The Welsh branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU Cymru) has announced Clive Swan and his family as the winners of its 2023 Sustainable Agriculture Award.
Swan and his family farm on Ffrith Farm in Mold, and they were presented with the award today (Thursday, November 2) at the NFU Cymru annual conference.
The union said its Sustainable Agriculture Award recognises a commitment to the economic, environmental, social and cultural wellbeing of Wales.
Clive Swan and his son, Ed Swan, were presented with a prize of £500 and a Welsh slate engraved barometer.
Swan family
The Swans, made up of husband and wife Clive and Gail and their two children Ed and Rebecca, farm on Ffrith farm in north-east Wales and manage a 150-beef cattle herd.
They started off with two pigs in 2010 and now have over 100, as well as running a flock of free-range hens.
All of the family’s animals supply their farm shop which was opened in March of this year.
The 200ac of land has been farmed by the Swan family since 1980 and they have recently prioritised sustainability in their production.
NFU Cymru rural affairs board chair and one of the judges for the award, Hedd Pugh, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Swan family on winning this award.
“It’s great to see the farm running alongside the shop and how they’ve managed to integrate the two businesses and involve customers in the whole process from farm to fork.
“Producing high quality products whilst maintaining, protecting and enhancing the environment makes the Swans a fantastic example of how productive, efficient food production, environmental management and climate change mitigation measures can go hand in hand.”
Sustainable business
NFU Cymru said the Swan family pride themselves on offering a fine food shopping experience with exceptional home produced and locally produced food.
Since joining the business full time in December 2021, Ed Swan has been committed to taking the farm and shop to the next level by focusing on sustainability and environmental impact.
The Swans now have a farm-to-shop-trail to educate members of the public where people can walk around the farm and see the free-range pigs, the beef suckler herd, free range hens, honeybees and barley and wheat growing in the fields
“The wide and varied roles that their family play in the rural community, in education and their interaction with the general public makes them a true sustainable agriculture champion, a shining example of the contribution that Welsh farmers make to the economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of Wales,” Pugh said.
National sheep and beef specialist at Wynnstay and Sustainable Agriculture Award Judge, Bryn Hughes, said: “Wynnstay are very pleased to be sponsors of the Sustainable Agriculture award.
“The standard of entries and the finalists for this year’s award show the quality and diversity of our faming across Wales.
“In an ever-changing economic and political environment, sustainable agriculture is key to the long-term prosperity of our farm businesses and to underpinning a thriving agri-food supply chain in Wales.”
