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NEW FUW LANDUSE AND PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN GAVIN WILLIAMS[/caption]
Anglesey farmer Gavin Williams has been elected as the new chairman of the Farmers' Union of Wales's land use and parliamentary committee.
Mr Williams, a qualified accountant since 1979 and active member of the union's Anglesey county executive committee, farms around 90 acres at Pen-y-Bryn, Llynfaes. Together with his wife Nerys, a nursery school teacher, he runs a flock of 200 Lleyn sheep.
He said: "It is a great honour for me to be elected as chairman and I look forward to continuing the good work the previous chairman, Richard Vaughan, has done for the union and its members."
Chris Lewis, of Glangwy Farm, Builth Wells, was elected vice chairman of the committee.
He runs a fully organic 250-acre farm with his wife Gwlithyn where he grows barley, triticale and spring beans for their 50 cows, mostly Simmental cross, all progeny, 200 Texel cross ewes, four Kunekune pig sows and one boar.
He was county vice-chairman from 2004-2007, county chairman 2007-2010 and county president since last year. Mr Lewis has been a delegate on the land use and parliamentary committee for the past few years.
He said: "I am very pleased to be elected vice chairman of the committee and will of course be working hard for our members."
Mr Vaughan, who stepped down as chairman of the committee after five years, was recently elected vice president of the union. Together with his wife Dwynwen he farms Pall Mall Farm, Tywyn, which is one of two holdings totalling 550 acres. Most of the land is at Pant y Panel and Prysglwyd at Rhydymain, near Dolgellau.
A flock of 750 Welsh Mountain sheep is kept together with 150 ewe lamb replacements. Around 200 ewes are crossed with Texel and Suffolk rams and the remainder with Welsh Mountain. Approximately 30 store cattle are kept and fattened over the summer.