At the Royal Welsh Show, the six winners of the first leg of 2022’s Menter Moch Cymru & Wales’ Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) Pig Finishing Competition were announced.
The annual competition is open to all YFC members in Wales and aims to introduce young farmers to the Welsh pig industry; each winner will even receive five of their own weaners to rear, as well as bespoke training from Mentor Moch Cymru, to help get them started in the industry. The overall competition champion will be announced at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in November.
The six winners are Rebecca John from Pembrokeshire (Fishguard YFC), Carys Jones from Carmarthenshire (Llangadog YFC), Rhys Morgan from Swansea (Gower YFC), Frances Thomas from Brecon (Sennybridge YFC), and Leah and Alis Davies from Denbighshire (Nantglyn YFC).
All the winners were incredibly grateful to have received this opportunity, plus their five weaners – to hopefully help them get their foot into the industry’s door.
The training on offer as part of the initiative will focus on a number of pig production aspects, such as rearing, husbandry, legislation and nutrition, to marketing and business development skills. Ongoing mentor support will also be available to the winners, through the Menter Moch Cymru project.
Melanie Cargill, Menter Moch Cymru project manager, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Wales YFC again, to offer their members the opportunity to gain insight into a farming sector they may not have previously experienced.”
“This competition is a great introduction for young farmers considering entering the pig sector. They get hands-on experience of pig rearing, while the support offered by Menter Moch Cymru will equip them with valuable transferable skills to take their farming careers forward. Also, after two years of virtual delivery, it will be wonderful to be able to conduct on-farm training again.”