The Farmers’ Union of Wales has a new presidential team at its helm to lead the organisation forward in its mission to ensure there are thriving, sustainable family farms in Wales.

Joining newly elected president Ian Rickman at the top are Pembrokeshire dairy farmer Dai Miles as deputy President; north Wales beef and sheep farmer Alun Owen as north Wales vice-president; Glamorgan beef and sheep farmer Brian Bowen as south Wales vice-president and Ceredigion sheep farmer Anwen Hughes as mid Wales vice-president.

  • Not from a farming family, Dai Miles started his farming career by attending the Welsh Agricultural College. After five years as a herdsman and then a further five years at IGER Trawscoed, he took the brave step to take a tenancy in Pembrokeshire with his wife Sharron.
    They currently farm approximately 70 acres owned land, 200 on FBTs and 100 acres on short term lets which is all organic. They’re milking 120 cows on a grazed robotic milking system in addition to rearing all calves for either herd replacements or store beef cattle.
    Dai, who was the FUW’s vice-president for south Wales, is also a past chairman of the FUW’s milk and dairy produce committee, a past county chairman of the FUW in Pembrokeshire and vice-chairman of the FUW’s tenants committee.
    In 2000 Dai and four other organic dairy farmers founded the highly successful Calon Wen organic milk co-operative.

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West Wales beef farmer takes FUW reins

  • Alun Owen farms at Gallt-y-Celyn, Pentrefoelas with his wife Marian and son Siôn. Gallt-Y-Celyn is an upland farm producing store cattle and fat lambs on the Foelas estate in the Uwchaled area, and lies between 600 and 800 feet above the sea. In addition, another holding is part of a business located in Pen Llŷn. Alun and his wife Marian took over the business from his parents some time ago and have been members with FUW for many years.
    Alun believes that it is important that Wales has a strong voice within the agricultural industry and has been the FUW county chairman for Denbighshire. He believes that it is important and his duty to try and meet with everyone from outside the industry in order to facilitate their understanding of the agriculture sector.
  • Brian Bowen farms a mixed suckler cow and hill sheep unit near Tredegar. The farm consists of 150 acres of owned land with a further 1000 rented acres and 1200 acres of common rights on three separate commons. He runs the farm, along with his father, mother and son.
    He served as FUW Brecon and Radnor Vice Chairman from 2008 and was elected as its County Chairman in 2010. He has been the Brecon and Radnor delegate on the FUW livestock, wool and marts committee since 2009.
  • Anwen Hughes farms 80 acres at Bryngido farm, just outside of Aberaeron in Ceredigion, in partnership with her husband Rhodri. The family keeps around 200 Lleyn and Lleyn cross ewes on a low input- high output, grass based system. Anwen has been farming since 1995 and in addition also owns in partnership with her mother Betty Davies a further 48 acres which is rented to her oldest son Glyn.