Committee on Climate Change

Gwyn was born into a farming family in North Wales and trained as an engineer with Rolls Royce and an engineering company in London, before returning to agriculture in Wales, studying at Coleg Meirion, and Glynllifon College of Agriculture. Having completed his studies, Gwyn moved with his wife Lorayne and daughters Elin and Gwenan, to Moulton College of Agriculture, Northamptonshire, to run the beef and sheep units, before arriving at Crouchlands Farm in West Sussex as farm manager 31 years ago.

He is currently a dairy farmer, farming in partnership in West Sussex milking 750 cows on heavy weald clay, and has diversified into green energy with a one megawatt bio digester. A Nuffield Scholar and Fellow of the RASE, Gwyn was also the NFU National Dairy Board chairman for six years until becoming Vice President.

 1.      What motivated you to install an AD system on your farm?

The driver was the new NVZ rules and the need to invest in slurry storage. This was very costly and led us to think that with lids on the tanks (and a few more bits and pieces!) we could produce a valuable product which would turn a potential problem into a profit centre.

2.      Germany already has more than 2,500 AD plants while the UK has less than 30. Why do you think the UK has been slow to exploit this technology?

In Germany there have been incentives to produce green energy for many years, and farmers were guaranteed prices for a term of 15 years. This encouraged investment over the years, but now we are going to see rapid development in this country on all fronts. As usual we were once the innovators and leaders, where in Victorian times street lights were powered by sewage works!

3.      How has climate change impacted the UK farming industry?

The biggest change has been public attitude and the drive by successive governments and Europe to cut emissions; asking us all to impact less on the environment. The farming community has responded with its usual vigour and innovation, finding all sorts of different ways to begin the process of change. We will see the agricultural industry play an important part in producing low emission food and green power for this country in the future.

4.      Do you grow your own food? What do you recommend as easy to grow plants which provide an alternative to supermarket bought produce?

We produce milk in considerable quantities, and there is no need for anyone to attempt the capital intensive business of producing it for themselves, as is such good value on the retail shelves! I do have a vegetable garden, but it is quite small, with potatoes, beans, carrots, rhubarb and salads grown in small quantities. We also have an ‘Eggloo’ with 5 chickens in it, which will never pay for itself, but I like fresh eggs.

5.        What do you do to cut down your emissions at home?

I am naturally quite mean, and I will always look at the simple things such as not leaving lights on, keeping all doors and windows shut when the heating is on, and reaching for the off switch when it is not necessary.