David Jones retires after almost 50 years in wool marketing
David Jones, widely known to farmers throughout England and Wales after almost 50 years involved in wool marketing, retires at the end of December from his position as Regional Manager for the British Wool Marketing Board covering Wales and the central and southern English regions.
David has spent 25 years with the British Wool Marketing Board but his involvement with wool started in the mid-1950s when he began his career as a wool merchant working in his father’s company of T H Evans and Co at Machynlleth.
The company was sold to T J Williams when David was 22-years-old but he stayed on and was appointed grader and manager, extending his duties to include the business’s substantial farm supply operation.
He stayed there for 17 years during which time he developed an even larger wool marketing turnover collecting wool from as far away as Pembrokeshire and Anglesey. By the time he left the company was handling around two million kilos a year.
David was recruited by the BWMB in 1984, initially as manager for Wales and later to take on the extensive central region covering depots in the south west, Wales, and the southern and central areas of the UK.
He has been involved with the British Wool Marketing Board’s training programme since it’s instigation in 1998 and has maintained a close liaison with several sheep breed Societies
on their breeding schemes on wool production and quality.
David is also a wool handing judge with the British Isles Shearing Competition Association (BISCA), a fleece judge and a judge of wool on the hoof.
He has served on the shearing committee of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society for 24 years and is a committee member of the National Sheep Association – Cymru Region.
"During this time I’ve seen great changes within the wool industry but with the current economic situation, there’s definitely an opportunity for natural fibres to return to fashion. With the global economic instability, the next few years will be challenging times for everyone, but, to remain positive, it also gives an opportunity to meet these challenges with a new prospective to ensure the future of the Wool Board and the industry it represents", says David.
Married to Kate, and with a son Iwan currently working in the USA, David’s passion for country sports will no doubt keep him busy during his retirement although he will still be undertaking some future work for the BWMB.
Following David’s retirement the BWMB has changed and expanded his role and will now appoint two replacements - Gareth Jones will take on the role of Producer Relations Manager based at Newtown, mid-Wales and a Regional Technical Manager will be appointed in the near future.
Commented BWMB Chairman Frank Langrish:" David has played a vital role in the development of wool marketing in the UK over many years and his expertise has been invaluable. We wish him a long and happy retirement."
