Prominent Pembrokeshire beef and sheep farmer Brian Thomas, who has served the Farmers’ Union of Wales for over two decades, has stood down as the union’s deputy president.
Thomas is a past county chairman of the FUW in Pembrokeshire and has previously sat on the FUW’s central tenant’s committee.
He was elected South Wales member of the central finance and organisation committee in 2011, vice president of the FUW in 2013 and deputy president in 2015.
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During the 1996 BSE outbreak, Thomas led the campaign in South West Wales opposing the importation of inferior beef into Wales. A year later, he led a group of farmers to Tesco’s stand at the Royal Welsh Show to address them about the unfair way in which they were treating the industry and he has been a leading figure in the fight against bovine TB.
Thanking Thomas for his long service at the union’s Grand Council meeting in Aberystwyth on Wednesday, October 16, FUW president Glyn Roberts said: “Brian has been a rock-solid friend and working partner for over 20 years. He is always willing to help, support and give advice. It is fair to say that Brian is someone I could and do rely on.
“From the very start, Brian has gone above and beyond in serving not just this union, but the industry as a whole.
He was never afraid to ruffle a few feathers if it meant farmers got a better deal, be that through leading protests or campaigning at Government level.
“It is fair to say that the industry in Wales has benefited greatly from Brian’s active lobbying and efforts to make our sector a better place for everyone involved. And on behalf of all of our members, I thank Brian for his long service and dedication to the Farmers’ Union of Wales.”
“I’d like to thank you all for the opportunity to allow me to be your deputy president over these years. And I would also like to thank my colleagues of the former Finance and Organisation committee for their support. I wish the next deputy president the very best of luck,” said Brian Thomas.
