British Farming Awards 2022

Thursday, October 20, 2022

EVENING PROGRAMME

The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham

Sponsors

doing our bit for

greener future.

A milestone year as we celebrate 10 years of the British Farming Awards

XWelcome to the British Farming Awards 2022. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BFAs and, due to the ongoing success and growth of the event, we are at a new venue this evening and I would like to welcome you to The Vox.

With more farmers than ever before able to attend what has become one of the best nights in British farming, it is a fitting way to mark a decade celebrating the very best of British agriculture.

And what a journey we have been on. From humble beginnings, it has grown to become a sparkling showcase of agricultural excellence and the pride, passion and innovation which makes our glorious industry tick.

The British Farming Awards allows the farming industry to celebrate the sector’s achievements and shines a light on the people who work tirelessly to keep the nation fed.

We all know how important farming is to the country, whether that is in terms of food production, or shaping the landscapes that are enjoyed by so many.

That is why these awards are so special, because they allow the industry to shout about its success and promote its virtues to a large audience. Over the past 10 years, hundreds of agricultural businesses and individual farmers have been honoured at the BFAs and their stories, either of success or overcoming adversity, have all contributed to the event itself.

Menu

Starter

X Chicken Samosa, sunkissed tomato orzo, chorizo crisp, avocado, saffron aioli

of

They are also stories which have inspired others to go above and beyond and chase their farming dreams – something that is so important in an industry which can often feel like a lonely place.

Tonight, like all the previous British Farming Awards, is about getting together with your farming peers, raising a toast to the best of British agriculture, and revelling in the collective achievements that we are here to celebrate.

Have a great evening.

Ben Briggs, Group Content Director, Agriconnect and Editor of Farmers Guardian

FROM OUR HEADLINE SPONSOR

XThe British Farming Awards are a welcome reminder of the dedication and hard work demonstrated by UK farmers all year round.

At Morrisons, we have always valued British farming and the effort, innovation and skills which go

into providing food farmed to the high standards that we all enjoy and is something we should be proud of.

Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Sustainable Sourcing at Morrisons

X Sweet potato and feta croquette, pea custard, mushroom and squash salad, balsamic caviar (vegetarian)

Main

X Slow cooked beef, pressed stacked garlic potatoes, caramelised shallot, mustard coated baby carrot, roasted bacon parsley lardons and Bourguignon sauce

X Chargrilled king oyster mushroom, pressed potato, celeriac steak, farmers heritage carrot, chimichurri, merlot sauce (vegetarian)

Dessert

X Duo of desserts – Birmingham Berry mess and Baileys Cheesecake

Tea/Coffee

Timings

X 18.00-18.30 Drinks reception

X 18.45 Guests to be seated

X 19:15 Three-course locallysourced dinner served

X 21:00 Awards begin

X 23:00 Awards end and DJ begins

X 1:30 Carriages

The Mart’s the Heart Awards are sponsored by:

MART’S THE HEART AWARDS

The Mart’s the Heart Awards are all about celebrating the best of the live auction system. Here are this year’s finalists and Cafe of the Year winner.

Auction Mart of the Year

BENTHAM

XEstablished in 1903, Bentham Auction Mart has grown to be one of the leading livestock markets in the UK, selling more than 350,000 sheep and 15,000 cattle annually.  The team engages with customers daily, providing professional and pastoral support. The market has embraced innovation through live streaming sales via YouTube, with more than 20,000 views each month.

DARLINGTON

XThe team at Darlington is proud to run an all-welcoming mart, with every class of stock from all areas of the UK currently enjoying its twice-weekly sales. Turnover has increased by more than 30 per cent since the mart moved two years ago. Staff are proud of the modern surroundings,

Young Auctioneer of the Year

JACK PICKUP (Gisburn)

XJACK Pickup says being someone who can ‘mix and chat professionally and socially with buyers’ is key to his success. Helping on the docks early on sale days and visiting customers’ farms is also an important part of Jack’s professional customer relations to help boost the market’s business.

SION EILIR ROBERTS (St Asaph)

XAGED 27, Sion Eilir Roberts has worked in the industry for nearly five years. Since

while remaining conscious to uphold traditions of livestock sales in Darlington.

EXETER

XKivells Auctioneers has been at Exeter Livestock Centre since 2012 and has seen the market grow in all sections. The dedicated team are passionate about the livestock market. They keep quality client and customer service at the forefront of what they provide.

WORCESTER

XMcCartneys prides itself on offering a personal and professional service at Worcester Market. Trust, communication and hard work are core values. These values are upheld by auctioneers, yard and admin staff, who work as a team to ensure buyers and sellers receive the best returns.

Auction Cafe of the Year

2022 Winner

XThe cafe at Bentham Mart has been named as Auction Cafe of the Year. Run by mother and daughter, Jeanie Stainton and Debbie Taylor and team, they pride themselves on providing home-made meals and snacks made from local produce at affordable prices. It provides a central hub where people can gather for a bite to eat and a chat, knowing there will always be a friendly face behind the counter.

joining the firm, he has embraced the challenge of re-establishing the cattle section, sourcing and selling more than 3,500 prime cattle, 4,500 store cattle and 300 cows and calves.

DAFYDD WALTERS (Whitland)

XDAFYDD Walters started working at Whitland Mart at a young age, from cleaning the mart after sales to becoming a drover and now to being one of the best young auctioneers in West Wales, selling at Whitland

Mart and Crymych sheep market, run by J.J. Morris.

JACK WALTON (Hexham/Northern)

XAUCTIONEERING has been a passion for Jack Walton for as long as he can remember. He has been at Hexham and Northern Marts for three years and says there is no better feeling than working on behalf of the vendor and persuading buyers to spend a pound or two more.

Outstanding Contribution to British Agriculture

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Previous winners

This prestigious award, introduced six years ago, is designed to recognise one individual’s dedication to the farming industry.

The award is given to a member of the agricultural industry who has worked tirelessly for UK farming, either through delivering innovation, championing the needs of fellow farmers, spearheading change and/or promoting the industry to the wider public.

X 2016 Lord Henry Plumb, Former President of European Parliament, Farming Pioneer

X 2017 Lord Don Curry, CBE, Member of House of Lords, Farming Pioneer

X 2018 Mary Mead, OBE, Co-founder of Yeo Valley and a Dairy Farmer

X 2019 Caroline Drummond, MBE, Former Chief Executive of LEAF

X 2020 Jamie Fielden, Founder of Jamie’s Farms

X 2021 Minette Batters, President of the NFU and a Mixed Farmer

X Forward thinking and dynamic farmer and businessman James Alexander showed the panel that a complete direction change from a suckler herd to purchasing heifers and selling them in-calf can be done to a high quality level.

A passion for pedigree stock shines through, with Limousin genetics at the heart of the herd, alongside continental breeds such as British Blue, Simmental and Charolais working in harmony.

The business has set up its own on-farm sales for both sheep and cattle. This saw the birth of online bidding to enable buyers who are not at the sale to bid themselves. A whopping 40 per cent of buyers are from outside

Northern Ireland, showing the influence this development has made.

In total, 900 replacement heifers are sold a year and are kept alongside

X Stabliser breeder Skelton Farming is a mixed farming estate in North Yorkshire. It is situated on the edge of the North York Moors where it is promoting sustainable and efficient breeding, while sustaining the environment for the future.

The estate comprises 1,416ha (3,500 acres), of which, 647ha (1,600 acres) are growing arable crops. A further 647ha (1,600 acres) of grassland supports a breeding herd of 500 Stabiliser cows and followers and 1,100 Lleyn ewes and lambs. There is also 121ha (300 acres) of moorland in a HLS scheme.

In 2012 the estate changed its breeding policy. Stabiliser bulls were bought-in to put on the cross-type cows to improve performance and profitability.

Running 500 Stabiliser spring-calving cows and in-calf heifers, they are wintered inside to reduce impact on the wet soils, which farm manager John Ansley is

working to sustain. This change in breed has increased the herd’s calving ease and docility, producing a milky and maternal cow that utilises grass well.

700 ewes on the 364-hectare (900-acre) unit. James also shows the pedigree stock across Ireland and the UK.

James Alexander, Alexander Farm, Jalex Livestock, Co Antrim

John Aynsley, Low House Farm, Skelton Farming, Yorkshire

Beef Farmer of the Year

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X Education and an appetite to try new farming methods are the hallmark of Somerset breeder Edward Hawkins. Running a lowinput, paddock grass-based system, he likes the South Devon breed for its docility and ability to thrive from grass.

