The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Cymru has appointed two farmers to take up the positions of president and deputy president.
Abi Reader, who is a dairy farmer hailing from Cardiff, has been “unanimously elected” as the new president of NFU Cymru, while livestock farmer Paul Williams of Nebo in Clwyd, has been appointed as the new deputy president of the union.
The new appointments were announced at a meeting of NFU Cymru Council in Cardiff Bay this week.
President
New NFU Cymru president, Abi Reader is a third-generation farmer, who farms dairy, sheep and arable at Goldsland Farm in partnership with her parents and uncle in Wenvoe, just outside Cardiff.
She is a co-founder of the ‘Cows on Tour’ movement, which regularly engages with schoolchildren to educate them on how their food gets to their plate.
Reader has also received her fair share of awards in her career, as she was previously named Welsh Woman Farmer of the Year and was even honoured by the Queen with an MBE in 2019 for her services to agriculture.
Since joining NFU Cymru in 2012, Reader has served as NFU Cymru Glamorgan county chair, NFU Cymru dairy board chair, and for the last four years, she has served as NFU Cymru’s deputy president.
She will replace outgoing president, Aled Jones, who decided not to stand for re-election after a “long and distinguished career” with the union.
NFU Cymru
Speaking on her new position, Reader said: “It is a huge responsibility leading our industry in a period of considerable change, but I am ambitious about the opportunities for Welsh agriculture in the years ahead.”
Reader will be taking up this new role at a time when the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) is set to be implemented in Wales this year.
“Although SFS has transformed considerably since its early iterations, we still think there is work to do and I am committed to working with Welsh Government and partners across the industry to fine-tune this scheme where we believe change is needed,” she added.
The newly-appointed president also noted that she looks forward to working with the new look Senedd once elections take place later this year.
Deputy president
New NFU deputy president, Paul Williams farms beef and sheep at Cae Haidd, Nebo, near Llanrwst in partnership with his wife Dwynwen and their three children.
He has been an active NFU Cymru member for over 20 years and has previously served as the union’s Clwyd county chair.
According to NFU Cymru, Williams also played a big part in organising the display of 5,500 pairs of wellingtons laid outside the Senedd in 2023 to show the industry’s opposition to the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme framework at the time.
Speaking after his election, Williams said: “As a father with children who are eager to pursue a career in farming themselves, I’m driven to ensure that the next generation is able to push this industry further forward.
“The upcoming changes that we face politically and policy-wise are well documented, however there is also still the day job to be done.”
He highlighted ongoing issues such as bovine TB, the legislative burden of Welsh Government’s water quality regulations and concerns over milk price continue to trouble farmers across the country.
Williams added: “As farmers it’s so important that we speak with one strong, collective voice on these issues to deliver change, which is why the effective lobbying of NFU Cymru is so important.
“I can’t wait to play my part in this lobbying, whether that’s in Cardiff Bay, Westminster or further afield and doing everything I can to make a difference for farmers throughout Wales.”
