New Farming Connect network to test farm innovations across Wales

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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A new network of 19 Welsh demonstration farms is being launched to test practical approaches to improving productivity, profitability and environmental resilience in agriculture.

Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability Llyr Gruffydd visited Fferm Ty’n Ddôl in Llangernyw, Conwy, to mark the launch of the new Farming Connect Our Farms Network.

The 19 farms selected for the three-year programme include six dairy farms, 12 beef and sheep farms and one arable farm. They will work with Farming Connect to carry out on-farm trials and share the results with the wider industry.

Ty’n Ddôl, run by Elgan and Elena Davies, operates a grass-based dairy system with 300 spring-calving and 20 summer-calving cows. Since returning to Elena’s family farm, the couple have invested in neighbouring land, a rotary milking parlour, cow tracks and improved water and slurry storage.

As part of the network, the farm will examine labour efficiency, work organisation, herd genetics and genomic testing, winter milking routines and the use of technology. Its longer-term aims include improving herd fertility and productivity, increasing grass utilisation and strengthening the financial resilience of the business.

Elgan and Elena Davies said: “We’re delighted to be part of the new Our Farms Network. Over the years, we’ve invested heavily in the business, and we want to ensure we’re making the very most of those investments.

“Joining the network gives us access to a wider range of expertise, information and support that will help us identify opportunities to improve profitability, animal health and overall farm performance. It will also allow us to challenge our thinking and learn from specialists and other farmers.

“One of our key goals is to create a business that is productive and profitable but also gives us more time away from the farm and a better work-life balance. We hope the work we undertake through the network will help us achieve that, while also sharing practical lessons that other dairy farmers can use on their own farms.”

The Our Farms Network builds on more than a decade of demonstration farm activity through Farming Connect, which aims to connect scientific research with commercial farming by testing new approaches in real-world conditions.

The programme will include trials aligned with the Sustainable Land Management Framework and the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

Eirwen Williams, Director of Delivery at Mentera, said: “The Our Farms Network is at the heart of Farming Connect’s knowledge transfer programme. These farms are chosen because they are ambitious, forward-thinking businesses willing to test new ideas and openly share what they learn with others.

“The network creates a valuable link between farmers, researchers, advisers and industry specialists, ensuring that innovation is tested under real farming conditions and translated into practical outcomes that can be adopted by businesses across Wales.

“We are particularly pleased that farms such as Ty’n Ddôl are willing to open their gates and share both their successes and challenges, helping fellow farmers make informed decisions that can improve business resilience, profitability and sustainability.”

During his visit, Gruffydd met the Davies family to discuss the challenges facing Welsh dairy farmers and the trials planned through the programme.

He said: “Ty’n Ddôl is a strong example of the confidence and ambition we see across Welsh farming. Elgan and Elena are not only investing in the future of their own business but are also willing to share their experience for the benefit of others.

“That spirit of collaboration is exactly what the Our Farms Network is about. By bringing farmers together to test ideas, learn from evidence, and share practical results, we can support a more resilient and sustainable future for agriculture in Wales.”