The Farmers' Union of Wales today (Wednesday August 15) revealed it has agreed to be a sponsor of "Cerddwyn Ymlaen-Walk On" - a celebrity supported walk from Swansea to Caernarfon - to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance's "Leap Into Action" appeal and to promote G?yl Gobaith Music Festival 2012.

Following the successful celebration of Wales Air Ambulance's 10th anniversary at last year's G?yl Gobaith, Welsh opera star and member of the Three Welsh Tenors Rhys Meirion agreed to be this year's Wales Air Ambulance Ambassador and he will be one of the walkers on the 200-mile route.

They will set off on the eight-day trek from Swansea Airport at 8am on Friday (August 17). The route will take in the Neath Valley, Storey Arms, Brecon, Builth, Newtown and Welshpool Airport, Dinas Mawddwy, Dolgellau, Porthmadog and finish at Caernarfon Airport.

"We had no hesitation in agreeing to be a sponsor after being informed the 'Leap Into Action' Appeal is in aid of acquiring a replacement for Wales Air Ambulance's third helicopter based in Welshpool," said FUW operations director Mark Roberts.

"The current helicopter is due to be decommissioned by the Civil Aviation Authority so they need to raise an extra £600,000 each year to upgrade and maintain the lease of a 'new generation aircraft' - an advanced air ambulance with the latest medical facilities and aviation technology."

Last year the FUW presented Wales Air Ambulance with a cheque for over £15,000 after past president Gareth Vaughan adopted the organisation as his chosen charity.

[caption id="attachment_4014" align="aligncenter" width="300"] County chairman John Savins, left, presents Brynley Morris with this year’s Farmers' Union of Wales Pembrokeshire branch's Countryside Business Award.[/caption]

Pembrokeshire farmer Brynley Morris's dedication to the dairy industry in West Wales and his family business has helped him reap this year's Farmers' Union of Wales Pembrokeshire branch's Countryside Business Award.

Brynley Morris, 38, of Parc Y Nole, Mathry, Haverfordwest, has worked on the family farm since leaving school at the age of 16 and in recent years has farmed in partnership with his father and brother.

During the last few years he has dedicated himself to developing the dairy side of the business by improving bloodlines and yields, working closely with ALTA genetics and more recently using genomic tested bulls.

Through this he has upgraded the herd to pedigree status, with the Abermawr herd now standing at 200 milking cows and 100 followers. He has also recently been using sexed semen to maintain heifer levels in the herd.

As the herd has increased in numbers he has taken on a neighbouring farm and now farms around 400 acres including 100 acres of arable incorporating winter barley, spring wheat and spring barley.

He has also overseen the building of a new 20/40 Fullwood parlour and has been instrumental in introducing new technology including Auto ID on the milking herd which enables all of the cows to be monitored throughout their time on the farm.

Their yields are recorded twice a day with the system also allowing feed rations to be closely monitored and adjusted accordingly.  Further milk recording is carried out on a monthly basis with NMR for cell count and milk quality monitoring.

One of the judges, FUW Pembrokeshire county president Dai Miles, said: "All of the nominees were of a high calibre.

"However, it was felt that Brynley was extremely enthusiastic about his business and confident in the future direction of it.

"His attention to record keeping using modern technology was also impressive.

"The decision was difficult, as all the contestants were in partnership with their siblings and/or parents, but it was felt that Brynley had put his own stamp on the business," added Mr Miles.

Mr Morris said: "I was delighted to have been nominated for this award and was surprised to be told I had won it.

"Having concentrated on upgrading the infrastructure of the farm, my aim for the future is to concentrate on the dairy breeding side of the business so that my 12-year-old son Owen, who has a keen interest in the herd, has high producing animals to work with by the time that he would like to join us in the business."

Hundreds of photograph entries by Pembrokeshire pupils for a countryside themed calendar will be on display at the Farmers' Union of Wales stand during this week's Pembrokeshire county show (August 14-16).

