A number of well-known Farming Connect figures have scooped some of this year’s most prestigious farming awards.
Farming Connect demonstration site farmer Richard Tudor of Llysun,Llanerfyl near Welshpool, was winner of the Beef Farmer of the Year Category in the Farmers’ Weekly Awards 2016; Meirion Jones a Farming Connect mentor and his young business partner Iwan Poulton, who farm together at TŷLlwyd near Llangadog, won the category for the British Farming Awards’ Farming Partnership of the Year while Ben Anthony, also a Farming Connect mentor and his partner Diana Fairclough, who host a focus site at Frowen Farm, Llanboidy, won the British Farming Awards’ category for Sheep Innovator of the Year.
The judging panel, who professed to being wowed by the impressive business performance of upland farmer Richard Tudor on the day of their visit to Llysun, said that what sets him apart is his attention to detail, which is driving the phenomenal technical performance of his beef enterprise. They said that Farming Connect demonstration site farmer, Richard, is making the most of every morsel of land for his spring-calving, 140-cow suckler herd to generate outstanding gross margins of £704 a cow – £100 above the best Welsh upland farms on average.
The judges added that Richard is putting into practice learnings from various industry travel scholarships and is now placing a strong focus on herd fertility. He is also perfecting his breeding programme to develop a medium-sized cow that will thrive in upland conditions.
For Meirion Jones, the future of his 283-hectare (700-acre) Carmarthenshire hill farm depended on bringing through the next generation but with a son and daughter involved in their own careers off the farm, which was not an option. The answer came thanks to Iwan Poulton, who had completed work experience on the farm when he was 14 and had stayed in touch with Meirion and wife Ann ever since. With Iwan, 26, having grown up on a 40ha (100-acre) farm as one of four brothers and with limited options there, he struck up a formal joint farming arrangement with the Jones family at the start of last year.
The judges said, “This farming partnership shows innovative thinking and how a pro-active approach can safeguard a farm business and bring on the next generation. Both parties are clearly rewarded thanks to their vision towards the future.”
In 2010, Ben Anthony and his partner Diana Fairclough, who have previously been involved with Farming Connect as demonstration farmers at Frowen, took over the running of the family business, since when they have been refining their sheep enterprise to make it more efficient and profitable, pursuing the finished lamb market. Now, replacements – Aberfield cross Tregaron Welsh ewe lambs – are bought from one source to minimise disease risk, and run with performance recorded Abermax and Primera rams to improve overall lamb performance.
Sheep numbers have increased from 300 ewes to 570 ewes and 250 ewe lambs. Other changes to their system include the improvement of pre-lambing nutrition, introduction of teaser rams to shorten lambing period and EID to monitor performance.
The judges said, “It is clear Ben and Diana are not just following fads and fashions, but recording everything they can to make sure they are using innovation in the best way possible for their farming business.”
They were particularly impressed with the use of genetics to improve the flock and ultimately the end product, with an aim of meeting market specifications.
Ben says that the support available through Farming Connect has had a key influence on Frowen’s business development in recent years, thanks to their involvement with both the current and previous demonstration site network, the Farmer Enterprise Competition and Farming Connect Agri-Academy’s Business and Innovation programme.
Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes with Menter a Busnes, which delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government, congratulated all the award winners saying,
“We are extremely fortunate to have so many of this year’s award winners closely involved with Farming Connect in their roles as either mentors or demonstration network farmers. Not only are they clearly doing an excellent job developing their own businesses, through their work with Farming Connect, they are all happy to share their knowledge and expertise with other farmers and foresters throughout Wales.