Seminar to discuss future of farming (From Western Telegraph)

Seminar to discuss future of farming

Tyrone OSullivan, the former coal face worker is not usually connected with Welsh agriculture, but he will be one of the main speakers at a farmers seminar in September.

September 25th is the date of the first of a series of roadshows entitled Gearing Up For The Farming Future.

These have been organised by the NatWest Bank in association with the Central Science Laboratories and Farmers Weekly and will be hosted in Wales by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society at the Royal Welsh Showground.

Tyrone OSullivan is, of course, better known for leading the miners buyout at the once doomed Tower Colliery at Hirwaun.

He will address delegates at Builth Wells on the will to succeed which enabled the 300 miners at Tower to purchase the mine as opposed to seeing it being closed by the Government and, how this single-minded attitude to succeed can be transferred to the struggling Welsh agricultural sector.

Noel Morgan, NatWests Regional Agricultural manager for Wales said: We are all aware of the dark days suffered in the coal industry but if there is one bright, shining light then that is Tower Colliery under the leadership of Tyrone OSullivan.

The Welsh agricultural industry is presently experiencing the same predicament and I thought inviting Tyrone to speak at this seminar would give farmers an opportunity to hear how the miners succeeded when failure was almost inevitable.

This forum is for practical farmers who are prepared to take an in-depth look at their businesses to secure a long term future in the agricultural industry, to discuss marketing opportunities, to identify options for the future development, to maximise their own resources and to manage risk.

Other speakers will include Tony Evans, of Andersons, Simon Jones, head of NatWest Agriculture, John Davies the current Western Mail/NatWest Farmer of the Year and Tom Latter an organic farmer in Pembrokeshire.

The days seminar will be chaired by Edward Owen a member of the council of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

More details, including an opportunity to register a place for the seminar are available from Noel Morgan on (07721) 331108.