Edward says his focus is on soil health and grazing techniques. A forward-thinking farmer, he is a regular host and participant of discussion groups, from which he applies some of the learnings and adjusts his day-to-day system.

In an effort to reduce the farm’s carbon footprint, the calving age is two years and bulls are finished under 15 months, with Edwards’

KPI of a calf per cow a year. He has also reduced nitrogen use by 50 per cent and no creep feed is

used. Full advantage of EBVs is taken to improve the herd through generations.

XFifth generation suckler farmer Oliver Paul is demonstrating how his herd of Red Poll cattle can work with his diversification the Suffolk Food Hall.

His pedigree herd of 70 Red Poll cattle supply the shop’s restaurant, meat counter and commercial kitchen. They run on 16ha (40 acres) of unimproved pasture and their manure is used on the farm’s arable platform.

The principal aim is to supply a specialist product for their own butchery, through a low input system from cattle which are grazed on natural grassland to produce tastier, healthier meat and help maintain biodiversity. Ultimately, their customers want a small, slightly fatty, stronger tasting meat and that is what they provide.

The family has a strong history with the Red Poll breed and Paul has no interest in changing the breed. He advocates their milk and meat yield

from the dry grassland and are docile and exceptional at crossing with an Aberdeen-Angus which, he explains, provides hybrid vigour.

Edward Hawkins, Cutsey Farm, Somerset Oliver Paul, Lodge Farm, Su olk Food Hall, Su olk

X Adrian Ashley is milking 175 Holstein Friesian cows, with an emphasis of producing milk on a minimum input ration.

He took on the farm at just 17 years of age in 2002 after his father was diagnosed with cancer and passed away when Adrian had just left school.

At that time, herd numbers stood at 70, but over the years Adrian has invested in the business and built up herd numbers.

In 2006, a new 20/20 herringbone parlour was installed and improvements to infrastructure have included a new youngstock shed, silage pits and a 180-cow cubicle space.

Adrian takes a considered

approach to any investments made and researches new additions to the business, then makes sure these investments are consolidated before moving on to the next project.

The herd is transitioning from being a flying herd to a closed herd once more and conventional and sexed semen is used to increase numbers to 200 by December.

X As tenant farmers in Devon, Jim and Lorna Burdge run two separate holdings.

On one farm they are milking 200 predominantly cross-bred cows on a spring block calving system. On the other there is an autumn block calving herd of 110 Friesian-type cows.

The couple say their aim is to produce high constituent milk from grass as efficiently as possible during the grazing season and they are selfproclaimed ‘grazing nerds’.

To achieve this, regular grass walks are carried out to assess grass availability and attention is paid to soil indexes and slurry and fertiliser applications.

As a small team with two young

children, Jim and Lorna aim to keep the system simple so both farms operate as flying herds.

The couple are also passionate about

engaging with the public and Lorna successfully uses social media to champion the industry, along with participation in Farmer Time.

Adrian Ashley, Lower Tunley Farm, Somerset Jim and Lorna Burdge, J. and L. Burdge, Devon

Dairy Farmer of the Year

X Westcott Farm is home to the 280-cow Rivermead Jersey herd and Rivermead Dairy, a business which markets high quality milk throughout the UK.

This is very much a family-run business, but the main individuals involved in looking after the day-today running are Gordon Davies, his sons Mark and Kevin and herdsman Richard Saxby.

Alongside the two million litres produced by the family’s own cows, the business also also purchases an additional 4m-5m litres from Jersey milk producers across the south of England and milk from six Holstein herds, to reach a total of 14m.

Using their own fleet of tankers, this

milk is then distributed to processors of high end and specialty cheeses and deserts, clotted cream, ice cream and yoghurts.

Noted for its success on the show circuit, the Rivermead pedigree herd is fully housed with great emphasis placed on cow health and welfare.

X Following the tragic death of his father Richard in April 2020, Morgan Tudor took on the running of his family’s dairy farm at the age of just 17.

At the same time, the farm was also embarking on its first calving season, with the family having recently made the decision to convert from a beef and sheep farm to a block-calving dairy unit.

The business, which includes a joint venture, is now milking 550 Jersey cross Friesian cows.

Morgan has improved grass growth from 10.4 tonnes of dry matter (DM) per hectare (4.2t DM/acre) in 2020 to 12t DM/ha (4.8t DM/acre) this year, thanks to changes to grazing, muck

and slurry use, use of break crops and the introduction of new grass mixes.

He is now focused on making the

business as sustainable as he can, with the aim being to build capital to expand.

Morgan Tudor, T. and A. and R. Tudor, Powys

Gordon Davies, Rivermead Dairy, Devon

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Matt Chatfield, The Cornwall Project, Cornwall

XMatt Chatfield had always wanted to farm but realised that on the acreage available to him he had to do things in a different way.

Initially, he forged a career in London which included building a restaurant supply chain business supplying some of the top chefs with high quality meat.

These contacts enabled him to later set up his own business, Cull Yaw, yaw being the colloquial name for ewe in Devon, selling mutton to chefs and online customers.

He is based on the 20-hectare (50acre) holding in Halwill, which includes 2ha (five acres) of coppice, where his family have farmed for generations.

Using regenerative principles, he buys-in cull ewes from both local

farmers and auction marts and fattens them over about six months before being finished and hung.

Matt is currently selling 25 mutton

carcases a week to chefs and online customers, and his butchers are investing in more facilities to increase processing capacity.

X Over the last 60 years, David Elgin has developed a diverse and profitable business from scratch but the sheep have been at the heart of the enterprise and remain his passion.

Farming on what was an old aerodrome, David has kept a number of sheep breeds over the years, but his real interest is in Charmoise, sparked by buying two ewes in 1997.

He has visited France every year since then up until the pandemic to buy rams to keep improving the flock and introduce new bloodlines.

The 300-ewe flock is performance recorded, as David is a strong believer in the value of figures for continual flock improvement.

Most of the progeny is sold as breeding stock and this year David will be, for the first time, holding an on-farm sale.

Elsewhere on farm, strips of wildflowers and grass leys are being created to boost biodiversity and used for grazing.

David Elgin, R.M. Eglin and Son, Warwickshire

Sheep Farmer of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X James Keller runs a closed flock of 600 ewes at Combrook, on a low input high output system.

These include separate flocks of Swaledales and Bluefaced Leicesters to breed his own Mules, as well as a small pedigree Texel flock to breed rams to use on the flock.

A recent key change to the business has been to house the ewes at Christmas and then turn them out pre-lambing to lamb outside. This has allowed the grass to be rested for much longer, resulting in a much better quality grass at turn out, improved growth rates and huge savings on feed costs.

James no longer uses sprays

or fertiliser and this year has used seaweed on all his pastures, reducing cost to £33/acre from £75/acre.

Currently, finished lambs are mainly

sold through local auction marts but future plans include increasing ewe numbers to 1,000-head and diversifying by opening a farm shop.

XGwen Price and her family live and farm near Llangadog, running 1,100 sheep with lambing of different flocks dovetailed to make it a continuous process.

Gwen also runs a 20ha (49-acre) rented unit nearby, where she manages 150 Suffolk and Speckled Face ewes and rears British Blue cross and Hereford cross calves which are sold as stores or in-calf heifers.

A targeted approach to worming has reduced costs and improved growth rates and a recent key focus has been reducing the amount of antibiotics used during lambing by improved hygiene protocols and colostrum management, which has proved to be very successful.

The next project is reducing the

amount of anthelmintics by undertaking faecal egg counting and monthly weighing and monitoring daily liveweight gain instead of blanket drenching.

Gwen says she is inspired by the lessons she learns by making small changes which will, in the long run, have a big impact on the business.

James Keller, Lambs End, Warwickshire

Gwen Price, Goleugoed, Carmarthenshire

XFor the last 14 years, Edward Gent has been on a journey of implementing regenerative farming principles on the family’s 900-hectare (2,224-acre) arable farm.

His innovations include developing a direct drill coulter to minimise soil disturbance, as well as partnering with local dairy farms to establish grass and herbal leys, and Edward is one of only a handful of farmers to actually sell carbon offsets.

Since the switch to a more sustainable system in 2008, there has been a significant reduction in input, machinery and labour costs, while still getting a respectable output.

The farm has reduced machinery use, taking more than 600hp out of

the business. More crops have been added to the rotation, including oats and quinoa, creating different income streams and spreading risk.

Edward remains inspired by the challenge of meeting the demands to produce healthy food while not damaging the environment.

X The Hodgson family farms 280 hectares (692 acres), mostly arable, growing a variety of crops including wheat, oilseed rape, vining peas, spring beans, spring oats, spring barely, flax and herbal leys.

