The Farmers’ Union of Wales has awarded its 2025 FUW Lifetime Achievement Award to Terry Bayliss, recognising his long-standing contribution to the UK sheep sector and farmer-led processing initiatives.
Terry’s involvement in the agricultural industry took a significant step forward in 1998, when he and four fellow farmers established Farmers Ferry in response to poor returns for UK sheep producers. Their aim was to create a more efficient route for exporting lambs directly from farms to continental markets. By its second year, Farmers Ferry was exporting around 1.2 million lambs, quickly becoming a notable development within the sector. Terry has served as Company Director and Chairman for 27 years.
The early success of Farmers Ferry led to the formation of Farmers First, which attracted over 2,750 farmer investors, and later to the creation of Farmers Fresh in 2000, operating from a slaughterhouse in Kenilworth. This expansion provided farmer-controlled access to European markets for lamb carcasses and helped increase competition within the UK marketplace.
In 2018, the company acquired the Fairfield Meat Abattoir in Wrexham, creating Farmers Fresh Wales. Over the years, the business has navigated major sector challenges, including foot-and-mouth disease, Brexit-related uncertainty and the Covid-19 pandemic, while maintaining trade in the EU and developing new markets in the UK, Canada and the Middle East.
Terry’s contribution has been previously recognised, including receipt of the John Gittins Memorial Award in 2021 and the Royal Smithfield Club Bicentenary Trophy in 2019, for both of which the FUW provided nominations.
Presenting Terry Bayliss with the FUW’s Lifetime Achievement Award, FUW President Ian Rickman said:
“Terry Bayliss has played a significant part in developing farmer-controlled processing and marketing structures over many years. From humble beginnings to becoming a major force in the UK processing sector, the journey he helped shape is remarkable.
His commitment to supporting producer interests, and his role in strengthening market access for lamb, have made a substantial contribution to the sector and Welsh farmers. The FUW is delighted to recognise his work with this award.”
Feature image: Ian Rickman and Terry Bayliss
