Young welsh farmer receives achievement award

A young sheep farmer has been named as the first winner of an award dedicated to a late politician who had strong links with the Welsh farming industry.

Brynle Williams was a North Wales Assembly Member and a farmer who died earlier this year.

An annual award was established at the Royal Welsh Show to both recognise his contribution to agriculture and to celebrate the achievements of farmers who have had support through the Welsh Government’s Young Entrant Support Scheme.

The inaugural winner was Aberystwyth sheep farmer, Aled Llyr Thomas, who is already well established in sheep breeding circles.

He plans to more than double his flock in the next few years after receiving funding through the YESS towards the cost of a new sheep shed.

“It is this kind of young entrepreneur we want to see grow and thrive in the Welsh farming industry,” said Wales’ farming minister Alun Davies, who presented the Welsh Government-sponsored award.

For more from the Royal Welsh Show 2011, see our dedicated web page.