All crops are strip-tilled and the only ploughing done on-farm is for vining peas.

Since 2020, Jonathan has introduced diverse cover crop mixes, catch crops planted after vining peas and oilseed rape, and oilseed rape has a companion crop of buckwheat, clover and vetch.

He believes this prevents weed growth, reducing the farm’s herbicide use by 50 per cent, and fixes nitrogen which scavenges for phosphate.

To further boost soil health, he is also experimenting with intercropping and a carbon source is added to all sprayer applications.

Benefits to the developing system rehaul so far are a better work-life balance, improved soils and less fuel used.

Edward Gent, Gentle Farming, Lincolnshire

Jonathan Hodgson, I.M. Hodgson and Son, Yorkshire

Arable Farmer of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X Regenerative agriculture is at the heart of this Leaf demonstration farm, with the family owning 160 hectares (395 acres) and the remaining land formed from six contract/share farming agreements.

James Loder-Symonds is an agronomist, while his wife Emma heads up the farm’s education programme, offering farm visits to thousands of people each year.

Soil health is a strong focus, with direct drilling, cover crops, manures and herbal leys used to improve organic matter and soil fertility.

Crop health has improved noticeably as a result, dramatically reducing the spend per hectare on growing the crops. For example,

winter wheat variable costs have dropped from £750/ha to £450/ha.

The couple are keen to engage with local markets and the community.

Milling wheat is sold locally to bakers, as well as donated to a local charity which helps vulnerable groups learn how to bake bread.

X After years of working as a livestock manager, Iain Wilkinson now manages and share farms a mixed arable and livestock unit.

His livestock experience has seen him integrate sheep and cattle into the arable rotation.

He says grazing the farm’s cereals and oilseed rape crops with sheep during winter not only is an excellent source of forage for the 600 lambs he buys-in each autumn, but the system incorporates organic matter into the soil and has shown a yield increase.

One of Iain’s major purchases has been a six-metre Opico Sky drill to embark on no-till farming and his whole farming policy centres around

reducing reliance on artificial fertilisers and chemicals.

Looking ahead, he will continue experimenting with crops and plant

some more trees and hedgerows around the farm to help improve the biodiversity and provide shelter for livestock and wildlife.

James and Emma Loder-Symonds, Nonington Farms, Kent Iain Wilkinson, Balgay Farm, Perthshire

X Robotic milking, autumn block calving and maximising the use of grazed grass may not typically go hand in hand, but it is proving to be the right mix for the Baird family at Auchnotroch Farm.

The 200-cow cross-bred herd is milked through four Fullwood Merlin robots and paddock grazed full-time from late March through to calving in October.

Working towards their ambition of running 2.5 cows/hectare and maximising milk from forage, the Bairds switched from set stocking and two cuts of silage to paddock grazing and a multi-cut silage system about seven years ago as a way to increase grass growth,

increase stocking density and improve farm productivity.

Their involvement with GrassCheckGB has led to better

discipline when it comes to measuring grass after learning the farm grew 12 tonnes DM/ha last year, compared to 9.5t DM/ha prior to the programme.

X Andrew Brewer and his wife Claire have run a grass-based dairy system for more than 20 years.

Employing four full-time staff members, the business runs a 500cow autumn block calving herd with the aim to graze cows every day of the year, utilising on/off grazing techniques.

Some land is also let out for the production of potatoes and cabbages.

Soil and animal health is central to maintaining the productivity of this farming system, with a focus on environmental sustainability and net zero latterly having enabled the business to make targeted improvements.

A robust herd health plan alongside strong, simple systems are also employed to reduce risk in this area.

Andrew says cattle eating crop residue rather than contributing to food waste totals and increasing nutrition

density is an important area to pursue.

Andrew, who is a senior GrassMasters discussion group member, has been able to undertake international travel and study tours to challenge his thinking.

Andrew and Kirstie Baird, J.P. Baird, Lanarkshire

Andrew Brewer, F.G. Brewer and Sons, Cornwall

Grassland Farmer of the Year

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X Maximising milk production and solids from forage is the primary objective at Peepy Farm. The unit has been successfully converted from arable to dairy after a 15-year tenancy was secured by Robert and Jackie Craig in June 2018.

Now run under a four-strong team of staff including farm manager Mark Housby, Peepy has seen an almost total redevelopment, with very little grazing infrastructure initially.

Now fully up and running, the 460-cow Holstein and cross-bred cows are calving on a split spring and autumn block system, averaging 6,200-6,500 litres/cow/year or 550kg milk solids/cow.

The split block system relies on producing both high quality grass for grazing and silage to feed to new calved autumn and spring cows.

Utilising grass as the cheapest form of feed to offer to cows, tools such as

the spring rotation planner and their autumn grass budget ensures they can set up the farm ready for turnout or housing in such a way that has the potential to limit the reliance on bought-in feed.

XClose attention to grassland management has helped lift production on a wet, deep peat hill block as well as lengthening the growing season for John and Sarah Yeomans, who farm beef and sheep enterprises, with input from their three sons – Jack, Tom and Joe.

Performance has gone from about 1-2 tonnes of dry matter (DM) per hectare on a control, no inputs block to almost 13t DM/ha on the best performing blocks right at more than 1,400ft, the farm’s highest point.

The farm operates a closed suckler herd of some 70-80 pedigree and cross-bred Limousin and British Blue cows and a closed 540-ewe flock of predominantly Beulah ewes, together with a few pure Texels.

John and Sarah have recently been involved in a European Innovation Partnership, part of which included monitoring the performance of Timothy

at high inclusion rates on their highest land. The pair believe productive farming and caring for and enhancing the environment are inextricably linked.

Mark Housby and Robert Craig, Peepy Farm, Northumberland

John and Sarah Yeomans, Llwyn y Brain, Powys

X New company Muddy Machines has produced a field robot to ease the threat of major labour shortages in the UK vegetable sector.

During Covid-19, the company teamed up with Cobrey Farms in Herefordshire, to produce small, lightweight electronically powered harvest robots named Sprouts.

The robot drives itself into the field and follows rows to carefully lift asparagus spears, placing them into boxes. It can operate for up to 12 hours and is the equivalent of up to three workers, achieving up to 20 per cent better yields and avoiding soil compaction.

The harvester can measure every single spear, cutting the ripe ones delicately and leaving the immature

ones for another day. Yields can be predicted and reported to growers as it measures everything it sees through the use of 3D cameras and

other sensors and algorithms.

The robot is provided as a service to the grower, with the company paid on a per kilo harvested basis.

XAn all-in-one cloud-based app could be the answer to improving efficiency in farming businesses 365 days a year.

Designed by Studford Agtech during the pandemic, Ag-drive is a management tool app for farmers and operators to use when out in the field. It offers an entirely paperless system, giving users clear and precise instructions from field mapping to pre-start health and safety checks, timesheets and invoicing.

The app ensures full traceability for the farmer and includes key features such as telematic job recording, which sends jobs directly to the operator and allows jobs to be analysed from start to finish.

Photographs, job instructions, product lists and job starting points can

also be added when scheduling work, as well as accurate timesheets improving cashflow within businesses.

It uses cloud-based storage between

the mobile app and web portal, and all jobs use the GPS signal given off by the phone, with the added advantage of it working offline, yet still recording.

Florian Richter and Christopher Chavasse, Cobrey Farms, Muddy Machines, Herefordshire

Will Dunn, Ag-drive, Yorkshire

Agri-tech Innovator of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X Featherstone Machinery, established by Lincolnshire farmer Jonathon Featherstone, has developed hugely since 2019.

With years of experience in engineering proven solutions, Jonathan went on a mission around the world to source technology and machinery which would reduce labour demand and increase efficiency in the UK. His first two products - a robotic transplanter and a cabbage harvester - both reduced labour demand, in some cases by up to 90 per cent.

The product range has now increased greatly. As well as agricultural machines such as ploughs, trailers and seed drills, the company offers robotic transplanters which take

seedlings out of the trays automatically and transplant them into the ground and leek harvesters which harvest the vegetable automatically and fill bins.

Jonathon works with overseas manufacturers to adapt and develop technology to suit UK growers’ operations.

XPricing transparency and risk management are key factors behind Concept Dairy designed by Diarmaid Mac Colgain and Jacqueline Fitzgerald.

The agri-tech platform creates greater economic sustainability across the full dairy supply chain, offering solutions for farmers, processors and dairy buyers, with a Concept Dairy Farmer App giving farmers free access to live, accurate milk prices for up to two years.

