Two people from Bala and Pwllheli have been shortlisted for the 2019 Sir Bryner Jones Memorial Award, which celebrates exceptional achievement within Wales’s agricultural industry.

Established in 1957, the award is the flagship accolade of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, and every year it seeks to recognise someone in the farming industry who has reached the highest level of achievement in the chosen sector.

This year the winner will be somebody who has created a viable agricultural business through an initial tenancy, farm business tenancy (FBT), share farming or joint equity agreement.

Sam Carey, from Llanfor, Bala, has been shortlisted for his work on the partnership business of a dairy unit, which he has shared with the Price family of Rhiwlas estate since 2015. Sam was able to introduce to the partnership the finance needed to purchase a share of the 500 cows for the farm.

Also amongst those shortlisted is Matthew Jackson, from Tudweiliog, Pwllheli. Matthew set up the joint venture of a 220 acre grassland farm at Penllech with David Wynne Finch in 2015, and was able to bring 300 dairy cows to the partnership, along with “his labour and management expertise”.

In 2018, whilst purchasing a farm in South Wales, he also entered another joint venture with a dairy farmer from Staffordshire and ultimately two farms were purchased.

The winner of the Sir Bryner Jones Memorial Award will be announced at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society award presentation, on the first day of this year’s Royal Welsh Show, Monday, 22 July, at 2.30pm.

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