Event Details
Conference 2025 Program
Da Byw 2025 Conference Program
Day 1: Friday, June 13th
9:45 AM – Opening Session
Welcome Address
• Harry and Davina Fetherstonhaugh
Conference Introduction
• Rhys Williams, Coed Coch Farms Ltd
10:00 AM – Keynote Presentation
Sustainable Livestock Production Systems
• Dr. Allen Williams, Understanding Ag (South Carolina, USA)
10:45 AM – Presentation
Family Farm Succession
• Rhys Williams, Coed Coch Farms Ltd
11:00 AM – Morning Break
11:30 AM – Panel Discussion
The Future of Welsh Farming
Chair: Rt. Hon. Amber Rudd
Panellists:
• Huw Irranca-Davies – Deputy First Minister, Welsh Government
• Llyr Gruffydd – Member of the Senedd, Plaid Cymru
• Janet Finch Saunders – Member of the Senedd, Conservative Party
• Aled Rhys Jones – Chief Executive, RWAS
• Amy Hughes – Head of Engagement, AHDB
• Euryn Jones – Chair of the Board, Farming Connect
• Paul Williams – NFU Cymru Council
(Followed by Q&A with the audience)
12:30 PM – Lunch Break
1:30 PM – Presentation
Purpose, Perspective and Priorities
• Michael Blanche, Livestock Farmer, Farm Advisor & Podcaster (Perth, Scotland)
2:00 PM – Field Workshop: Round Robin Stations
Station 1: Theory into Practice
• Dr. Allen Williams, Understanding Ag
Station 2: Building Soil
• Joel Williams, Integrated Soils
Station 3: Natural Capital
• Dr. Bill Hurditch, The Fifth Estate (Sydney, Australia)
• Josh Heyneke, Regenerate Outcomes
Station 4: Knowing Your Numbers
• Rhys Williams, Coed Coch Farms Ltd
4:00 PM – Afternoon Break
4:15 PM – Practitioner Panel Discussion
Chair: Rhys Williams
Panellists:
• Stuart Johnson – Farm Advisor & Beef & Sheep Farmer, Northumberland
• Michael Blanche – Farm Advisor & Beef & Sheep Farmer, Perth
• Gwion Owen – Beef & Sheep Farmer, Cerrigydrudion
• Ianto Pari – Beef & Sheep Farmer, Aberdaron
• Iwan Jones – Dairy Farmer, Bala
(Followed by Q&A with the audience)
5:00 PM – Closing Remarks
• Harry Fetherstonhaugh
7:00 PM – Evening Entertainment
Live Music & Social Gathering
Day 2: Saturday, June 14th
10:00 AM – Presentation
The Regenerative Journey: Farming Business at Coed Coch
• Rhys Williams
10:30 AM – Farm Walk & Interactive Discussion
Topics Covered:
• Farming Systems
• Soil Health
• Grazing Management
• Grazing Infrastructure
• Deferred Grazing
• Bale Grazing
• Livestock Genetics
Contributors:
• Dafydd Owen
• Dr. Allen Williams
• Michael Blanche
• Stuart Johnson
• Joel Williams
1:00 PM – Closing Comments
• Harry Fetherstonhaugh
Da Byw 2024
Video length: 19:26min
Da Byw 2023
Video length: 32.10min
Da Byw 2022
Video length: 20 min
Da Byw is to be held in conjunction with the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society here at Coed Coch, home to the Fetherstonhaugh family.
Coed Coch is at the heart of agricultural North Wales and is farmed in partnership with Rhys Williams, Harry and now Dafydd Owen, who has replaced Emyr Jones, Emyr having branched out and started his own farming business this year. This business was formed 6 years ago, when the partnership introduced a whole new flock of sheep to the farm. A flock of New Zealand bred Romneys. We now breed our own version and call them Hauora Romneys.
We started out following a New Zealand based model and are now moving towards fully Regenerative methods and soon to introduce cattle to our rotation. Our bank balance is unrecognisable.
This has encouraged us to find out more about these farming practices. Take them a step further and really find out how best to help the environment, produce good food and turn a profit.
Then we thought that through the RWAS we could share what we have learnt so far, find out what others are doing, then using all this to put a case to the Government to help us make a better world for EVERYONE.
So, please come and enjoy the day. The speakers are joining us from all over. There will be some great locally produced food for lunch and some enlightening conversation. Finally to end the day, after the talking is over we have some great music brought to you from the fabulous band - THE FELL and the unique Farmer of Funk.
All this to be washed down with the very best local ales and spirits and some more delicious local street food.
Questions
We hope to answer some of the questions you have about how to get started down the regen road. How to use the sun, the soil, your grass and indeed your animals to your best advantage. Work with nature. The sun and the soil are free after all. If you can make them work in your favour. Not only can they maximise your profits but in doing so they will benefit the environment. Healthier soil, better grass, healthier animals. Better grass more photosynthesis. More photosynthesis, more carbon captured. More carbon was captured. Less climate change. It’s a win, win, it just needs some planning, some courage and some initial funding.
Food
We are excited to welcome to Da Byw an incredible, local, culinary talent. Namely Bryn Williams of the iconic Odettes in London. Born and bred in Denbigh, Bryn is known to be one of the finest chefs in Europe. He is involved in restaurants all over, from Colwyn Bay to Switzerland, but he is a Welsh boy at heart. Bryn is going to advise on delicious local fayre for lunch. This lunch, thanks to Bryn and our sponsors, Rathbones, is included in the ticket price. Where possible, everything you are going to eat is either grown or reared within a 10-mile radius and either fed only on grass or grown without pesticides or herbicides.
Entertainment
To round off the day we bring you two music delights. The first is the London-based collective The Fell. The band was formed in 2021 with a singular aim: to bring bluegrass punk to North Wales. They are perhaps the only group in the UK that would draw crowds at both The Windmill in Brixton and The Sidmouth Folk Festival. A genre-bending covers band, they have drunk deep from the fountain of British music, with a healthy gulp of Americana to boot. This is their debut gig with the current lineup.
We also have the unique and fabulous Farmer of Funk to spin some discs and keep you alive. The Farmer was born and bred on a hill farm in Cumbria but has DJed all over the country, playing his varied and fabulous collection of vinyl to the delight of discerning music lovers from the West coast of Scotland to Cornwall