Processors are supported with a Concept Dairy Risk Management Platform, which collates procurement information to help them understand and manage the physical and financial risk across all areas of the business, The company works with buyers and

supports them to lock in their margins and offer farmers prices via the app, reducing long-term exposure to volatile markets.

Focus has been on the UK and Irish

dairy markets, but they have been approached by other international markets such as South Africa and the USA.

Jonathon Featherstone, Featherstone Machinery, Lincolnshire

Jacqueline Fitzgerald and Diarmaid Mac Colgain, Concept Dairy, Oxfordshire

X Tim Carter has built a strong reputation within the field of cattle foot trimming due to dedicating a lot of time educating and is instrumental in helping to advance foot trimming practices in the UK.

Tim has been hoof trimming for more than 25 years, but has been selfemployed in his contracting business for around 10 years. Travelling to America to gain further training at the Dairyland Hoof Care Institute, Tim brought these evidence-based techniques back to his clients’ farms. His drive comes from the aim of wanting to see cows walk pain-free and help to reduce lameness.

Tim works closely with his customers by having regular team

meetings, with vets and nutritionists involved to see how they can progress the health of a cow in an effective manner.

Tim’s future plans include preparing the next generation of foot trimmers and training them up to a recognised standard.

X For the last 25 years, Benn Lugsden has been shearing sheep. What started out as shearing for friends seven years ago turned into a self-employed, full-time shepherd contracting business where he now shears 14,500 sheep and scans around 40,000 sheep.

He focuses predominately on pedigree sheep and preparations for shows and sales, of which he is no stranger, owning his own prizewinning pedigree sheep since he was 10 years old.

Benn now also offers pregnancy scanning of ewes to his customers and has introduced a smallholder sheep MOT maintenance service, where any problems with feet, form

and during lambing are avoided earlier.

He is adaptable and reliable, working evenings and weekends and, to be sustainable, groups his clients in areas

to do on the same day to reduce the amount of diesel used driving to jobs.

Benn hopes to bring his children into the business as they grow up.

Tim Carter, Tim Carter Cattle Foot Trimming Services, Dorset Benn Lugsden, Benn Lugsden Shepherding, Su olk

Contractor of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X Josh Penrose launched his contracting business upon returning from working on farms in Australia. The key elements of his business are forage harvesting, slurry applications and biomass.

He has equipped all his slurry tankers and umbilical systems with low emission applicators and, by using larger sized tankers on the slurry team, they are able to do fewer trips to the field to move the same amount of slurry.

Josh prides himself on his modern approach to contracting using the latest technology, both to make his job as efficient as possible and improve the sustainability of the business. It makes full use of the GPS developments in mapping, guidance

and data recording and sharing between implements.

Josh also set up his now established, wood chipping business 10 years ago

as a part of the contracting business. He screens the wood chip, which adds more quality making it more saleable.

XTim provides year-round contracting services to try and level out work peaks and troughs and to provide a steady income stream. This includes specialist miscanthus grass cutting and harvesting in January to April, utilising the forage equipment that would normally be redundant at that time of year.

The business has grown from one person to 10 full-time staff, expanding up to 30 when the business is most busy with maize harvest. This year, the business harvested around 3,237ha (8,000 acres) of maize, with two new Class Jaguar 970 forage harvesters fitted with telematics to help with machine management and costs.

There are also a number of rewilding projects to help increase biodiversity,

which are presenting the business with the opportunity to provide alternative services, such as habitat creation and management.

Tim is proactive by looking at new technology to help increase productivity for their customers, while also reducing the impact on the environment.

Josh Penrose, Penrose Contracting, Sussex Tim Russon, P. Russon and Sons, Lincolnshire

X When Henry Cushing opened a pumpkin sales business to bolster diminishing returns from pig and arable farming, the financial return was immediate.

A lack of profitability and poor cashflow from his herd of 2,000 pigs and 101ha (250 acres) of cereal crops was the push to launch the ‘The Pumpkin House’.

This diversification was appealing because start-up costs were low –0.8ha (two acres) were planted with pumpkins, old scaffolding boards were used to build a shed to display the fruits of Henry’s labour and he was open for business.

Since it opened in 2018, turnover has doubled year on year as extra

activities have been added, including a haybale maze and pumpkin totem poles.

“At the moment the scale is still

relatively small, but with parking for 150 cars we hope we can now significantly grow the business,’’ says Henry.

X Delivering working dog tutorials online is a niche business idea that has outperformed expectations for sheepdog trainers Ewan Irvine and Emma Gray.

Ewan and Emma produce the tutorials themselves - Emma provides her experience and knowledge of training working dogs, while Ewan films and records..

They are so popular that it has generated half the farm income and it has more than 650 subscribers - almost all of those are farmers and shepherds with some in countries as distant as Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

They also breed Nova Scotia Duck

Tolling Retrievers, diversifying into this breed because they had so many approaches from people wanting to buy Border Collies as pets.

When she is not busy on the farm or training dogs, Emma is a writer and has published two books and negotiated television rights to both.

Henry and Victoria Cushing, The Pumpkin House, Norfolk

Ewan Irvine and Emma Gray, Ardros Farms Sheepdog School, Isle of Bute

Diversification of the Year (small to medium)

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X Tenant farmers Luke and Emily Knight are providing adults and children with an opportunity to work with animals, grow vegetables and learn new skills at their care farm.

It was while the couple were caring for Luke’s uncle, who is partially sighted and has learning disabilities, that they saw the value in offering a care farming experience to others.

Programmes have since been created for young offenders, schools and people with dementia.

Knights Care Farm links social care and farming – Lower Cotley Farm still functions as a commercial working farm.

It is unique across the UK as most

care facilities offer a low level of meeting animals, whereas we work with commercial scale, Luke explains.

An average of four people use the service five days a week and school holiday farm clubs are consistently fully booked.

X A wooden farm set requested by his young son one Christmas sparked a diversification business idea for livestock farmer John Robinson which would result in annual sales of 5,600 hand-crafted models.

Challenges with sourcing a high-quality product made fulfilling young Mervyn’s wish difficult, so John did what every good dad would do – he and his brother, Benny, got to work on making a farm set of their own.

John says: “Unbeknown to us, the result was to be the beginning of Millwood Crafts.”

This enterprise is now very much a family business, involving John and

Benny, their 92-year-old mother and John’s son, Christopher, each with their own roles.

Sales have increased year on year

– 100 farm sets were sold during the 2010 Christmas period, while in the last 12 months, sales have reached around 5,600.

Luke and Emily Knight, Knights Care Farm, Devon

John Robinson, Millwood Crafts, County Tyrone

X Arable farming is the core enterprise across the family-owned Oxton Estate and, over the last 40 years, the business has seen multiple diversifications developed, including a commercial shoot.

In 1999, however, they decided to move into the natural burial industry – one of the first in the country - and have since taken on and bought other natural sites.

The idea is that natural or green burials are an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burials. Burial plots are shallower in order to speed up the decomposition process and biodegradable materials are used in the coffins.

Richard, the estate’s farm manager,

says their aim is to provide a beautiful, natural setting with wildflower meadows and memorial trees. They offer burial plots and ashes interment

plots which can be in their wildflower meadow or woodland, the latter plots have trees planted directly on the interment sites.

XIn order to keep the farm going, Laura and John Lewis decided that diversifying the family Welsh hill farm in Powys was the only way.

The farm is at the heart of the new accommodation enterprise, which consists of three wooden treehouses set in the 364 hectares (900 acres) of Maelinaidd Hill. They run more than 400 sheep and now feel their unique and somewhat remote location has, in the end, become their unique selling point.

Laura says: “We wanted to build something that would stand out from the crowd, be totally unique, luxurious and stand the trials of time.”

Laura has also set up an online holiday let directory called The Wanderlist. It is a way to work

more collaboratively with other farm businesses and support them directly by allowing them to take more ownership of their holiday let bookings.

They have already achieved a great deal, most notably their joint marketing campaign with popular interior and homeware brand, Dunelm.

Richard Cross, Oxton Estate, Tithe Green Natural Burial, Nottinghamshire

Laura and John Lewis, Nant-y-Gelli Farm, Squirrels Nest Treehouse Retreat, Powys

Diversification of the Year (large)

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X South Brockwells Farm in East Sussex is a family farm, established in 1976, and is currently run by Chrissy and Arron Wells, Sarah Robinson and Caroline Tasker.

The family runs a commercial flock of sheep, consisting of about 150 breeding ewes and, over the years, have worked towards breeding a sheep able to thrive on their land.

In addition, they have three main diversifications which link together and creates a circular enterprise.

The farm shop came first and they are passionate about providing customers with home-grown, local produce. They also cater for equestrian events, holding various

activities on-farm, the most well-known one being their cross-country course – which is, they say, one of the most scenic in the country.

