DAI Miles was elected as the new Farmers’ Union of Wales vice-president at the FUW’s Grand Council meeting in Aberystwyth recently.

Mr Miles has been the FUW’s milk and dairy produce committee chairman since 2017 and is also one of the four founding directors of Calon Wen, an organic milk co-operative that not only sells on its members' milk to processors, but has created its own brand of dairy products which are available through all major retailers in Wales and UK wide via distributors.

Dai is a fluent Welsh speaker and attended the Welsh Agricultural College in Aberystwyth, where he received a national diploma in agriculture and completed a sandwich year at Godor Nantgaredig.

After college, Dai spent five years as a herdsman of 160 cows at Waun Fawr, Glynarthen, Llandysul, then a further five years at IGER Trawscoed working as a relief herdsman between the two dairy herds - Lodge Farm and the organic herd at Ty Gwyn.

1997, in partnership with his wife Sharron, the couple took on the tenancy of Barnsley Farm, a 143-acre farm in West Wales.

At the time, it was a stock / arable unit which they converted into an organic dairy unit starting with 33 cows and leased milk quota.

In 2001 they took on a further 90 acres of pasture land and then in 2005 the neighbouring farm within the same estate.

At the moment, the couple have 120 cows and 65 youngstock. Cropping is mainly grass, however arable silage, forage rape and fodder beet are part of the rotation farming approximately 300 plus acres.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Miles said: “One reason why I am proud to be a member of the FUW is that all members have a voice, whether they farm large businesses or smaller farms.

“The importance the union gives to the cultural and linguistic heritage of Wales was also an important factor in my decision to join this union.

“I am a strong believer that if you are a member of an organisation you should fully participate in that organisation and assist to the best of your abilities to ensure its future and vitality.

“Therefore, I am delighted to take on this new challenging role in the union and help the FUW and its members to fight for a better future for all our farmers in Wales.”

Welcoming Mr Miles to the union’s presidential policy team, FUW president Glyn Roberts said: “In times like these we need thought leaders, who can help us steer, lobby and negotiate the right policies for agriculture in Wales to ensure we have thriving, sustainable family farms in Wales for generations to come.

“Dai has plenty of experience and knowledge of agriculture across Wales and a real sense of why farming matters.

"I am grateful to have him on the presidential policy team and look forward to working with him.”