Farming

Mutual interest in protecting farm water supply leads to mentoring partnership

Published

1 year ago

February 2, 2025

THE RIPPLE EFFET of positive change is being experienced on farms and other
agri-businesses across Wales thanks to the Farming Connect Mentoring programme.

Farmers like Dai Evershed, who benefitted from the guidance and expertise of a friend and colleague when he returned to the family farming business in Ceredigion in 2022, are “paying it forward’’ as a mentor.

For his mentees, including Powys sheep farmer Aled Haynes, the mentoring relationship has armed them with the knowledge and confidence to move forward with new aspects of their own businesses.

It was Dai’s experience of utilising smart sensor technology at Wallog, the 194-hectare holding near Clarach which he farms with his father, Jack, that brought the two men together.

Dai uses LoRaWAN technology to monitor water supply and use across the farm, and to detect and stop leaks at the earliest opportunity, thus safeguarding the limited spring water supply for his farm.

With support from Farming Connect as an ‘Our Farms’ project, water levels at different reservoirs are being monitored alongside flow rates of water and that information is being used to inform decisions on when pumping is necessary.

Aled was keen to apply this technology to help protect his own water supply at Trefnant Isaf, Welshpool, and applied to Farming Connect to be mentored by Dai.

He had attended a Farming Connect open day at Wallog in 2024 where he had learned about Dai’s project.

The two men had an initial meeting at Trefnant Isaf and have since followed that with a second site visit as well as video and telephone calls.

“Aled’s farm is similar to mine,’’ says Dai. “When I visited, we had a walk around and discussed what needed doing.’’

But Dai stressed that a mentor is not a consultant, the role is one intended to help mentees come up with solutions themselves, although be it through a “mutual development of ideas’’.

“It’s about encouraging the mentee to concentrate on what their goals are and what can be achieved,’’ Dai explains.

“Aled took my personal experience into account though and looked at what was doable in his situation.’’

Aled has since invested in two sensors, one which monitors water levels in the receiving tank and the other the flow rate.

This data will enable him to know how much excess water becomes available in the winter and therefore the extra capacity in the system for supply in the drier months.

The next step is to work out how much is consumed by his livestock and how to get that water to different parts of the farm.

Dai also works at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University and his own knowledge of LoRaWAN technology was developed with support from his colleague, Jason Brook.

“Jason was very knowledgeable in usage of LoRaWAN after implementing it in the controlled environmental growing facilities at the university,’’ he says.

“He helped me in the early stages and with any issues latterly.’’

It is that experience which, in part, encouraged Dai to engage with the Farming Connect Mentoring programme.

“I had help when I needed it and am grateful to be that person who can now pay it forward with what I have learned.’’

He was sure that the knowledge he had gained could be useful to other farmers.

“It is a niche area that could be valuable for farmers who want to do something similar and need help.

“Most farmers are unlikely to have been exposed to LoRaWAN and sensors and it is doubly challenging perhaps in that it can also be a complicated subject matter.’’

His innovative approach to water efficiency saw him named as runner-up in the Farming Connect Farm Innovator Award at the recent Lantra Cymru Awards 2024.

It is not only mentees who gain from mentoring, reckons Dai, who is now a mentor to three farmers.

“I have learned so much from the farmers I have mentored, it is very much a two-way thing, an exchange of ideas.

“It is a brilliant way for me to see different farming systems and, as someone who is relatively new to farming, that has been very beneficial.’’

So, what makes a good mentor? In Dai’s opinion, it is having an unlimited capacity to listen and to be open to the ideas of others, to help the mentee to develop their own ideas.

“We are there to help the people we mentor grow and to find the motivation to move forward with their ideas,’’ he says.

There are also occasions when a mentor can draw on their own experiences to help those they are working with to solve problems.

“Aled called me when a sensor wasn’t working and it sounded like a similar situation to one I had previously experienced, when a slug had found its way inside the sensor,’’ Dai explains.

“I suggested that he checked for slugs and in fact that was the problem and he was able to resolve it. Sometimes problems have simpler solutions than you can dare imagine!’’

For Aled, the opportunity to discuss some of his ideas with Dai has been very beneficial for him personally and his business.

“Every situation is different so having someone come to the farm, to have a look at the set-up and to bounce ideas off, is really worthwhile,’’ he says.

With a big range of potential mentors with different areas of expertise listed in the Farming Connect Mentoring directory, Aled encourages others to take up the opportunity and capitalise on that wealth of knowledge.

Community

Celebrating nature recovery through Cysylltu Natur 25×25

Published

2 days ago

February 4, 2026

Richard Lewis

A CELEBRATION event was held on Saturday, January 24 in Cwm Gwaun to mark the achievements of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Cysylltu Natur 25×25 project, bringing together volunteers, farmers and staff involved in delivering nature restoration across North Pembrokeshire.

The landscape-scale project was funded by the Welsh Government through the Nature Networks Programme, delivered by the Heritage Fund. The Programme aims to strengthen ecological connectivity and resilience by restoring habitats at scale.

Those attending the event heard about the wide range of conservation activity delivered through the project across the north of the National Park. This has included practical works to restore grazing to Rhos pasture to benefit marsh fritillary butterflies and southern damselflies, specialist work to conserve rare lichens, volunteer chough, dormouse and harvest mouse monitoring, safeguarding greater horseshoe bat hibernation sites, and targeted action to tackle invasive species threatening important sites.