Their latest diversification has

been into education. They provide educational sessions for all ages, plus alternative educational support for schools to support the well-being of young people and children.

XFood is at the heart of Robert and Lucy Wilson’s new enterprise, Wilson’s Farm and Kitchen.

The couple’s mainstay is their cattle – Scotland’s oldest herd of pedigree Herefords, and it was this aspect of their story which inspired them to set up a farm to fork-based business.

“Wilsons Farm and Kitchen is an agritourism venture based around an on-farm eating experience,” says Lucy.

“It provides a different route to market for some of the farm’s produce very focused on seasonal and fresh. In addition, we also source a large amount of products from neighbouring farms.”

Provenance is key and guests can enjoy dining out in the farm’s modernised stable or repurposed corrugated

grain silos, known as ‘The Bothies’.

They cater for varied tastes, from curry nights to traditional Sunday roasts, which they market as their ‘25 Mile Roast

Lunch’ cooked with main ingredients located from within 25 miles of the farm, and all visitors are introduced to the provenance of the menu before dining.

Chrissy and Arron Wells, Sarah Robinson and Caroline Tasker, South Brockwells Farm, East Sussex

Robert and Lucy Wilson, Wilson’s Farm and Kitchen, Cowbog Farm, Roxburghshire

X Tired of struggling to stay afloat in increasingly challenging market conditions, 10 years ago Jonathan and Dulcie Crickmore decided to make a radical change.

They found inspiration from a visit to a free-range hen farm and an honesty box the farmer had installed at the farm gate.

Within a week, they had placed a small garden shed at the farm gate and installed a fridge with 10 bottles of raw milk. All the bottles are sold within an hour.

The shed is now selling more than 200 litres of raw milk everyday via its raw milk vending machine, using refillable glass bottles. They also sell their own cheese, Baron Bigod, the UK’s most popular artisan Brie as well

as Bungay raw cultured butter.

A change of breed to the Montbeliarde has helped them almost completely eliminate imported feeds.

They are now 70 per cent selfsufficient in renewable energy and the farm is now aiming to become carbon negative.

X Looking after and improving the soil was the main priority for arable and vegetable grower Mark Means.

Running a commercial family farm, Mark has integrated environmental management into his crop production despite the challenges of mixing sustainability and vegetable production, believing that if he farms the soil and the environment, the farm will give back.

Efficiency was another key focus, with Mark highlighting the more efficient they could be, the more they could reduce their carbon output.

Mark was an investigator and always looking for new ideas to continue improving the farm but was

careful not to jump on bandwagons, researching opportunities forensically before moving forward.

He was currently trialling different

cover crops for potatoes but taking a cautious approach to reduce risk by trialling it on small areas preferring to have the science there.

Jonathan and Dulcie Crickmore, Fen Farm Dairy, Su olk

Mark Means, J.S. Means (Terrington), Norfolk

Sustainable Farmer of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

XBalancing a commercial mindset with an organic ethos has been the focus for Wilfred Mole since taking on Lower Pertwood Organic Farm in 2006.

Inspired by the previous owner who had created a base of sustainable practices and Soil Association pioneer Mark Houghton Brown, Wilfred continue building on the ethos of the farm, alongside a profitable business.

Wilfred’s experience in both agriculture and other industries before they took on the farm, allowed him to bring in his commercial experience to the business.

But the father of five needed an open mind to combine this business mindset with the organic ethos.

Other farmers provided inspiration for new approaches and technological solutions now feature across the business.

This allowed them to embed the principles more deeply and collect more data about the biodiversity of the farm in order to enhance it further.

X Incorporating more sustainable techniques into the farm has already started delivering benefits to Cornish growers Riviera Produce.

Specialising in winter production of cauliflower, Tom Simmons was conscious of the negative impact harvesting vegetables during this season could have. And as a sixth generation family business, he wanted to ensure it remained profitable and sustainable for future generations.

The farm adopted no plough, reduced tillage and strip tillage methods to grow crops in 2018. They are also growing 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres) of cover crops to boost organic matter, suppress weeds, trap excess nutrients and sequester carbon with

the target of reducing nitrogen inputs.

Subsequently, he has significantly reduced runoff from fields and it has become less damaging to the soil

structure during the harvest process.

The business employs more than 250 people, rising to 500 during peak planting and harvesting times.

Wilfred Mole, Lower Pertwood Organic Farm, Wiltshire

Tom Simmons, Riviera Produce, Cornwall

X Ewan Irvine and Emma Gray have pioneered a new approach to training working dogs by taking their sheepdog school online.

The couple are tenant farmers, farming cattle, sheep and arable crops on 283ha (700 acres) - and they also breed and train sheepdogs to sell.

Launching a sheepdog school was a natural move when they looked at options for generating a steady, yearround income from a diversification that could fit around life on a busy working farm and with raising a family.

“The idea of the sheepdog school came about from the many messages we get about how to train a working dog and the thought that we could produce tutorials and offer

them online for a monthly subscription,’’ says Ewan.

The couple film and edit the tutorials,

upload them to YouTube and now have more than 650 subscribers who pay a monthly fee to access the content.

X Two young farmers are inspiring the next generation to carve out careers in the countryside, with a podcast featuring key people who live and work in rural Britain.

Holly Gilbert and Dan Grist host and produce the ‘It’s in our Roots’ podcast, interviewing people from mostly agricultural backgrounds and others who have joined the industry as outsiders.

With guests who have so far included farrier Danny Gallagher, Farmers Guardian agricultural journalist Hannah Binns and dairy farmer-turned-therapist, Naomi Wright, the podcast has at least 500 downloads per episode.

Dan has experience in audio production, so he edits the interviews

and publishes the episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

The podcast is promoted on social media – their best performing

post linking to a video with Danny Gallagher reached 16,800 people on Instagram and 16,600 people on Facebook.

Ewan Irvine and Emma Gray, Ardros Farms Sheepdog School, Isle of Bute

Holly Gilbert and Dan Grist, It’s In Our Roots podcast, Devon

Digital Innovator of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Olly Harrison, Agricontract, Merseyside

X Producing daily video blogs showing the ‘good, the bad and the ugly’ side of life on his Merseyside farm has provided arable grower Olly Harrison with a profitable diversification.

Olly launched his YouTube channel, Olly Blogs Agricontract Farmer, in March 2020 and now has 33,000 subscribers.

He typically uploads 10-12 minutes of footage to YouTube daily, to be watched by people around the world.

His motivation when he started filming was personal, an opportunity to review the farming year, but he is now making good income from it.

Through his engagement with the public, Olly helps people to

understand why certain actions, such as spraying crops and applying fertiliser, need to be done.

He uses his public profile to muster

up support for charities, including organising a tractor run to raise money for the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

X A mobile phone app and website launched by a group of farmers to help caravanners book a pitch on their sites now has 15,000 users and a listing of more than 225 farms.

CL Booking matches campers with site operators who have vacancies.

“It aims to solve a problem for campers looking for a pitch and for farmers operating these sites who are looking to increase their income and occupancy or fill a cancellation,’’ says co-creator Ted Howard-Jones.

The app allows listed sites to advertise to thousands of campers for a monthly fee of £18 and it has generated more than £400,000 worth of bookings.

If Ted gets a cancellation, he can

immediately update the site availability to thousands of members with just one click, which is much easier than having

to go onto Facebook and create a post, or just hope the phone will ring, he says.

Ted Howard-Jones, CL Booking, Buckinghamshire

X Although Sam Allison is not from a farming background, he has always had a strong interest in the horticultural industry, Sam started out on his agricultural journey by working on a local mixed farm, progressing to become the farm’s relief milker at the age of 17.

Having completed a foundation degree in agriculture to top-up his entry into Harper Adams University, Sam is now currently in his fourth year of completing a BSc in agriculture, with crop management. In tandem with his studies, Sam, alongside two investors, began setting up a pick your own (PYO) enterprise in Chichester, focusing on strawberries and raspberries, with an all-weather

X From a non-farming background, but with a thirst for knowledge, particularly within the livestock sector, Rhona is currently completing her third year at Scotland’s Rural College for a degree in agriculture.

With the university taking the decision to switch a sizable proportion of the course from in-person to online due to the pandemic, and Rhona encountering unfortunate personal circumstances, her drive to excel has been described as remarkable in the face of adversity.

Her passion for agriculture landed her a place on the competitive SAC Consulting summer placement scheme, where she deepened her existing industry knowledge, with a focus on the carbon market.

