Hardworking farmer takes on chairman role for FUW

A 10TH-GENERATION farmer from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant has taken over the role of county chairman in Montgomeryshire for the Farmers’ Union of Wales.

Aled Huw Roberts, 37, has been working as a farm manager for over 20 years near Wrexham, as well as running his own home farm, Plas Du, near Oswestry, since 2012.

During the working week he runs a 1,000-acre beef and sheep farm, which is home to 70 Welsh Black cattle and 1,400 Welsh and Texel cross sheep, including replacements, before returning to the 160-acre home farm and 50 acres of rented land in the evenings and weekends.

Here he keeps 10 Aberdeen Angus beef and 600 Texel cross ewes, including replacements.

Mr Roberts has been the FUW Montgomeryshire county vicechairman for more than two years before being elected as county chairman at the end of May. In 2013 he was part of the AgriAcademy future leaders project and he studied agriculture at Llysfasi College.

In his spare time he is a club leader at Dyffryn Tanat YFC and tries to make the odd appearance for his local rugby club, Cobra.

Mr Roberts said: “I would like to thank our members for electing me to be the next county chairman and look forward to representing the Farmers’ Union of Wales. My predecessor Mark Williams did a fantastic job as chairman and I hope I can continue the work he did just as well.

“Agriculture in Wales is facing an uncertain future and much work is to be done to ensure our Welsh farmers get a fair deal in terms of trade opportunities and support here at home. I feel passionately about agriculture and ensuring that the next generation of farmers face a bright, prosperous future.

“Therefore I will do my utmost to help the Farmers’ Union of Wales in continuing their fight to advance the views of the farmers of Wales without fear or favour, unfettered by sectional or external financial interests, and aid them in protecting and advancing the interests of those who derive an income from Welsh agriculture.”