A mid Wales farmer has been honoured at this year’s NFU conference for his dedication and commitment to NFU Cymru and Welsh farming.

NFU Cymru Brecon and Radnor county chairman Rob Lewis, who farms a 260-hectare upland beef and sheep enterprise near Rhayader with his wife and three sons, was named as the Welsh winner on the shortlist for the Meurig Raymond Award at the annual NFU conference at the ICC in Birmingham.

The award recognises farmers from across the UK who have worked closely with their NFU team on lobbying and campaigns, as well as those who report back on stakeholder discussions and engage with a wide range of people to make sure the industry’s voice is heard.

Rob was one of the faces spearheading NFU Cymru’s 'We Are Welsh Farming' campaign launch at the Senedd last year, representing first class farmers who are ‘feeding the nation’ in the campaign video.

During the first year of his stint as county chairman, Rob organised a successful farm tour to Switzerland, France and Germany, with 38 NFU Cymru members in attendance.

As a true ambassador for Welsh farming, Rob saw the opportunity to promote the union’s campaign messaging further afield, sticking a 'We Are Welsh Farming' campaign bale sticker on the back of the German tour bus and taking a banner to the top of the Swiss Alps.

As part of NFU Cymru’s campaigning activities during the Welsh Government Brexit and Our Land consultation, Rob also hosted a very successful business and community networking day to illustrate to Assembly Members and the general public the integral role that farming plays for rural businesses and communities.

The event received significant traction on social media thanks to videos recorded on the day, as well as generating further consultation responses from the county.

Rob also writes a column for The Brecon & Radnor Express newspaper, as well as NFU Cymru’s monthly members’ magazine, Farming Wales.