusion in the new SFS.
Farmers in the Bro Cors Caron Farmer Cluster discussed sustainable land management, where profitable food production, functioning ecosystem services and thriving local wildlife can all co-exist, alongside strong rural communities and a resilient Welsh language. The achievement of these goals requires cooperation and trust between Welsh Government and farmers and a flexible and adaptable agri-environment scheme which values and takes into account the knowledge of Working Conservationists on the ground.
Crime
Warning of heavy fines for farms as six Romanians found working at dairy farm

ILLEGAL WORKERS DISCOVERED IN MID WALES RAID
A DAIRY FARM in Llangedwyn, Powys, faces heavy fines after immigration officers arrested six Romanian workers found working illegally during a dawn raid on January 28. The business owners could now be fined up to £60,000 per worker and face a possible prison sentence if found guilty of failing to carry out proper employment checks.
The arrests come as part of a major crackdown on illegal working across Wales and the West of England. Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams carried out 121 visits last month, resulting in 101 arrests—more than double the number recorded in January 2024.
Tougher action against illegal working
Officials say enforcement activity has reached record levels, with 609 arrests made nationwide in January—an increase of 73 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance & Crime, said:
“Despite many premises in the region being in rural locations, these numbers show there is no hiding place from the law. We will come after any business that thinks it can exploit illegal workers for its own gain.”
Since last summer, both illegal working visits and arrests have risen by 38 per cent, with the Home Office issuing 1,090 civil penalty notices to businesses hiring illegal workers.
New law to target people smugglers
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, set to be debated in Parliament today, will give law enforcement new powers to target people-smuggling gangs and disrupt illegal migration. The legislation will allow officers to search electronic devices for evidence of organised crime.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For far too long, employers have been able to take on and exploit illegal migrants with little to no enforcement. Not only does this create a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives crossing the Channel in small boats, but it results in the abuse of vulnerable people and undermines our economy.
“That’s why we are boosting enforcement to record levels alongside tough new legislation to crack down on the criminal gangs that profit from illegal migration.”
Record removals of illegal migrants
Alongside the crackdown on illegal working, the Home Office says it is stepping up deportations of those with no legal right to remain in the UK. Since the election, 16,400 people have been removed, including criminals convicted of drug offences, theft, rape, and murder.
Bespoke charter flights have returned over 800 immigration offenders to their countries of origin, marking the highest removals since 2018.
Farming
Pembrokeshire Farmer Mansel Raymond Elected Chair of CARAS Cymru

PEMBROKESHIRE farmer Mansel Raymond MBE FRAgS has been elected as the new Chair of CARAS Cymru, the prestigious Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies, following his unanimous election by the CARAS Cymru Council in January.
He will serve a two-year term, succeeding Janet Phillips FRAgS, who stepped down after a distinguished tenure as Chair.
CARAS is a highly regarded awarding body that recognises individual who have made exceptional contributions to agricultural and rural progress across the UK. With national panels representing each of the four UK nations, CARAS Cymru plays a key role in celebrating and honouring the achievements of individuals in Welsh agriculture.
Mansel Raymond, a well-respected figure in the agricultural community, leads a family partnership in Pembrokeshire alongside his brother, their wives, and sons.
Over the years, he has held numerous high-level positions across the agricultural industry, including President of Copa Cogeca Milk Board, past Director of First Milk, European Milk Chairman, and Chairman of the NFU’s Milk Board. He has also served as Pembrokeshire County Chairman for NFU Cymru and as past President of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.
In response to his election, Mansel said, “It is a huge honour to take on the role of Chair of CARAS Cymru. I’m deeply proud to be involved with an organisation that recognises the remarkable individuals who shape our agricultural industry.”
He added, “I also want to extend my gratitude to Janet Phillips for her exemplary leadership during her tenure as Chair. Her contributions have been invaluable, and I hope to build upon the strong foundation she leaves behind.”
Mansel will be joined by Malcolm Thomas MBE FRAgS, who has been elected as the new Vice Chairman of CARAS Cymru. Malcolm, from Llangynog in Carmarthenshire, brings a wealth of experience, having had a long and distinguished career in agriculture. He is a former Director of NFU Cymru and has served as a trustee of various charities and organisations throughout his career.
Both Mansel and Malcolm are committed to furthering CARAS Cymru’s ambition to recognise and honour outstanding achievements within agriculture, rural life, and the wider rural economy

Farming
Cold milk feeding maintains growth rates and offers flexibility for surplus lamb rearing

A RCENT survey of over 100 sheep producers has highlighted that 58% of respondents will consider feeding milk replacer cold to surplus lambs this season and view the method as a viable alternative to feeding warm milk during the busy lambing period.
In a separate question, over half of respondents said that feeding milk replacer cold to lambs has no difference to lamb growth rates and can be advantageous for feeding lambs at different growth stages. The data comes from the annual Lamlac Lamb Intentions Survey carried out at the end of 2024.
Dr Jessica Cooke from Lamlac says ewe milk replacer fed cold is a proven technique and provides surplus lambs with the consistent rearing support they require.
She says: “Rearing surplus lambs with milk replacer fed cold offers sheep producers a time-effective feeding method in their systems. After following recommended rearing practices during the first week of life, the ability to feed cold can also be useful in situations when rearing lambs of different ages requires milk to be fed at a constant temperature.”
This response from sheep farmers is supported by trial work from Reaseheath College where comparisons between cold and warm milk feeding were evaluated on surplus lambs. Dr Cooke highlights how the cold milk fed lambs performed in the trial.
“Lambs fed cold milk replacer from just over a week of age showed no negative impact on their performance. In fact, lambs fed cold milk replacer performed marginally better through to weaning – achieving a daily live weight gain of 0.27kg/day, compared with the 0.25kg/day delivered by the warm milk fed group of lambs.
“This data highlights that feeding milk replacer cold isn’t a poor alternative to warm milk feeding and can add flexibility to lambing systems. With over half of producers stating it has no difference to growth rates, flockmasters should consider it as a viable feeding option, especially if warming milk isn’t possible or time limitations prevent it,” says Dr Cooke.
General rearing advice for producers administering milk cold to surplus lambs shouldn’t be any different to feeding warm milk replacer.
“A single lamb reared away from the ewe to weaning (at an average of 35 days of age) will require a minimum of 9.5kg of Lamlac (equating to 47.5 litres of reconstituted ewe milk replacer). It is worth remembering that lambs should have access to fresh water, straw, and a good quality creep feed to encourage rumen development. Producers feeding cold milk replacer should always mix cold and feed, rather than mixing warm and allowing to cool, as this could encourage lambs to gorge,” concludes Dr Cooke.
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