Ben Lewis works and runs his farm in Cwrtnewydd, near Lampeter, which was inherited through his grandfather at the age of 16. Starting his fourth year, studying BSc in Agriculture at Harper Adams University.
During his Second year of university, he gained a scholarship with The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which was aimed at students from traditionally underrepresented areas in the rural economy. This has enabled him to travel to various locations, take part in farming conferences, visit different farms, and go to diverse events to engage.
As well as pursuing his education, Ben is passionate about continuing his grandfather’s legacy of building strong and long-lasting land. “This is the best job in the world, I like being outdoors and amongst animals so for me, farming was a no-brainer.” He went on to add: “For those who do not have their farm, talk to different kinds of people, even join a Young Farmers Club, you have nothing to lose and where you can apply for scholarships.” Ben believes this is the best time to get into farming due to the industry demands increasing.
Advanced technologies can revolutionise farming, and throughout Ben’s experience, he appreciates the need for efficient approaches. “I was given a grant for a GPS tracker to use machinery more efficiently, and an ID reader which supports me in identifying the animals quickly, especially if there are any problems”.
With so many mouths to feed and nature to restore and sustain, farming may well be the most important job on the planet. During Ben's placement year at Howard farms, in Nottingham and Carlisle, he noticed working sustainably and ‘green’ was an important factor. “The whole point of introducing livestock to Howard farms was to revitalise and fertilise the soil that had been degraded after decades of arable use.” Being financially stable was essential to, focusing on cutting down costs through implementing an 8-year crop rotation method to future-proof the land, while reducing pest and disease pressure, thus making an environmentally and financially sustainable cropping system.
Ben has ambitions to continue building his farm efficiently by conducting soil tests, and though this is a lengthy and difficult process, the benefits, and pride override anything. “Yes, it can be challenging, and maintaining a balanced home and work life takes time, still my proudest moments are going to university to study and choosing a farm that was most suited for me during my placement year, though it was not close to home”.
Feeding the planet isn’t a simple ask, it’s complex and multi-dimensional yet if you can be hands-on, open-minded, and have patience within the process of building soil strength, crop growing, and animal health, “anyone can join, because there are so many sectors in Agriculture, it’s an extremely diverse and progressing industry.”
