The chairman of Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), Montgomeryshire beef and sheep farmer Rees Roberts, was this evening (Wednesday July 21 at 6.30pm) presented with the Farmers' Union of Wales gold medal for services to Welsh agriculture.
Mr Roberts, who has held a number of senior positions in the British agricultural industry over many years, received the medal from FUW president Gareth Vaughan during the Royal Welsh Show.
He was the Commissioner for Wales on the Meat and Livestock Commission from 1998 until taking over as the inaugural chairman of HCC when it was formed in April 2003. Prior to this he was also chairman of Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd.
Over the years he has served on a number of public bodies, including the Welsh Assembly Government's Strategic Food and Drink Advisory Group and the Agri?Food Partnership Lamb and Beef Strategy Group.
He is a member of the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee for JPs and of Dolen Ffermio, a charity that promotes links between Wales and Uganda.
In 2004 he became a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society and in 2006 he was voted the Food Personality of the Year by Food and Industry magazine.
A Nuffield scholar, he has also served as a member of the Hill Farming Advisory Sub?Committee for Wales, a governor of Llysfasi College and, earlier in his career, as chairman of the FUW's hill farming committee.
Mr Roberts is aged 59 and was awarded the OBE in 2002 for services to agriculture. Married to Sally, the couple have two daughters - Bethan and Ceri - and live at Efailwag Farm, Llanrhaeadr?ym?Mochnant, Oswestry.