RICHARD Tudor, a beef and sheep farmer from New Cross, Aberystwyth, has been elected as the new NFU Cymru LFA board chairman.

Richard, who has previously held the position of Ceredigion NFU Cymru chairman, farms at Glanystwyth, New Cross, which is a 550-acre farm. He also farms a 1,100-acre hill farm, Nantyrhafod, in Montgomeryshire, in partnership with his brother, Hugh.

Glanystwyth farm comprises of 1,800 Lleyn and mule ewes with lambs produced for Waitrose and 120 fattening cattle for Morrisons, and the hill farm carries 1,400 Welsh ewes with cattle being grazed there over the summer.

Away from the farm, Richard is governor of Ysgol Penweddig and assistant manager of Llanilar Football Club.

He said: “I am delighted to have been elected as the new LFA board chairman.

“I would firstly like to thank John Owen, the retiring chairman, for all the work he has carried out during his 14 years in office, especially during a period of significant change.

“He has represented the interests of hill and upland farmers in Wales to a number of government ministers, AMs, influential stakeholders and has provided evidence to National Assembly inquiries and I look forward to his continued support on the board.

“The board’s priorities, looking forward, will be to ensure that we get the message across that hill and upland farmers are producing food in harmony with the environment, and this must be realised at the highest level.

“We will especially be working to keep young people in the countryside through farming or farming-related work, to help preserve our language and culture.

“We must ensure that stakeholders and influencers know just how important upland farming is to Wales as a whole.

“During my time as chairman, I will strive to ensure the voice of Welsh hill and upland farmers is heard not only in Wales and the UK but wherever decisions are being taken that will impact on the sector.”

Kath Whitrow from Penycae was elected as vice-chair of the LFA board for the next two years.

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