Mari Evans from Cwmmaethlon, Tywyn, Gwynedd, has been crowned NFU Cymru / NatWest Wales Woman Farmer of the Year at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.
Now in its 15th year, the competition aims to celebrate the often forgotten contribution that women make to Welsh farming. Previous winners have gone on to hold key roles in the industry and win other awards.
Mari farms with her husband, Idris and they have 350 acres that they own plus another 100 acres that they rent. After having their two children Mari looked at ways of staying at home and so became the driving force behind setting up Cig Oen Maethlon – their own catering trailer selling Welsh lamb burgers at various events. She also set up a cutting plant on the farm to sell the meat. The farm has 22 suckler cows, 500 breeding ewes, a couple of pigs and chickens.
The runners up for this year’s Award are Claire Beddoe and Christine Lewis.
Christine Lewis, Brynowen Farm, Trefeglwys, Caersws, Powys. Christine has demonstrated that being female and having young children needn’t hold you back in the male dominated world of farming. She established her own farming enterprise in 2000 and over the last ten years she has developed the ’Brynowen’ flock of 250 pedigree registered lleyn ewes and received national recognition through society sales, winning prizes in pre-sale shows and commanding top prices for her elite females and breeding rams.
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Claire Beddoe, Disgwylfa, Cwmdu, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. Claire is the owner / occupier of a 32 acre LFA holding on which she farms 22 suckler cows and 30 breeding ewes. She lets two farm cottages and has recently renovated the main farmhouse B&B and will be trading shortly. As well as running her own farm she also does relief milking.
NFU Cymru Deputy President, Stephen James said, "It was very difficult to choose a winner for this year’s Award as the shortlisted finalists were of a very high standard. But they all have one thing in common – complete commitment to their own farms and to the industry as a whole."
Andy Woodthorpe, NatWest’s Agricultural Director, the competition’s sponsor, said, "When choosing the winners, the panel of judges looked at a number of different criteria including their part in making the farm a successful economic unit and their contribution to improving the role of women in farming. I have to say Mari met all the criteria and surpassed our expectations. She will make a very good ambassador for all the other women who farm in Wales."
The winner received £500 and an engraved crystal fruit bowl, while the runners-up received £100 each.
