On Your Farm

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Getting to the heart of country life with a look at individual farming endeavours

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On Your Farm: Nigel Owens

Nigel Owens

BBC Radio 4 - On Your Farm, Nigel Owens

Anna Jones meets the top rugby referee who swapped test matches for cattle farming.

Anna Jones meets top rugby referee and current President of the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs, Nigel Owens, at his Carmarthenshire farm

Anna Jones visits the Gwendraeth Valley in Carmarthenshire, to meet a farmer better known for his work in a very different field.

Nigel Owens MBE came from a farming background, but fell in love with rugby refereeing while he was at school and went on to have a 17-year career in the sport, making history as the first professional referee to oversee a hundred test matches, before retiring last year. He's also spoken out candidly about his experience of being the sport’s first openly gay personality, and the mental health issues he overcame as a young man coming to terms with his sexuality.

Today, Nigel is the proud owner of a herd of Herefords, and the current President of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs - where he hopes to spread a message of inclusivity and positivity at a time of real change for British agriculture. 

Presented by Anna Jones. Produced in Bristol by Lucy Taylor.



If you’ve been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this programme, there are details of organisations that offer advice and support at BBC Action Line:

Emotional Distress / Suicide
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support

Mental Health in the Farming Community
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/489tVhcXfvd98RmcH5CBmdj/information-and-support-mental-health-in-the-farming-community

Mental Health
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1NGvFrTqWChr03LrYlw2Hkk/information-and-support-mental-health-self-harm

Eating Disorders
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2DRkg4JC7SLT3B7hlrn6DKN/information-and-support-eating-disorders

LGBT Issues
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1nYWPTdMtKStFL2ztx1SV11/information-and-support-lgbt-issues

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