Register today: NFU Cymru Conference 2024

10 October 2024

Aled Jones speaking at last year's conference

Once again, an impressive line-up of industry leaders will bring political, supply chain, consumer and agricultural insights to the annual NFU Cymru Conference.

This year’s event, titled ‘Securing the Future of Welsh Food’ will be held at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells from 10am on Thursday 7th November and will focus on the need to secure sustainable food systems.

Quick links

- Agenda
- Speaker biographies
- A message from the Director
- Registration

Agenda

 

10:00 – 10:05

Opening video

10:05 – 10:20

Opening address

Aled Jones, President, NFU Cymru

To include the NFU Cymru/Wynnstay Sustainable Agriculture Award presentation

10:20 – 11:10

Keynote political address

  • Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government

Address followed by Q+A

Chaired by Aled Jones, President, NFU Cymru

11:10 -12:00

Securing sustainable and resilient food systems

  • Professor Tim Lang, Emeritus Professor of Food Policy, Centre for Food Policy, City University of London

 

Chaired by Rachel Lewis-Davies, National Environment and Land Use Adviser, NFU Cymru

12:00 – 13:00

The food session: Opportunities for Welsh producers

  • Katie Palmer, Programme Manager, Food Sense Wales
  • Professor Susan Jebb, Chair, Food Standards Agency (FSA)
  • Shelagh Hancock, Chief Executive Officer, First Milk

 

Chaired by Dylan Morgan, Deputy Director and Head of Policy, NFU Cymru

13:00 -14:00

Lunch

14:00 – 14:50

The Political landscape: Implications for food and farming

  • Dr Matthew Wall, Associate Professor, Politics, Philosophy and International Relations, Swansea University

Chaired by Huw Thomas, Political Adviser, NFU Cymru

14:50 – 15:45

Securing and developing markets: The Irish experience 

  • John Murray, Director of Meat, Food & Beverages (sectors), Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board

 

Chaired by John Mercer, Director, NFU Cymru

15:45 – 16:00

Close of conference

  • Abi Reader, Deputy President, NFU Cymru

Speaker profiles

More speaker profiles will be added here shortly.

Aled Jones

NFU Cymru President

Aled is an eighth-generation farmer who runs a pedigree herd of Holsteins with his with his son, Osian, in Caernarfon. Aled is married to Eilir and together they have four children, Osian, Prysor, Erwaun and Gruffudd and 7 grandchildren. 

Aled has previously held a variety of positions across the industry, including holding the post of Chairman of milk recording company Cattle Information Services (CIS) for seven years and being a trustee of Holstein UK for eight years.

Abi Reader

NFU Cymru Deputy President

Abi is a third generation mixed farmer, farming in partnership with her parents and uncle in Wenvoe, just outside Cardiff. 

The farm is home to milking cows, sheep, beef cattle and around 120 acres of arable.  Abi is a co-founder of Cows on Tour, an Open Farm Sunday host and a former NFU Cymru Wales Woman Farmer of the Year. In 2019 she was honoured by the Queen with an MBE for her services to agriculture.

A message from the Director

NFU Cymru Director John Mercer said: “Each year, we receive great feedback for the calibre of speakers we are able to attract to NFU Cymru Conference, our 2024 line-up promises to be one of our best events to date, given the speakers who have agreed to join us this year.

“We are especially pleased to be receiving a keynote address by our Cabinet Secretary, Huw Irranca-Davies MS. At such a crucial time for Welsh farming we look forward to hearing about the progress made on the Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals and Welsh Government’s work on key policy areas including bovine TB and water quality regulations. At a time when farming is being asked to deliver so much in terms of food security, nature and climate, we need Welsh Government to put policies and adequate budget in place that will allow us to continue to deliver on these objectives.

“NFU Cymru Conference is a popular event among the membership and so I encourage interested members to confirm their attendance as soon as possible.”

Register today

Members wishing to attend the conference can register on the link below. Alternatively, call the NFU Cymru office on 01982 554200 or email [email protected]


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