Marking out a clear vision for the future, Rhona is set on a career in quality insurance inspection and consultancy work, where she can

he plans to expand the PYO enterprise, growing a wider selection of vegetables to sell to his growing customer base.

apply both the practical and scientific knowledge she has acquired throughout her journey studying agriculture.

PYO in polytunnels on tabletops. Sam has been enthusiastic about educating the public about the importance of local produce. After finishing university,

Sam Allison, Harper Adams University

Rhona Campbell-Crawford, SRUC

Agricultural Student of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Lucy Hinch, Harper Adams University

X Growing up on the family farm in Rutland, farming runs in Lucy’s blood. With a passion for the poultry industry sparked from a young age, Lucy embarked on a degree in agriculture at Harper Adams, where she is currently in her fourth year.

Hard work, combined with an appetite to widen her industry knowledge, meant Lucy was the first student in their second year of university to be awarded the coveted British Poultry Council scholarship, with a placement year at Moy Park.

In a bid to address some of the challenges facing the poultry sector, Lucy has pushed herself further outside the realm of academia to lobby major supermarkets and MPs for real change.

Growing winter wheat and barley on the family farm, which is used to feed the 226,000 free range laying hens and 80,000 pullets in rear, Lucy will return to

grow the family business after she graduates, with an ambition to start taking their home-produced eggs to market.

X From a non-farming background, Jack’s route into agriculture has been anything but linear, graduating with a 2:1 in biology from Cardiff University in 2017. A stint coaching rugby at Lancaster Royal Grammar School opened Jack’s eyes to the diversity of careers in the agricultural sector after speaking to the resident land agent of the grounds.

Sparking an ambition to combine his love for science, conservation and the countryside, Jack returned to part-time academia to undertake a two-year post-graduate course in rural estate and land management. In tandem with his studies, Jack works full-time as a graduate rural surveyor with CLM.

Jack has continued to pursue his passion for agriculture by embarking on a journey to set up a 24ha (60-acre) farm business from scratch with his

partner Alice. His five-year goal is to pass his APC and CAAV qualifications to become a practising chartered surveyor.

Jack Sadler, Harper Adams University

X Melanie Jackson’s drive to continually improve bird welfare is instrumental to her success as poultry and farm supervisor at Clive Soanes Broilers (CSB).

With 30-plus years of experience in the broiler sector, Melanie joined CSB in spring 2021 after having passed her NEBOSH qualification.

It was never the intention for Melanie to manage a broiler unit, but an opportunity saw her step up to run a 120,000-bird site. The chicks were suffering from yolk sac infection which made them susceptible to stress and illness, which saw her deal with large losses.

She soon began learning everything about the computer and lighting systems and ventilation settings and

now her stockman’s eye means she can spot the smallest daily difference between birds.

Welfare is paramount to Melanie,

who regularly works with the six farm managers on what difference care and attention can make to welfare and the overall results of a crop.

X Jennifer Proudlove has successfully demonstrated how determination, dedication and positivity is essential for a career in dairy.

Not from a farming background, Jennifer worked at Halton Farms in Cheshire between 2015 and 2017 looking after horses before joining the business in 2021 as their assistant herdsperson.

She had now been herd manager for six months, managing 530 procross cows plus followers.

Being down with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) for six months was a big challenge, but the restrictions has since been lifted.

Always looking for new efficient and effective ways to run the herd, Jennifer

has participated in various webinars and seminars to improve her management skills on Uniform, a system used to manage cows on the computer.

She has recently started a new job with National Milk Records and hopes to use her experience to help farms become the best they can be.

Melanie Jackson, Clive Soanes Broilers, Yorkshire

Jennifer Proudlove, Halton Farms, Cheshire

Farm Worker of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X Amanda Thomas throws her all into everything. Having grown up on a small dairy farm, she moved to a different area and worked on a family-run dairy farm in Ellerton-onSwales for 10 years until the cows were sold.

In 2019, she became self-employed and now works for four different employers, mostly contracting for a large-scale business from February, the start of slurry season, until maize in October.

Amanda also relief milks throughout the winter months, at a 600-cow dairy farm in Barton and a 1,000-goat dairy in Appleton Wiske.

Amanda is self-motivated and has certificates in cattle artificial

insemination, foot trimming, livestock movement and spraying. She likes being known as the person to call if

someone wants a job done properly and prides herself on delivering excellent customer service.

X Alison Waugh’s on-farm skillset and work ethic has enabled her employers to direct more time and attention to milk sales, helping all aspects of the business blossom.

In October 2020, she gained fulltime employment at Daisy Bank Dairy as a herdswoman, overseeing 150-strong milkers plus followers in an organic antibiotic-free system.

Responsible for all aspects of cow health and welfare, Alison also oversees calf rearing and managing the dry cows.

Calf mortality rates are the best to date with continuing improvements being made. She has also tackled the herd’s poor fertility, but a stricter culling regime has provided a better

breeding base for future generations of the Friesian breed. Recently she undertook an Embryonics hoof trimming course, gaining a certificate.

Looking ahead, Alison anticipates working for Glenn in the years to come and is also open to exploring a selfemployed mobile hoof trimmer role.

Amanda Thomas, KAT Farm Services, Yorkshire

Alison Waugh, Daisy Bank Dairy, Powys

X First generation farmers Andy Moye and Abbie Bryant have wanted nothing more from a young age than to one day have their own farm. Abbie had always dreamt of farming but studied childcare at college and Andy, whose grandparents were herdsmen, studied agriculture at college started his own herd of cattle aged 21 on a small patch of rented land.

The couple now run a suckler herd of 20 Stabiliser cross native breed cattle, alongside a flock of 40 Wiltshire Horn sheep, and a laying flock of 30 hens across 36ha (90 acres) of rented park land.

They sell all their meat direct to the consumer through their social media channels and run their business with

a strong emphasis on regenerative farming, with reduced use of chemicals where possible.

Abbie and Andy say their greatest

challenge has been access to land and lack of financial capital, but their end goal would be to buy their own land.

XTenant farmers Matthew Elphick and Betsie Edge took over the running of the Countryside Regeneration Trust’s Brays Farm five years ago. While Betsie’s grandparents were dairy farmers, neither her nor Matthew had the security of a family farm. Matthew studied agriculture at college and previously worked as a herdsman and Betsie worked in childcare.

When they took on the tenancy, they had to make extensive financial investments to develop Nutfield dairy, from which they sell liquid milk and dairy products direct to the public. Investment in infrastructure was the couple’s biggest challenge but, after securing financial investment and borrowing from family, they converted

the farm into a useable dairy system, adapting current buildings to install a parlour and creating processing rooms in converted porter cabins.

They currently run milk rounds, supply local shops, and attend farmers’ markets with their milk and fresh and frozen yoghurt products.

Abbie Bryant and Andy Moye, A. and A. Livestock, Su olk

Betsie Edge and Matthew Elphick, Brays Farm, Surrey

New Entrant Award: Against the Odds

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

James Edwards, J.J. Livestock Solutions, Shropshire

X It was an unfenced field of brambles and an old Saddleback sow and her piglets which marked the beginning of James Edwards farming journey.

Fast forward 12 years and a move to Hampshire, James now runs his own flock of 1,200 high index Exlana maternal ewes and Charmoise terminal ewes, as well as fattening tack sheep, store lambs and draft ewes over winter. He also contract farms up to 700 cattle and farms 4,000 wool shedding ewes in partnership with a farm in Shropshire.

With the constant challenge of land access, James has faced his fair share of obstacles, but his

resilience and passion for the industry has seen him bounce back, driving him forward to the end goal of buying his own farm. He has since bought the

unfenced field of brambles where it all began and rents it to a young couple who are just starting their own sheep flock.

X Coming from a rural background, Paul White had always dreamed of farming in his own right, and after nearly a decade in politics, he resigned after being diagnosed with heart failure. Following a period of recuperation, he remembered his childhood dream of buying his own farm and in 2021 took the plunge into rearing turkeys for Christmas.

The biggest challenge was securing land, but after finding a small patch of local woodland to rent, he purchased 200 poults. Today, Paul sells 1,000 turkeys direct to consumers and to local restaurants through his online business, Paul’s Farm. This year saw the start of Paul’s small flock of Lonk

sheep, a breed which is native to his part of the Pennines.

Passionate about increasing awareness of the breed’s meat

and wool qualities, Paul holds demonstration nights in local pubs and works with local chefs to showcase the quality of the meat.

