Wales pilot success sets the stage for regional LENs roll-out in Spring 2026

The Wales Landscape Enterprise Network (LENs Wales) has reported strong environmental results for potato and dairy enterprises following its initial pilot year.

The collaborative funding framework has been successful in demonstrating a solution-based approach to supply chain and environmental challenges, paving the way for a full-scale roll-out in Spring 2026.

Founded by Puffin Produce and Pembrokeshire Creamery with support from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, the initiative is the first of its kind in Wales. LENs has successfully demonstrated that by funding technology, innovation, and nature-based solutions, it can de-risk management changes and enable land managers to enhance landscape resilience. This benefits supply chain profitability, environmental outcomes and the wider local community.

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has been a key stakeholder, giving valuable support and guidance throughout the pilot, which focused initially on the Special Area of Conservation Western Cleddau river catchment.

The results from two flagship pilot farms, one dairy and one potato-focused, have demonstrated significant uplifts in biodiversity while reducing emissions and reliance on artificial fertilisers without compromising agricultural yields. Independent monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) is conducted by 3Keel and ADAS to ensure industry-leading data reporting:

• Dudwell Farm (potato and arable): implemented more than 60 hectares worth of measures. These included a transition from granular to foliar fertilisers, reducing nitrogen application on average by 27 kg/hectare. This led to a 16.85% reduction in the kg / CO2e per tonne of potatoes and a 25% total benefit across key wildlife species groups.
• Hendrewen Farm (dairy): used more than 53 hectares for intercropping, forage diversification and herbal leys, resulting in a 29% uplift in Small Habitats Score and a reduction of over 34 tonnes of CO2e, averaging an 82 kg/hectare reduction in applied nitrogen across the farm system.

Results suggest that if this success was replicated across Puffin’s Welsh potato tonnage and around 20% of the Pembrokeshire Creamery supply chain, more than 76 tonnes of nitrogen could be removed from the Western Cleddau catchment in one year.

Freya Chambers, LENs Wales Senior Programme Manager, says; “LENs Wales is a pioneer project, as it’s the first region that includes dairy. It has paved the way for other regions that are set to follow this year and now that we are scaling up, we hope to see an even greater impact on the resilience of the local landscapes in the region and more money going to farmers for nature-friendly farming.”

Emma Adams, Head of Sustainability for Puffin Produce and Pembrokeshire Creamery said: “The pilot has proven that LENs is a pragmatic, tried-and-tested approach for delivering multiple environmental benefits on-farm. We are dealing with complex, interconnected systems, but this collaborative, inclusive approach has shown we can deliver both for nature and our food-producing businesses.

“By sharing the successes from our pilot farms, we hope that other stakeholders in the catchment area will join us to work on a range of positive outcomes, including water quality, biodiversity and decarbonisation. If we can build the programme to include more public and private sector partners, and more farms, we can significantly scale-up the beneficial impacts.

“By funding nature-based interventions, partners can materially improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, and secure the long-term resilience of Wales’ agriculture,” she said.

Wales LENs stakeholder workshops take place throughout the year, to express an interest in the initiative or attending please contact the LENs team.

About Puffin Produce:
Puffin Produce is Wales’ largest supplier of fresh Welsh produce. With its roots firmly embedded in Pembrokeshire, it works with dedicated growers to provide customers with quality produce while driving sustainability and supply chain efficiency. It supplies several retailers with own label lines, as well as focusing on its own brands: Blas y Tir, the established Welsh brand, and its sector-leading Root Zero Sustainable Spuds, the UK’s first carbon neutral potato.

About Pembrokeshire Creamery:
Pembrokeshire Creamery is the only BRCGS (AA+ rated) liquid milk processing facility in Wales. With sustainability high in its agenda, it is committed to providing high-quality locally sourced Welsh milk and cream to wholesale and retail. When production commended in 2024, its aim was clear, to keep the entire economic footprint of Welsh liquid dairy in Wales. It provides fully traceable Welsh milk through own label products and via its Blas y Tir brand.