Wyke Farms launches 'Birdsong for Biodiversity' – AI-powered pilot project to monitor and enhance nature on farm

Wyke Farms, the UK's largest independent cheese producer and a leading renewable energy pioneer, today announces the launch of 'Birdsong for Biodiversity' – a groundbreaking pilot project using AI-powered birdsong analysis to measure and improve biodiversity across both their farms and supply farms.

In partnership with UK-based nature-tech innovator Chirrup.ai, this three-year initiative will deploy bioacoustic devices across Wyke Farms and on ten pilot farms, with monitoring currently underway across the Southwest. The pilot farms are responsible for 25% of the milk that goes into cheesemaking at Wyke's Bruton site. Chirrup.ai's maintenance-free monitors and intuitive web app transform real-time birdsong into actionable biodiversity data, making it simple for farmers and land managers to accurately track bird species, assess ecosystem health, and support regenerative agriculture and sustainability reporting.

Bird populations are a sensitive barometer of ecosystem health; by using birds as bio-indicators, Chirrup.ai's platform generates insights not only into wildlife, but also soil quality, water health, and overall biodiversity. This approach enables participating farms to benchmark and track progress year-on-year, aligning with environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) goals and underpinning credible nature-positive outcomes.

Rich Clothier, 3rd generation cheese maker and Managing Director at Wyke Farms, says:

"This project gives us the ability to baseline the health of nature on our farms in a scientific and consistent way using the perfect blend of technology in nature—and then work to improve it. Birds are fantastic early-warning indicators for the environment, and with Chirrup.ai's technology we can see how our land stewardship is making a real difference year after year."

Quote from Conrad Young, Founder of Chirrup.ai:

"Wyke Farms, represents an iconic group of West Country dairy farms, and is the first dairy processor to take advantage of Chirrup's low-cost service under the UK Dairy Roadmap, which sets a target of 50% of farms monitoring biodiversity by 2030. We're delighted to be working with pioneers like Rich and his team in 2025 and looking forward to other dairy processors scaling up their monitoring from next year."

The first devices will be deployed on the Southwest pilot farms next week, with annual reporting on metrics such as the Chirrup Rating™, species richness, and bio-indicator trends. These insights directly support Wyke Farms' wider sustainability strategy, complementing the award-winning Green by Nature programme, and further reinforcing the business's goal to leave the environment in better condition for future generations.

Andrew Gaskell, Milk Procurement Director at Wyke Farms, adds:

"Our producers are already delivering some of the lowest carbon footprint milk in the world. By adding year-round biodiversity monitoring to our toolkit, we can showcase the real environmental value our farms provide—not only in climate terms, but in supporting wildlife and thriving ecosystems."

At Wyke Farms, sustainability is a way of life. As a pioneer in nature-positive farming, carbon balance, self-generated renewable energy, water recycling, and biodiversity preservation, the business continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in British agriculture.

Wyke Farms' award-winning Cheddar is produced in the heart of Somerset using milk from the company's own herds and contracted Red Tractor-assured family farms, most within 50 miles of its Bruton dairy. Wyke Farms branded products are available in selected UK Lidl stores, Southwest ASDA and Tesco stores, and online. Its Ivy's Reserve branded products are available in Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose and Ocado.