Professional farm safety trainer and consultant, mentor and friend to many – Abbeycwmhir farmer Brian Rees wins one of Welsh agriculture’s most prestigious awards

Well known farm safety expert and instructor Brian Rees, from Abbeycwmhir, near Llandrindod Wells has been awarded one of Welsh agriculture’s most prestigious awards, the Lantra Wales Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Described as a true ambassador for farm safety by Peter Rees, chair of Lantra Wales, who chaired this year’s judging panel, Brian has spent more than 35 years raising awareness of what is widely acknowledged as a poor safety record within the UK agriculture industry, with many lives and livelihoods lost every year. 

“Brian has devoted most of his professional life to this hugely important campaign, over the years providing farm safety training to thousands of farmers throughout the UK.  

“He has also provided leadership within the industry in his role as a past chair of the Wales Farm Safety Partnership, a collaboration between all the leading rural stakeholders in Wales, set up to help improve the safety of farms, forestry and other allied rural businesses. 

“He is also an approved Faming Connect farm safety mentor, undertaking one-to-one visits and providing confidential guidance on making Welsh farms safer places to work. 

“Brian’s knowledge and understanding of the subject is second to none and his expertise is regularly sought by event organisers including Farming Connect and Lantra Wales, where for many years he’s worked alongside us at the Royal Welsh Show, the Winter Fair and taken the lead on organising numerous Health & Safety Executive farm safety awareness training days,” said Mr. Rees.

Mr Rees was born into a farming family, leaving school in his teens to work alongside his parents and older brother who reared beef, sheep and pigs at the farm where he now lives. By the age of 17 he was a keen member of Rhayader YFC and Radnorshire county branch, which won a major national farm safety competition three times in the 70s, with Brian taking on the role of team foreman and then team trainer. Successful in countless drama and public speaking events, Brian won the Shell & BP National Farm Safety competition which he credits with triggering his lifelong passion for health and safety. 

Brian began his professional farm safety career in the 80s, successfully combining it with full time farming in the early years. In the 90s, he and his teacher wife Janet, took the reluctant decision to sell the livestock and rent out the grassland.  It was a decision which was to lead to a lifelong career, a raft of industry qualifications and Brian’s long-term membership of IOSHH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health). Fortunately, the couple’s son Adam, now armed with an agriculture degree followed by a number of overseas work experience trips, has now returned home and the family farm is once again fully stocked, this time including a massive poultry enterprise.

Brian is now his early 70s but says he is reluctant to slow down.

“I still get tremendous satisfaction out of delivering a telehandler course to a good group of farm workers and enjoy the farm safety mentoring I do for Farming Connect. 

“I can truthfully say that I never expected to be nominated for any award, but I am hugely honoured and very grateful because this will undoubtedly help me raise the profile of the need for everyone working in the industry to make sure they identify risks and take steps to reduce them. 

“Even the most cautious and sensible farmers tend to rush tasks and take short cuts when they’re under pressure or time constraints, but training reduces those risks, they get into the habit of planning their work in advance, so that they make better decisions and reduce the risk of accidents. 

“With all training undertaken through Farming Connect automatically uploaded to each individual’s personal online Storfa Sgiliau account, evidence of skills relating to farm safety and the safe handling of machinery and vehicles will provide an important extra notch on many a cv or job application. 

“Although I’ve no intention of retiring any time soon, while farmers and training providers still seek my guidance or mentoring, there’s an important job to be done and I’m delighted that I can continue to offer practical help and pass on my experience.” 

Farming Connect is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra Wales and funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. 

For further information on all Farming Connect services, including training and mentoring, visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect