The Morgan family, from Pwllyrhwyaid Farm, near Brecon has been announced as the winners of this year’s NFU Cymru / Wynnstay Sustainable Agriculture Award.

The award, which was first presented in 2019, recognises a commitment to the economic, environmental, social and cultural wellbeing of Wales.

During a presentation at the NFU Cymru conference, Glasnant and Linda Morgan, along with their son Huw and his wife Claire, were presented with a prize of £500 and a Welsh slate engraved barometer.

The Morgan family farm is predominately grassland, incorporating new grassland species and rotational root crops, where appropriate, into a traditional, rotational style of farming. They have a flock of breeding ewes plus replacements, as well as a herd of suckler cows, used in a mixed grazing system to reduce worm burden. Calves are sold as forward stores.

Pwllyrhwyaid Farm, located within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, boasts a tremendous view but the topography must be respected, with steep terrain as the farm backs onto Buckland Manor.

Accommodating trees and woodland in their landscape, the farm has a number of planted hedgerows, managed woodland, flora and fauna which sees an abundance of wildlife. Fields are regularly soil tested and limed if needed. All stock is bedded on bracken.

Huw is a tremendous hedge layer and has laid many hedgerows across the farm. He is also skilled in dry stone walling and has rebuilt a number of walls for wildlife habitat across the farm. Huw and Claire’s son, Ellis, has also carried on the traditional craft.

Glasnant and Linda have two other sons, Eurin and Ceri who both work off farm.

While Huw now looks after the day-to-day running of the farm, his parents are still involved in farm and community life. During the summer, along with a number of local farmers, Glasnant assisted the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority (BBNPA) with a curlew project. The farmers involved are farming in a sustainable way and in doing so providing a hospitable environment for the curlews to nest. He is also part of the Talybont on Usk Livestock Market Committee.

Linda also works with the BBNPA in her role as secretary for the Buckland Manor Commons Association, where she ensures correct grazing levels are adhered to as well as maintaining dialogue with the authority and the MOD.

The Morgan family also run ‘Aber Valley Apple Juice’, an apple juice business that uses apples from the farm and is sold all across Wales. This link to the local community is one Huw and Claire are very passionate about.

A family of Welsh speakers, Huw’s wife Claire, who is originally from Wolverhampton, learnt Welsh when she married Huw, and their children attended Ysgol Y Bannau, where Claire also previously worked. She now teaches Welsh lessons locally.