The Annual NFU Cymru Monmouthshire County Conference Brings Farmers Together

Farmers attending the annual NFU Cymru Monmouthshire County Conference were entertained by guest speaker Ben Briggs, Editor of Farmers Guardian.

The event, which took place recently at The Three Salmons Hotel, drew a large crowd who were treated to an informative talk by Ben Briggs as well as a policy update from NFU Cymru President Aled Jones.

Ben Briggs began his presentation by giving the audience a history of the Farmers Guardian and detailing his own path to becoming the Farmers Guardian's editor in 2016.

He then gave members an idea of the magazine's priorities, stating that livestock news was very popular with his readers.

Ben Briggs went on to talk about the value of farming to the environment, the economy, and rural communities. "I believe it is absolutely incumbent upon the unions and the press to fly the flag for farming because there are enough people criticizing the industry," he said.

"We should be really proud of what the farming industry does to shape our landscapes, feed our people and, particularly in Wales, farming is such a key part of the social fabric, as well.

"It is absolutely critical that the government and ministers enact policies that allow people to get on their feet and farm. If we lose a critical mass of people from rural areas, it will have an impact on schools, young farmer's clubs, and businesses. I believe NFU Cymru's work is critical to preserving all of the important characteristics that distinguish rural communities."

Ben Briggs then discussed some of Farmers Guardian's successful campaign work, such as the 'Mart's the Heart,' '24 hours in farming,' and 'Farming CAN' initiatives. He also gave the audience some background on the 'Take the Lead' campaign, which has seen over 70,000 gatepost signs distributed on footpaths and rights of way over the last decade to encourage dog owners to keep their pets on a leash around livestock.

Farmers Guardian, he said, does its best to ensure that its campaigning work "doesn't just preach to the converted" in order to reach a wider audience.

NFU Cymru President Aled Jones then addressed members, providing an important update on the union's work in a variety of key areas such as water quality, future policy, tree planting, and bovine tuberculosis.

"It was a real privilege to be able to welcome a high-caliber speaker like Ben Briggs to our county conference," said NFU Cymru Monmouthshire County Chair Emma Robinson after the event. He delivered an engaging speech about his experiences as Editor of Farmers Guardian and the political heavyweights he has interviewed as a journalist. It was fantastic to begin my tenure as NFU Cymru Monmouthshire County Chair with such a fantastic evening that all of our members seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

"I'd also like to pay tribute to Dave Edwards, our outgoing NFU Cymru Monmouthshire County Chairman, who has been a passionate ambassador for farmers in the county over the last few years and has performed his duties superbly."

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