NFU Cymru will showcase the harmonious relationship between agriculture and the environment with the return of the union’s Sustainable Farming Conference on Thursday, June 9.

Titled ‘Shaping Welsh Farming’s Future’, the on-farm event will promote the crucial role of farmers in Wales in producing high quality food alongside protecting, maintaining and enhancing the farmed environment, along with underpinning our rural communities and the Welsh language.

The Thursday, June 9 event begins at 10.30am and will be hosted at Trewarren Farm, St Ishmaels, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, by kind permission of Jason and Ros Llewellin and family, the winners of the inaugural NFU Cymru/Wynnstay Group Plc Sustainable Agriculture Award.

One of the highlights of the conference agenda promises to be the ‘Sustainable Farming in Practice’ session, where a panel of farmers including host Jason Llewellin, Sharon Hammond, Dafydd Jones and Emma Robinson, will share details about their own farming systems and give their perspectives on sustainable agriculture.

After lunch those attending the conference can enjoy a short farm walk around the award-winning farm thanks to a guided tour hosted by the Llewellin family.

This is the second time NFU Cymru has hosted a dedicated environment conference, after the success of the first event hosted at Pentre Farm, Merthyr Cynog in 2019 by kind permission of then NFU Cymru President John Davies and his family.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said:

“This event is all about celebrating the symbiotic relationship between farming and the environment.

“It’s a conference that shines a light on all of the great work Welsh farmers do to maintain and enhance nature, biodiversity and habitats in and around their farms alongside their core role as food producers.

“We very much hope that this year’s Sustainable Farming Conference can build on the positive foundations laid by the inaugural event before the Coronavirus pandemic.

“That event saw some excellent engagement between farmers, NGOs and other stakeholders.

“I expect this year’s Sustainable Farming Conference will be a useful forum for further constructive discussion between all those who share a vested interest in delivering the environmental benefits we all wish to see at this pivotal time for the industry, as Welsh government brings forward its proposals for the Sustainable Farming Scheme in the coming months.

“We are of course very grateful to the Llewellin family for hosting this year’s conference and I’m sure the planned post-lunch tour of this fantastic farm will be a real highlight of the day.”