A Carmarthenshire farmer has been re-elected to lead the Farmers’ Union of Wales.
Ian Rickman, who farms near Llandeilo, was returned as President at the union’s Grand Council meeting in Aberystwyth on Thursday — with Pembrokeshire dairy farmer Dai Miles re-elected as his deputy.
Mr Rickman and his wife Helen live on a 220-acre upland farm, where they have raised three sons.
He runs a sheep and beef enterprise in partnership with young farmer Sean Jeffreys — rearing Wagyu calves alongside the sheep flock.
First elected President in 2023, he is a past Carmarthenshire county chairman of the union and previously chaired its Hill Farming and Marginal Land Committee, becoming a vice president in 2017 and Deputy President in 2019.
“It is a tremendous honour and a privilege to continue serving as President of the Farmers’ Union of Wales,” he said.
“Welsh agriculture faces significant challenges and opportunities, and I remain committed to ensuring the voices of our members are heard clearly at every level of decision-making.
“I look forward to continuing to work alongside our dedicated officeholders, staff and members to secure a strong future for family farms across Wales.”
Mr Miles, one of the founding directors of organic milk co-operative Calon Wen, took on the tenancy of Barnsley Farm in west Wales with his wife Sharon in 1997 — transforming a stock and arable unit into an organic dairy business that today runs 140 cows across more than 300 acres, with son Llyr managing the herd.
“Farming has given me countless opportunities over the years, and I am proud to be able to give something back by serving the Union and its members,” he said.
“The coming years will be crucial for our industry, and I am eager to continue supporting farmers, celebrating the great work they do and helping ensure Welsh agriculture remains innovative, sustainable and successful.”
The re-elections come at the start of a new Senedd term in which farming budgets are expected to be among the pressure points as the new Welsh Government sets out its spending priorities.
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