Eighty-eight-year-old Mr Griffiths, the founder of Oaklands Farm Eggs Ltd, was first honoured at the International Egg Commission’s (IEC) conference in Kyoto, Japan.
The IEC represents the egg industry at a global level and each year celebrates the outstanding achievements of organisations and individuals from within the egg industry.
The coveted Denis Wellstead Memorial Trophy is presented to someone “who has shown consistent commitment and leadership to the egg industry over a period of years. This commitment is likely to be above and beyond the level required for their business position, and the individual will have made a significant contribution to the general good of the egg industry at an international level.”
Commenting on his delight at receiving the honour, Mr Griffiths said, “To be awarded the Denis Wellstead Cup came as a complete surprise at the conference dinner in Kyoto, with over 500 people in attendance. It was a very moving experience, especially as I would be one of the only people at the conference who had worked with Denis when he was NFU Chief Poultry Advisor in the 1970s.”
Aled was presented with his second prestigious award at the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) on Monday, 5th November 2018 at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales.
This is a biennial award, in recognition of the enormous contribution made by Peter Kemp OBE to the UK egg industry over many years. Peter’s family had asked that Peter be remembered via an award presented to the person who has made an outstanding contribution to the egg industry over and above the normal call of duty within the recent past.
Commenting on his delight at receiving the honour, Aled said, “I am deeply honoured to receive this award, especially as I had the privilege of working alongside Peter Kemp for many years, initially at Yorkshire Egg Producers and Goldenlay egg marketing organisations, and later, on numerous committees and organisations working closely with the UK advisory boards and the government in London and the EU Commission in Brussels.”
A former chairman of the NFU Poultry Committee in London and the founder chairman of the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC), Mr Griffiths also served as vice president of the COPA-COGECA Poultry Working Group in Brussels.
He was awarded an OBE in 1994 for service to the poultry industry in UK and Europe, the same year he was made a fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society (FRAgS).
A family business
Born in Penmaenmawr, Mr Griffiths reared his first day-old chicks at the age of 10. Following agricultural University college in Aberystwyth, Mr Griffiths and his wife Olwen began poultry farming on the Welsh borders, forming Oaklands Farm Eggs in 1969. Now not running the day-to-day management of the business, the company is run by the couple’s sons Gareth and Elwyn. Jonathan and Michael Griffiths, the third generation, are also now actively involved in the business.
Congratualtions Aled on your achievements from all at the NFU.