The photograph competition, organised by the union's Pembrokeshire county branch and sponsored by local organic milk producers Trioni Ltd, invited children aged between four and 18 to submit photographs taken within Pembrokeshire depicting one of three categories - Farm Life, The Countryside and Wildlife.

The photographs taken by the winner and runner-up of each category and age group have now been made into a 2013 calendar which will be sold in aid of the FUW president's charity Cancer Research Wales during the show.

FUW president Emyr Jones, who was impressed with the effort made by the pupils, said: "The competition was a roaring success, attracting hundreds of entries from across Pembrokeshire.

"I believe it is vital that we as farmers maintain a strong link with young people so that they understand the way that food is produced in this country," added Mr Jones.

One of the judges, FUW Pembrokeshire county vice chairman Hywel Vaughan, said: "The standard of entries was very high and presented the judges with a tough task when it came to choosing the winners.

"I would like to thank every single child who entered the competition and to tell them that without their participation the contest would not have been such a success".

"I would also like to thank the schools up and down the county who have assisted the FUW in the running of this competition," added Mr Vaughan.

FUW Pembrokeshire county executive officer Rebecca Voyle, who was the driving force behind the initiative, said: "I am so proud of all the children who participated in this competition.

"The calendar is a great credit to the young people in this county. It will make a fantastic Christmas present and it is never too early to start your shopping," added Mrs Voyle.

"We would also very much like to thank our sponsors as their financial support has helped to cover some of the production costs which means that more of the cover price can be donated to the charity."

In the category for 4 -11-year-olds the farm life section was won by Rhys Davies, of Ysgol Glannau Gwaun, Fishguard, and the runner-up was Morgan Evans, of Cilgerran Church in Wales VC School, Cilgerran.

The countryside section was won by Jessica Balfour, of Maenclochog C P School, Maenclochog, and Iwan Thomas, of Ysgol Y Frenni, Crymych, was runner-up.

Winning the wildlife section was Sophie Philipsen, of Maenclochog C P School, and Jessica Balfour, also of Maenclochog C P School, was second.

The winner and runner-up in the 12 -18-year-old farm life section were Georgia Lewis, of Pembrokeshire College, Haverfordwest, and Owen Morris, of Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Fishguard; Tyler Miller, of Pembroke School, and Molly McHarg, of Greenhill School, Tenby, were the winner and runner-up of the countryside section and Gabrielle Swales, of Milford Haven School, and George Grove, of Greenhill School, were selected as winner and runner-up of the wildlife section.

Emily Silvester, of Ysgol Y Preseli, Crymych, was an additional winner as her entry was selected for the front cover photo of the calendar.

All winners will receive a £15 gift voucher, a copy of the calendar, goody bag, free entry ticket to the show and a £25 cheque for their school or college.

The runners-up will receive a £10 gift voucher, copy of the calendar, goody bag, free entry ticket to the show and a £15 cheque for their school or college.

The calendars are available to buy at the FUW stand during the show and from the FUW Pembrokeshire county office for £5 each.

Visitors to this Saturday's (August 18) Llanrwst Rural Show will be assured of a warm welcome and a cuppa on the Farmers' Union of Wales stand while they learn about the various topical issues affecting the local farming industry.

They will be asked for their opinions of the decline in upland bird species across Wales after reports of dramatic reductions in many iconic species such as the Curlew and Lapwing.

"Visitors to the FUW stand will have the opportunity to complete a questionnaire on the topic which will feed into a forum that the union's Denbigh and Flintshire county branches will host in the autumn," said county executive officer Rhys Roberts.

"This issue has prompted numerous FUW members to raise their concerns directly with us," he added.

Visitors to the stand will also be encouraged to sign letters of support for dairy producers which they can hand to their local retailer and dairy farmers will be able to complete a Commitment for Change form supporting the proposal to set up a Dairy Producers Organisation.