This month’s Royal Welsh Show will be the venue for the final of one of Wales’ most prestigious farming titles – NFU Cymru / Principality Building Society Wales Woman Farmer of the Year.
Now in its 19th year, the competition aims to celebrate the often forgotten contribution that women make to Welsh farming.
This year those shortlisted are from Flintshire and Carmarthenshire. They are:
Ceri Ratcliffe, Connah’s Quay, Flintshire. Ceri and her husband farm 180 acres. Andy has a plant hire business so Ceri looks after the stock. They have 600 breeding ewes and 100 beef cattle. Ceri, who came into farming after getting married, is well known in the area as she attends the local markets and has taken first prize for her lambs at the Christmas fat stock sales. Ceri also takes on students at the farm.
Joanna Rees, Gilfach Farm, Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. Joanna undertakes all the daily tasks both outside on the organic farm, including the tractor work, and in the house, which includes the paperwork. Joanna is a member of a number of sheep societies including the Lleyn, Brecknock Hill Cheviot and Llandovery Whiteface hill society. She is involved in the Wales and Borders pig breeders association and the Welsh sheepdog society.
Nerys Edwards, Croesasgwrn Farm, Llangyndeyrn, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire. Nerys farms with her husband Roy and they have four sons. Nerys’ time is split between calf rearing, paperwork, milking, tractor work and general farm work. She also runs a successful ‘occasion cake’ business – usually after the boys have gone to bed! Now that milk prices have plummeted Nerys also recently took on a two and a half month contract completing Single Farm Payment forms for another company.
NFU Cymru Deputy President, John Davies said, “When shortlisting we, as judges, looked for women who demonstrated the part they play in making the farm a successful economic unit, their contribution to improving the role of women in farming and their involvement in local community life and other organisations.”
Pat Ashman, Sponsorship and Events Manager, Principality Building Society said, “It’s a real pleasure to be involved with the judging of such an exciting competition as Wales Woman Farmer of the Year. It is important that we highlight the contribution of women in farming which is largely dominated by men. More and more women take the step to start their own business and no matter what the industry, it is important to recognise the exceptional work they are doing. This competition helps to challenge the notion that the farming industry is a man’s world and shows the excellent work that is taking place to support this vital industry.”
The winner will receive £500 and an engraved Welsh crystal fruit bowl, while the runners-up will receive £100 each. The judges will carry out on-farm interviews with the shortlisted candidates before announcing the winner on the Thursday of this year’s Royal Welsh Show.
