Innovative idea wins top Farming Connect Agri Academy Challenge award

Members of the 2024 Farming Connect Agri Academy cohort have been praised for their technical expertise and vision with a set of ideas for real life business challenges and the winner was presented with an award at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair today (25 November).

As the 2024 Agri Academy drew to a close, there was recognition at the Llanelwedd showground for the winner of the Agri Academy Challenge and the Agri Academy Members Choice Award.

The Agri Academy Farm Challenge award was won by farm manager Emyr Owen, one of 12 participants in the 2024 Agri Academy.

The group had been set a challenge to create a five-year action plan for Moor Farm, a dairy farm near Holywell where Rhys Davies and his family produce milk from the
100-cow Ffrwd pedigree Holstein Friesian herd.

Emyr’s vision was for the farm to transition to a smaller cow producing high quality milk while increasing cow numbers, a change which he believed would better utilise the grazing platform and reduce purchased feed costs.

Another of his recommendations was to replace the 10/20 herringbone parlour with second hand milking robots, to help achieve Rhys’ ambition to spend more time with his family.

Emyr, who is the farm manager at Rhug Estate, Corwen, also suggested converting a barn into a small function room, to generate an alternative income stream. Rhys teaches on a part-time basis and could also use this as a base for his own classes, he suggested.

Rhys was on the judging panel when the Agri Academy members presented their ideas during a weekend at Plas Pantyderi, near Boncath, Pembrokeshire, earlier this month.

Also on the panel were businessman Tom Allison, who was among the first Agri Academy cohort in 2012, and Laura Griffiths, Head of Agriculture Business Support Branch, Welsh Government.

Tom, who sits on the board of Mentera, which delivers Farming Connect for the Welsh Government, says all the presentations were of a high standard – three were outstanding – but it was Emyr’s that stood out.

“Emyr showed really good technical analysis and understanding, he had identified the strengths and weaknesses of the farm, and had been thorough in his research, even factoring in the grants that the farm could apply for,” says Tom.

The ceremony at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair also saw Powys beef and sheep farmer Anna Jones receive the 2024 Agri Academy Members Choice Award for her overall commitment to the programme.

Her vision for Moor Farm included introducing solar energy as an alternative income stream.

“This was also very well researched and very impressive,” says Tom.