Two legends of the food world have been in Pembrokeshire to visit a pioneering sustainable farm, shortlisted for a prestigious BBC award.
Food journalist, writer and broadcaster, Dan Saladino, along with celebrity chef and broadcaster, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall visited Câr-y-Môr seaweed and shellfish farm near St Davids.
The innovative regenerative ocean farm has made the finals of the prestigious BBC Food & Farming Awards in the Food Innovation category, judged by Dan Saladino.
The awards were launched in 2000 and continue to honour those who have done most to promote the cause of good food.
Câr-y-Môr was chosen from thousands of nominations by an expert panel of judges led by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
The Pembrokeshire community benefit society (CBS) made it to the finals as a business which make life better through food, either by being at the cutting edge of innovation, leading on the best environmental practices or bringing communities together.
"This incredible recognition wouldn't have been possible without our amazing community of gatherers and fishermen who provide us with the finest Welsh seafood, and our dedicated team who carefully harvest seaweed from our ocean farms, as well as process the shellfish in the early hours of the morning," said Car y Mor.
"Together, we are driving sustainable practices and celebrating the bounty of our beautiful Welsh coast."
Câr-y-Môr is the first commercial seaweed and shellfish farm in Wales. It employs zero input farming methods which use no fertiliser, pesticides, or freshwater.
Its goal is to improve the coastal environment and the well-being of the local community, stimulate jobs and give people a route into the Welsh seafood sector.
The project has won a St David business award and last year was visited by their highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. Prince William tried some of its seaweed fresh out the sea, telling onlookers that it was ‘salty’.
Earlier this year the CBS announced that it will build a new seaweed processing facility – the first of its kind in Wales - at its site in St Davids, with construction starting later this year.
The facility will produce a plant biostimulant using seaweed harvested from Câr Y Môr's sustainable ocean farms off the Pembrokeshire coast.
Câr-y-Môr was delighted to welcome the judges to its Ocean Farm off the coast of St Davids.
“They dove deep into what makes Câr-y-Môr truly special,” said a spokesperson for the CBS.
“It was an incredible opportunity to showcase our pioneering 3D ocean farming techniques, our commitment to zero-input aquaculture, and the diverse range of products we're creating—from fresh seafood to bio-stimulants.
“We shared our vision of how seaweed and shellfish farming can be a powerful tool in fighting climate change while supporting local communities.
“Hugh and Dan's genuine interest in our work and their insightful questions left us feeling inspired and energised. We couldn't be prouder of what we've built together, and we're honoured to be considered among the innovators driving the future of sustainable food production.
“A huge thank you to Hugh, Dan, and the BBC Food & Farming Awards for shining a spotlight on the importance of regenerative ocean farming.”
The winners of the BBC Food & Farming Awards will be announced on December 2 in Glasgow.
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