Dairy co-op First Milk has announced a joint project with Nestlé Waters & Premium Beverages UK to reduce soil compaction and improve water infiltration on farmland, with the aim of capturing up to an additional 250million litres of groundwater a year.
The four-year project will work with up to 30 dairy farmers in Pembrokeshire, with a focus on the use of regenerative farming practices including rotational grazing of dairy herds, increasing sward grassland diversity and rooting depth.
First Milk says these combine to improve soil structure allowing for more water infiltration, increase soil organic matter to promote the soil’s water holding capacity, and support biodiversity.
Through a combination of workshops, farm visits and individual on-farm advice, farmers will take “a holistic approach” to managing soil compaction and reducing water run-off, the co-op adds.
It is hoped this will ultimately help improve water quality in the area, including in the Eastern and Western Cleddau river and tributaries of the Taf River.
Farmers will select interventions specifically suited to their land type field-by-field as well as farm-by-farm.
“We are really looking forward to taking part in this project,” said First Milk member Daniel James of Gellyolau Farm. “Healthy soils are the cornerstone of good farming and we’re keen to see what improvements can be made here at Gellyolau that will help us farm more regeneratively and at the same time help to protect the river for future generations.”
Matthew Faulkner, factory manager of the Nestlé’s Princes Gate site, said: “We’re excited to be working with First Milk farmers to improve groundwater quality and quantity in Pembrokeshire where our Princes Gate site operates. We have a responsibility to support the local community, create a positive water impact and to be a good neighbour.
“This initiative is the first of its kind for the Nestlé business where we are working with farmers who are not directly in our supply chain but who we have a shared interest with to improve the local environment. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits to the area over the coming years.”
Mark Brooking, First Milk chief impact officer, said: “First Milk is a co-operative committed to regenerative farming. The ability of land to store water to help prevent flooding, manage drought and protect water quality is vital. This innovative partnership with Nestlé Waters & Premium Beverages UK further enables our members to farm in a way that benefits the land, nature and local communities.”
