The winner of NFU Mutual’s 2019 Tidy Farmyard award, announced at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, was a farmer from Lampeter.

Held to demonstrate the importance of a safe working environment, the competition attracted a range of quality entries from farmers keen to show they have done everything possible to make their farmyards safe for workers, family and the public.

The competition was judged by a panel of experts who visited five shortlisted farms to see for themselves how safety had been made first priority.

The overall winner was Alun Davies of Glanwern farm, near Lampeter, who was awarded the £1,000 first place prize.

Collecting the prize on behalf of Alun was his father Gareth and one-year-old son Aron.

Second place was awarded to William James, of Trevithel Court, Powys. In third place was Glyn Davies of Penlan, Ceredigion.

Designed to raise awareness of the perils of modern farmyards to reduce the toll of accidents to workers, family members and the public, the idea for the awards came from NFU Mutual’s staff and network of agents in Wales.

Entries were initially judged on four photographs which showed how each farm addressed the challenges of maintaining an efficient tidy farmyard, with the judges visiting finalists to get a detailed picture of how they address safety on their farms.

Judges were impressed that the winning farm had excellent cattle and sheep handling facilities, which materially reduce the potential for workers’ injures, as well as adequate training being provided. This was along with well-maintained machinery and good silage storage.

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