AN Usk farmer is set to feature in a television programme that explores local agriculture and their sheep farming business.

The HTV programme 'Down to Earth' follows the NSA Wales and Border Ram Sale Secretary.

Jane Smith has been the mainstay of the Sale for the past 15 years and cheerily sorts out a multitude of problems as the thousands of sheep are presented for sale

Mrs Smith says that from July through to September it takes over her life but she does also breed and show Belted Galloway cattle and Gloucester Old Spot pigs.

She is also the Secretary of the Bleu de Maine sheep society.

"Making the programmes with Hywel has been fun", she says. "It's been an opportunity to promote British agriculture, the ram sale, and the native breeds.

"We've just launched the web site for the Belted Galloway cattle and one of the programmes shows how we filmed the bulls so it's been a huge opportunity to promote our own business and my partner, Nigel Jenkins' log business.

"It's been fun, Hywel is so easy to work with and he came with us on a trip pulling trees out and clearing a salmon pool in Usk and he had no problem getting on tractor and helping Nigel. He's been a help more than a hindrance."

The veterinary inspections at the auctions are undertaken by a specially trained team are hugely important to the success of the sale, underwriting the quality of the stock offered.

Angus Wyse is one of two official vets at the sale and the programme has followed him at work and also with his commercial suckler herd and pedigree sheep at his Llandyssul farm.

"It's been really interesting rather than just work", he says. "The programme has also been following my wife Enfys as she runs her catering business and tea rooms at Cenarth.

"I've been quite surprised at how easy it is just to get on with it. It was a bit overawing at the start but it was soon almost second nature. I'm really pleased that it's heightened the importance of the ram sale as an opportunity for farmers to buy rams of a variety of breeds in the one location, also highlighting the importance of improving the quality of stock in the area.

"We doing our best to ensure that stock can be purchased with total confidence, avoiding fertility and teeth problems. Recently we've highlighted the rising problem of CLA and raising awareness of yhe risk of spreading it throughout the national flock".

Presenter Hywel James says the series which also features sheep farmers Geoff and Julie Thomas has given viewers an insight into the many different aspects of life on Welsh farms. He had enjoyed sharing their love of animals and commitment with the audience.