Volunteers, farmers, land managers and contractors played a vital role in the success of the project, contributing local knowledge, practical skills and ongoing commitment to caring for Pembrokeshire’s unique landscapes and wildlife in the long term.

Mary Chadwick, Conservation Officer for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “Cysylltu Natur 25×25 has shown what can be achieved when farmers, volunteers and conservation specialists work together with a shared aim.

“From monitoring some of our most elusive species to restoring and protecting habitats, the dedication of everyone involved has made a real difference for nature across the National Park.”

Although the Cysylltu Natur 25×25 project is now coming to an end, the important work it has supported will continue. Building on its successes, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority will carry this momentum forward through the next phase of nature recovery work under NNF4 Cysylltiadau Naturiol / Naturally Connected, ensuring ongoing protection and enhancement of habitats for future generations.

Farming

Judicial review granted for hundreds of farmers and landowners in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

OVER three hundred Welsh farmers and landowners have been granted the right to legally challenge Green GEN Cymru’s ‘unlawful behaviour’ at the High Court.

The collective filed a judicial review application on behalf of the community groups, Justice for Wales and CPRW, on four separate grounds, including claims that the energy company has acted unlawfully and with disregard for biosecurity and the environment, while trying to gain access to private land to conduct surveys for three major overhead pylon routes.

The proposal will see the energy infrastructure and pylons spanning 200 km across Powys, Ceredigion, Carmarthen, and Montgomeryshire in Wales and across the Welsh border into Shropshire, in the West Midlands of England.

Mrs Justice Jefford granted permission on four grounds – including abuse of power and procedural impropriety – during the three-and-a-half-hour hearing at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre on Tuesday, January 20.

A two-day hearing is expected to take place in April 2026, date to be confirmed.

The judge also accepted an undertaking from Green GEN Cymru that it would not enter land using s.172 powers – the right given to acquiring authorities to enter land to conduct surveys or valuations under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 – until an urgent interim relief application hearing can be held.

Natalie Barstow, founder of Justice for Wales, said: “This is a moment of vindication. For months, we have been left feeling unsafe in our own homes and stripped of our power as farmers and landowners.

“This is not a protest against renewable energy; this is about standing up for what is right. Our right to dignity and to have a voice, and for the future of our land, wildlife, and livelihoods.

“Since we began this battle, hundreds of other farmers and landowners across Wales have come forward with similar stories, and we’ve been supported by many generous donations to fund the legal challenge. We knew we weren’t alone in our concerns, but the response demonstrates it is a far wider issue than we initially feared, and why it is so important that Green GEN’s conduct and protocols are properly scrutinised.

“We said we will not be bullied into submission, and this judgment is just the first foot forward in our fight for justice.”

Mary Smith, a lawyer at New South Law, the law firm representing the impacted communities, said: “Holding acquiring authority status does not entitle a company to disregard the limits of its statutory powers or the rights of the people affected.

“The Court’s decision confirms that Green GEN Cymru must be held to the same legal standards as any other public body when exercising intrusive powers over private land. This case is about restoring fairness, accountability, and respect for the communities whose livelihoods and environments are at stake.”

Farming

New rules to make Welsh lamb pricing clearer set to begin next week

Published

2 weeks ago

January 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Mandatory carcass grading and price reporting will be required in slaughterhouses from Wednesday, January 28

WELSH sheep farmers are set to see new rules introduced next week aimed at making the lamb market fairer and more transparent.

From Wednesday (Jan 28), slaughterhouses in Wales will be required to classify sheep carcasses and report prices using a standardised system. The Welsh Government says the move will improve consistency in grading, make price information easier to compare, and help build confidence for farmers selling stock.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced the change during the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) Farmhouse Breakfast event at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff.

He said the measures would support the industry by ensuring a consistent methodology for classifying carcasses in slaughterhouses, promoting transparency, fairness and productivity within the sheep market.

“Our iconic Welsh lamb is celebrated around the world for its outstanding quality and high production standards,” he said. “These measures will implement a consistent methodology for classifying sheep carcasses in slaughterhouses, promoting transparency, fairness, and increased productivity within the sheep market.”

The regulations bring the sheep sector into line with rules already used for beef and pork.

Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales chief executive José Peralta said the changes would allow for greater data capture and analysis and improve transparency within the supply chain.

He said: “The new regulations, which now align with a similar position for cattle and pigs, will allow for greater data capture and analysis to be undertaken and support increased transparency within the sector. As a sector we must seek all opportunities for greater transparency within the supply chain to ensure that choices can be made from an informed position.”

The Welsh Government says the new approach is part of a wider UK framework, with similar arrangements already operating elsewhere.

During his address, the Deputy First Minister also pointed to further changes expected in 2026, including the planned introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which the Welsh Government describes as a new partnership between the people of Wales and farmers.

The scheme is intended to support the sustainable production of food while also responding to the climate and nature emergency.

The Welsh Government has also confirmed its commitment to financial support during the transition, with up to £238 million committed to the Universal layer and the legacy Basic Payment Scheme in 2026.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: “I would like to reiterate the Welsh Government’s commitment to supporting Welsh family farms, not just in the short term but also in the long run. Our goal is to prioritise stability for the farming industry, ensuring to balance this with sustainability at its very core.”

He added that supporting farmers through the change would be a priority, with consistent advice and support offered across the sector.

Building fairness within the agricultural supply chain remains a key Welsh Government priority, which it says is also integral to food security.