Paul White, Paul’s Farm, Lancashire

The Davis Family, Rivermead Dairy, Devon

XWhen the milk market was at one of its lowest points in 2015, the Davis family lost their milk contract when their buyer decided to retire. Having researched alternative supply routes for their Channel Island milk, they now work with 17 others to supply 14 million litres for a range of products, including Paneer cheese and ice cream to areas of London, Leicester and the South West.

Gordon takes the lead on dairy logistics and transport with their own tanker and haulage fleet, while wife Hazel helps with calf rearing and administration. Eldest son Mark manages the 280-head herd of Rivermead Jerseys, as second eldest son Kevin manages the farm. Daughter Emily heads up the calf

rearing, with a particular interest in showing livestock and genetics.

Gordon says: “As a family we are all stockmen and every one of us has a

passion for dairy cows and livestock. It is that passion which has progressed through to our grandchildren, along with the desire to have good cows and stock.”

X Andy Johnson heads up this multifunctional farm business along with his wife, Tracey, two sons Edward and George and George’s wife Kirsty. Ventures include a long-established farm shop and butchery, tea rooms and a steak house, where the homeproduced meats are showcased.

Alongside traditional livestock, the farm rears their own deer, cattle, buffalo, pigs, turkeys, ostriches and crocodiles for meat to sell direct to consumers.

The family’s decision to introduce farmgate sales made the farm a lot more viable, which enabled investment and growth and sparked the introduction of the tea room, the open farm, the steak house

and special events and functions.

With a keen focus on education, sustainability and affordability, their multiple diversifications enable the

business to provide employment opportunities for the local community and staff numbers stand at 90-plus.

The Johnson Family, Johnsons of Old Hurst, Cambridgeshire

Family Farming Business of the Year

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

X The Kirkham family runs a traditional farm steeped in flora and fauna and are inspired by the children who regularly visit. Headed up by Harry and Janet Kirkham, in partnership with son John and daughter Helen, the unit is home to an 80-strong, all year-round-calving herd, supplying milk to Arla.

In 2019, the family began hosting school visits after Helen noticed a raft of inaccurate information about farming on social media.

This year, the farm has welcomed 1,000 schoolchildren, 66 per cent of whom had never been to a farm, and they have also hosted a number of seasonal events. Visitors can now see an array of animals alongside

the cows, including alpacas, goats and their own pedigree registered flock of Greyfaced Dartmoor sheep.

The family’s motto is food, farming

and environment and, if what they are doing does not tick those boxes, the family says they simply do not do it.

XPeter and Zoe Mee run their 283-hectare (700-acre) enterprise alongside contract farming 243ha (600 acres) under various arrangements for four nearby farmers. The couple have also operated third-party storage and drying facilities for Frontier Agriculture to accommodate harvested commodities from other suppliers who do not have enough on-site storage.

Daughter Emily manages the weighbridge facility and has initiated the recent diversification into blueberry production. Son Charlie manages the farm’s arable and contracting, while his girlfriend, Charlotte, is employed fulltime as the packhouse manager.

A range of blueberry products have been introduced with more to come,

and fresh fruit is also sold into major retailers, with a small number being exported to Dubai and Oman. With a huge focus on sustainable farming, the

family are also changing their process to regenerative farming to help make the farm environmentally and financially sustainable in the long-term.

The Kirkham Family, M. Kirkham and Sons, Lancashire

The Mee Family, Lyveden Farm, Northamptonshire

Farming Hero: Flying the Flag for British Agriculture

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

This award was introduced to recognise an individual or group determined not to give up in the face of adversity. We reflect on some previous winners.

Sam Stables 2020 Winner

X After the tragic death of her husband to suicide, mother of four Emma Picton-Jones launched a charity to improve mental health awareness among farmers in her native Wales and beyond.

Despite his calm, happy exterior, Daniel was crippled with anxiety and depression and suffered with it his entire life, but felt there were no options for him to pursue the help he needed.

Since his passing, Emma launched The DPJ Foundation which now

operates a 24/7 telephone and counselling service for people with mental health problems in rural communities.

Fundraising along the way with a host of volunteers, she has raised more than £150,000, galvanised agricultural communities and inspired those struggling to seek help they need.

She has delivered 450 specialised courses and provided 120 farmers with fully funded counselling.

For more information, visit www. thedpjfoundation.com

Winner

X In a heart-warming act of kindness, livestock farmer Sam Stables took on an entire flock of sheep from Yorkshire to his Herefordshire farm and lambed them for a friend who had been hospitalised by coronavirus.

Malham-based David Newhouse was struck down with the virus days before his flock of 240 Cheviot Mules were due to lamb and was rushed to intensive care, leaving wife Carol, also displaying symptoms of the virus, to lamb the flock alone.

X When 25-year-old farmer Stuart Ridley was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, the farming industry proved how it can be a formidable force.

An international campaign under the hashtag #staystrongstu saw family, friends, Young Farmers, rugby teams, his local Hexham auction mart and rural communities far and wide demonstrating strength in numbers.

Collaboratively working together,

they supported Stu and his family, raised thousands of pounds for charity and promoted health awareness.

Speaking about the way farming comes together in times of adversity, auctioneer Chris Armstrong believes there is no greater industry. He says: “It really illustrates farming people for what we are: great characters with great resilience and great support between our own kind.”

Haulier

Friend of the family, Sam, who farms 81 hectares on the Duchy of Cornwall Estate, arranged a haulier to transport the flock 200 miles south to lamb on his own farm to ease the huge pressures facing the family.

This award is chosen by the Farmers Guardian team.

Emma Picton-Jones, The DPJ Foundation 2019 Winner

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Name Company Name Company

Erin Atide J.J. Livestock Solutions

ATommy Abbott Bentham Auction Market

Mrs Abel Morrisons

Tim Abel Morrisons

Edward Adamson National Sheep Association

Janine Adamson CHAP

Rob Adamson CHAP

Robert Addison

Hexham & Northern Auction Market

James Alexander A. Alexander & Co

Ruth Alexander A. Alexander & Co

Will Alexander Bentham Auction Market

Simon Alford Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Linda Allan Bentham Auction Market

Neil Allan Bentham Auction Market

Brittany Allen Lambs End David Allen Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Sophie Allen Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Will Allen Lambs End

Sam Allison Harper Adams University

Sarah Amor McCartneys LLP

Ellie Amphlett McCartneys LLP

James Amphlett McCartneys LLP

Mary Amundsun  Bentham Auction Cafe

Chris Appleton Penrose

Contracting

Sam Archer KAT Farm Services

Alistair Armstrong National Sheep Association

Michelle Arnold Featherstone Machinery

Adrian Ashley Lower Tunley Farm Owen Aspinall ABP

Rowan Aufenast Muddy Machines

John Aynsley Skelton Farming

Anne Aynsley Skelton Farming

Jo Aynsley Skelton Farming

Sheldon Ayre Hillsgreen

BZara Bailey Agriconnect

Andrew Baird J.P. Baird

Kirstie Baird J.P. Baird

Alison Baldock Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Steve Baldock Benn Lugsden Shepherding

John Balsdon The Cornwall Project

Laura Barber Lambs End Tom Barber Lambs End Amelia Barfoot Harper Adams University

Jade Baxter Agriconnect Richard Beckett T. & O. Harrison

Nick Bell Tim Carter Cattle Foot Trimming Services

Nichola Bell Agriconnect Daniel Bennett Hillsgreen Becci Berry The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH)

Paul Billings Germinal

Bob Bingley Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Lucy Bingley Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Sarah Blackwell ICL UK

Kelly Bladder McCartneys LLP

Jodie Bolland Morrisons

Catrin Bolton J.J. Morris

Susannah Bolton Scotland’s Rural College

Edward Bourne P. Russon and Sons

Guest List

Name Company

Tracy Bourne P. Russon and Sons

Angelia Bowcock T. & O. Harrison

Emma Boyes National Beef Association

Gareth Boyes National Beef Association

Wendy Brady Lely Sarah Brassington McCartneys LLP

John Brereton Jones Peckover

Andrew Brewer F.G. Brewer & Sons (Farms)

Claire Brewer F.G. Brewer & Sons (Farms)

Charlotte Bridley Hillsgreen Ben Briggs Agriconnect

Joanne Briggs National Sheep Association

Mark Bromell Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Sue Bromell Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Helen Brookes Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock

Abbie Bryant A. & A. Livestock

Adam Buitelaar Buitelaar Group

Clare Buitelaar Buitelaar Group

Peter Bullen Jones Peckover

Jim Burdge J. & L. Burdge Lorna Burdge J. & L. Burdge

William Burton  Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Melissa Butcher Isuzu

