This year鈥檚 Meurig Raymond Award 鈥� named after the NFU鈥檚 former President 鈥� was last night presented to NFU Cymru member Ll欧r Jones.
Mr Jones, who farms at Corwen, Denbighshire, is a member of the and a regular contributor to local and county meetings and events.
He spearheaded NFU Cymru鈥檚 media work around COP26, acting as a farmer climate change ambassador, and hosted a visit by COP26 President Alok Sharma.
鈥淎s a farmer I have a responsibility to leave my farm to my children in a better state than I inherited it. And that鈥檚 what I intend to do.鈥�
Ll欧r Jones, winner of the 2022 Meurig Raymond award
He also produced a series of daily social media videos during week to highlight the array of sustainable methods he is using on farm including renewable energy 鈥� the farm produces its own electricity through a hydro system - and tree planting and peatland projects.
鈥淟l欧r really stood out as the worthy overall winner of this year鈥檚 Meurig Raymond Award. He really is the embodiment of what the NFU is all about.鈥�
NFU Director General Terry Jones
Hard work, dedication and positivity
Receiving the award, Mr Jones said: 鈥淚t is a huge surprise but a great honour to win this award. British farmers have a great story to tell. I鈥檓 very proud of producing fantastic quality food, producing renewable energy and caring for the environment.
鈥淎s a farmer I have a responsibility to leave my farm to my children in a better state than I inherited it. And that鈥檚 what I intend to do.鈥�
NFU Director General Terry Jones said: 鈥淔rom our eight fantastic nominees, Ll欧r really stood out as the worthy overall winner of this year鈥檚 Meurig Raymond Award.
鈥淗e really is the embodiment of what the NFU is all about. As well as running his own farming business in the hills of North Wales and being an engaged grassroots NFU Cymru member, Ll欧r is a brilliant advocate for the industry, promoting work on climate change and net zero, as well as regularly hosting local school children to explain the farm to fork story of British food.
鈥淟l欧r鈥檚 hard work, dedication and positivity has made him a progressive voice for the farming industry and helped raise the profile of Welsh farmers and what they do best 鈥� producing food and caring for the environment.鈥�
The nominees
Mr Jones, representing NFU Cymru, was selected from eight nominees drawn from each of the NFU鈥檚 seven English regions and NFU Cymru.
The other nominees were:
- Freya Morgan (East Anglia)
- Jake Freestone (West Midlands)
- Angela Sargent (East Midlands)
- Tim Lock (South East)
- Zoe Legg (South West)
- Richard Betton (North East)
- Andy Venables (North West)