Nock Deighton Agriculture LLP, who already run successful sites in Bridgnorth and Newcastle Emyln, have taken over the running of the mart following a tender by Carmarthenshire County Council. The site, which has been closed for some time, has seen a significant refurbishment by the council during its closure.
Officially opened by Nigel Owens
During the re-opening, those in attendance heard from Partner of Nock Deighton, Mark Burgoyne and Rev Simon Bowcett, Chaplain at the mart, before rugby legend turned farmer Nigel Owens officially cut the ribbon. He then turned his hand to auctioneering and sold a calf with proceeds going to the DPJ Foundation.
NFU Cymru Carmarthenshire County Chairman, David Gravell said:
“The mart re-opening here in Carmarthenshire has come as a huge relief for farmers in the area who at one point were concerned it would never open again. In the interim, farmers have had to sell livestock further afield and this has added additional cost and inconvenience to their faming businesses. NFU Cymru was in continual dialogue with Carmarthenshire County Council throughout the process and we lobbied for a swift re-opening of the mart. We’ve also offered advice and support to members and the local authority while the mart has been closed.”
NFU Cymru Carmarthenshire Vice-County Chairman, Hefin Jones said:
“Nock Deighton have been in existence for 190 years and has performed admirably at Newcastle Emlyn mart since 2018 and it was immensely encouraging to read of the commitment to provide a quality service and employment opportunities in the area. I sincerely hope that Carmarthen Livestock Centre will again complement the other excellent livestock trading facilities operating in the county, and so take its rightful place in bolstering the fabric of rural communities.
Experienced, trusted and proven company
“I’m thankful to the administration at County Hall, Carmarthen for the regular, open discussions with NFU Cymru officials and officeholders over the past year. Long may that working relationship continue. Credit to the key decision makers for heeding the interests of rural Carmarthenshire in affording an experienced, trusted and proven company the opportunity to operate the mart in our county town.”
NFU Cymru County Adviser for Carmarthenshire, Aled Davies said: “Rural marts, such as this one in Carmarthen, are intertwined with rural communities and help to enhance the local economy. The facility is a fantastic place for farmers to sell their produce and, once things are back to normal, the farming community will benefit from having a social hub too. The Senior Partners at Nock Deighton Agriculture LLP are full of enthusiasm and with their great track record of running large marts and their affiliation with the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association (LAA) we’re confident will transform Carmarthen mart into a thriving hub for local farm businesses once again.”
The opening sale day included a sale of calves and weanlings and dairy cattle followed by a sale on Friday 4th of March of barren cattle, store cattle and sheep of all classes. These sales will be repeated weekly and will be augmented by sales of suckler calves and breeding bulls on the first Monday of every month and an Orange TB restricted sale on the second Monday of every month.