This is the time of year that crow and Larsen traps are set to manage the corvid population.

However, following largely unpublicised changes to the Open General Licence, operators could fall foul of the latest legislation, warns James Lamb of land agency Savills' Brechin office.

The changes may even have taken the police by surprise. Under the revised regulations that came into force on April 1, anyone wishing to use a crow or Larsen trap must apply to the police for a registration number.

They must then display this number along with the contact number for local police on every trap they operate.

Additionally, when the trap is not in use, the doors must be removed rather than being tied back.

Under the previous system, traps could be used under an Annual General Licence that was published by the Scottish government. But as a result of the lack of consultation with land managers or police, there was no system in place when the new regulations came into force.

This lack of information and ensuing confusion have seen periods of grace granted by some police forces.

However, anyone using a crow trap or Larsen trap without displaying a registration number is breaking the law and potentially risking their single farm payment under cross compliance regulations.

Landowners, tenants and land managers who have not yet applied for a registration number are advised to seek advice or contact police for information.

Westbury Dairies' future settled
THE board of Westbury Dairies has announced that agreement has been reached with its three joint shareholders on the future of the company.

Set up five years ago, Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFOB) and First Milk each held a 40% stake, while Milk Link held 20%.

DFOB will exit from the Westbury Dairies joint venture as soon as practicable and its representatives will step down from the board.

First Milk will now own two-thirds of the shareholding of Westbury Dairies and Milk Link the remainder.

Both co-ops have agreed to underwrite the continuing fixed costs of the Wiltshire site.

This new agreement gives the two farmer-owned dairy co-ops full control over the state-of-the-art Westbury powder and butter production facility.

DFOB has agreed a long-term supply arrangement that allows it to have limited access to balancing capacity at Westbury, thereby contributing to the ongoing costs of operating the site.