A RHAYADER farmer has been honoured at this year’s NFU Conference for his dedication and commitment to NFU Cymru and Welsh farming.

NFU Cymru Brecon and Radnor county chairman Rob Lewis, who farms a 260-hectare upland beef and sheep enterprise near Rhayader, with his wife and three sons, was named as the Welsh winner on the shortlist for the Meurig Raymond Award at the annual NFU Conference at the ICC in Birmingham.

The award recognises farmers from across the UK who have worked closely with their NFU team on lobbying and campaigns, as well as those who report back on stakeholder discussions and engage with a wide range of people to make sure the industry’s voice is heard.

“I was very shocked to learn that I had been nominated for this award. Throughout my time as NFU Cymru Brecon and Radnor county chairman I have sought to do my best for our members in this part of Wales and ensure their voice is heard,” said Mr Lewis.

“While my attitude has always been that ‘If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well’, I have never done any of it for personal acclaim because it’s a team effort, so this award was a pleasant surprise.”

Mr Lewis was one of the faces spearheading NFU Cymru’s ‘We Are Welsh Farming’ campaign launch at the Senedd last year, representing first class farmers who are ‘feeding the nation’ in the campaign video.

During the first year of his stint as county chairman, Rob organised a successful farm tour to Switzerland, France and Germany, with 38 NFU Cymru members in attendance.

As a true ambassador for Welsh farming, Mr Lewis saw the opportunity to promote the union’s campaign messaging further afield, sticking a ‘We Are Welsh Farming’ campaign bale sticker on the back of the German tour bus and taking a ‘We Are Welsh Farming’ banner to the top of the Swiss Alps.

As part of NFU Cymru’s campaigning activities during the Welsh Government Brexit and Our Land consultation, Mr Lewis also hosted a successful business and community networking day to illustrate to Assembly Members and the general public the integral role that farming plays for rural businesses and communities. The event received significant traction on social media thanks to videos recorded on the day, as well as generating further consultation responses from the county.

Mr Lewis also writes for NFU Cymru’s monthly members’ magazine, Farming Wales.

NFU Cymru director John Mercer said: “At NFU Cymru we are very fortunate to have such a large number of active and enthusiastic members who engage with the union’s campaigning and lobbying efforts, but in Rob we have someone who really does go the extra mile for NFU Cymru and Welsh farming.

“Rob is someone who has proactively encouraged local farmers to join the union and has demonstrated that he is able to mobilise members at the drop of a hat to support him in his efforts to lobby AMs or champion the sector. He is a true ambassador who continues to work tirelessly to promote our industry and for that reason this recognition is well deserved.”