CGraig Caird Balgay Farm

Helen Campbell-Crawford Scotland’s Rural College

Rhona Campbell-Crawford Scotland’s Rural College

Debs Cant C&O Tractors

Tim Carter Tim Carter Cattle Foot Trimming Services

Dawn Catterall Dot’s Cafe Darlington Simon Catterall Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Anthony Chapman Featherstone Machinery

Name Company

Ben Chapman The Cornwall Project Cash Chapman Featherstone Machinery

Poppie Chapman Featherstone Machinery

Sharon Chapman Featherstone Machinery

Hazel Chapman  The Cornwall Project Louise Chappel Bentham Auction Cafe

Craig Chappell M. Kirkham & Sons

Helen Chappell M. Kirkham & Sons

Matt Chatfield The Cornwall Project Allison Clark Clive Soanes Broilers

Libby Clarke A. Alexander & Co

Sarah Clarke Dot’s Cafe Darlington Shaun Clarke Fen Farm Dairy

Helen Cleaver Tim Carter Cattle Foot Trimming Services

Phylli Cligg McCartneys LLP Jack Cooper Harper Adams University

Johnathon Cope KW Alternative Feeds

Dave Cowan National Sheep Association

Esme Cowan National Sheep Association

Jack Cox Lely Alan Coyle Isuzu David Crackles Bentham Auction Market

Joyce Crackles Bentham Auction Market

Robert Craig Peepy Farm Anna Crank Village Green Farm Bob Crank Village Green Farm Edward Crank Village Green Farm Sarah Crank Village Green Farm Mark Crawford Featherstone Machinery

Dulcie Crickmore Fen Farm Dairy

Jonny Crickmore Fen Farm Dairy

Emma Cross Tithe Green Natural Burial

Kate Cross SAI Global Richard Cross Tithe Green Natural Burial

Name Company Name Company

Andy Crow Arc Sarah Cunningham SAI Global Frank Cunnington National Association of Agricultural Contractors

Henry Cushing The Pumpkin House Victoria Cushing The Pumpkin House Emma Cutbill Incisive Media

DAngus Dalton Daltons Dairy

Diane Dalton Supply Chain In-Sites Margaret Dalton National Sheep Association

Suzie Dalton Daltons Dairy Sally Anne Daniel Rivermead Dairy Tom Daulby Jones Peckover John Davey Craig Davidson Scotland’s Rural College

Keith Davies Livestock Auctioneers Association

Daniel Davies Lower Pertwood Organic Farm Dyfan Davies J.J. Morris Hywel Davies Jones Peckover Megan Davies Goleugoed Mrs Davies Livestock Auctioneers Association

Sam Davies Germinal Wendy Davies J.J. Morris

Andrew Davis ABP Clare Davis Rivermead Dairy

Emily Davis Rivermead Dairy Gordon Davis Rivermead Dairy Harry Davis Rivermead Dairy Hazel Davis Rivermead Dairy Kelly Davis Rivermead Dairy Kevin Davis Rivermead Dairy Mark Davis Rivermead Dairy Richard Day P. Russon & Sons Sue Day P. Russon & Sons

Charles Dean ABP Alan Dean ABP

Stephen Dennis Bentham Auction Market

Andrea Dennis Bentham Auction Market

Zanna Dennis Bentham Auction Market

Julia Dent Dot’s Cafe Darlington Mark Dent Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Danielle Dewe Nutfield Dairy Chris Dodds Livestock Auctioneers Association

Sarah Dowson Dot’s Cafe Darlington Adam Driver Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Beth Duchese Brooks Leney James Duggleby Colo Marketing Will Dunn Ag-drive Sophie Dwerryhouse CLA Alice Dyer Agriconnect

EDavid Eardley KW Alternative Feeds Eddie Eastham National Sheep Association

Rona Eastham National Sheep Association

Betsie Edge Nutfield Dairy Olivia Edgerton Lely Dominic Edmond Rivermead Dairy James Edwards J.J. Livestock Solutions

James Edwards J.J. Livestock Solutions

Julie Edwards Shearwell Data Amy Eggleston CLA David Eglin R.M. Eglin & Son

Sophie Eke Incisive Media

Meg Elliot Bagshaws LLP Mark Elliott Bagshaws LLP Matt Elphick Nutfield Dairy

Name Company Name Company

Martin Evans KW Alternative Feeds

Rob Evans NSF

Andrew Evans Bubney KW Alternative Feeds

FJohn Fairey Germinal

Jonathon Featherstone Featherstone Machinery

Peter Featherstone Featherstone Machinery

Steven Feehan ABP

Neill Fell N.R. Fell Mobile Sheep Dipping

Sarah Fell N.R. Fell Mobile Sheep Dipping

Chris Fellows Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Lucy Fellows Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Scott Ferrie Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Paul Finney SAI Global Jacqueline Fitzgerald Concept Dairy

Dave Follows Lambs End Hannah Follows Lambs End Charlotte Foster Mee Farmers Simon Foster Arc

Cassandra Fox ETEX John Foxton Morrisons Kit Franklin Harper Adams University

Nigel Friend Germinal Harriet Fuller National Sheep Association

GDaniel Gallagher ETEX Anna Galloway Ag-drive

Stephen Gardner  T. & O. Harrison

Fran Garfoot KW Alternative Feeds Luan Garrett Agriconnect Carolyn Gasson Lambs End Georgia Gasson Lambs End

Nick Gasson Lambs End Spider Gasson Lambs End

Tasha Gasson Lambs End Toby Gasson Lambs End Paul Geary Morrisons

John Geldard National Sheep Association

Richard Gelder Tithe Green Natural Burial

Tracey Gelder Tithe Green Natural Burial

Edward Gent Gentle Farming Laura Gent Gentle Farming

Margaret Gent Gentle Farming Susan Gent Gentle Farming Thomas Gent Gentle Farming Tony Gent Gentle Farming Edel Gibbons Buitelaar Group

Neal Gibson Isuzu Holly Gilbert It’s In Our Roots Podcast

Lee Gilbert ETEX Michael Gilhespy Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Sean Gill Morrisons Graham Girling Nutfield Dairy Gareth Goodchild Lely Richard Goodwin Isuzu Allan Gordon Balgay Farm Zippy Grace Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Iain Graham Balgay Farm

Sam Graham The Cattle Information Service

Sheena Graham Balgay Farm

Emma Gray Sheepdog School

Chris Greenaway Germinal

Dave Gregory National Sheep Association

Bryan Griffiths National Sheep Association

Liz Griffiths National Sheep Association

Richard Grindle CLA

Name Company Name Company

Dan Grist

It’s In Our Roots Podcast

Nick Grounds Hexham & Northern Auction Market

H Lindsay Haddon Massey Ferguson

Catherine Hadwin JH Agri Consultancy

James Hadwin JH Agri Consultancy

Nic Haigh J.J. Livestock Solutions

Dick Hall Germinal

Robert Hall Oxbury

James Hallett KW Alternative Feeds

Michael Halliwell Cattle Eye Rebecca Halliwell Cattle Eye Stuart Handley Bentham Auction Market

Linda Hanna Scotland’s Rural College

Ben Harman National Beef Association

Steve Harris NSF Kevin Harrison National Sheep Association

Olly Harrison T. & O. Harrison

William Hart Oxbury Mike Hartley Agriconnect

Stella Harvey Featherstone Machinery

Angelia Hawkins Cutsey Farm

Edward Hawkins Cutsey Farm Gillian Hawkins Cutsey Farm

Sian Hawkins Cutsey Farm

William Hawkins Cutsey Farm

Martin Hays P. Russon & Sons

Harriet Heap Morrisons

Alice Heath Oxbury

Tom Heathcote Non ing ton Farms Stephen Heenan National Beef Association

Guy Hewitt Non ing ton Farms Chris Hewitt Bentham Auction Market

Climate smart strategies

Guest List

Name Company

Jill Hewitt National Association of Agricultural Contractors

Oliver Hiles Bagshaws LLP

Sarah Hiles Bagshaws LLP

Lucy Hinch Harper Adams University

Paul Hinch Harper Adams University Ruth Hinch Harper Adams University

Ben  Hockley Thurlow Nunn Standen

Catherine Hodgson I.M. Hodgson & Son

Emma Hodgson Village Green Farm Jonathon Hodgson I.M. Hodgson & Son Janine Hogg Arc Jemma Holden SAI Global Jim Holden Morrisons

Laura Hollis Nutfield Dairy Chris Holllingworth Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

Matthew Holmberg Jones Peckover Julie Holmes National Beef Association

David Hopkins Scotland’s Rural College Hannah Housby Peepy Farm

Mark Housby Peepy Farm Ted Howard-Jones CL Booking Catherine Howell Oxbury Carl Hubbard Clive Soanes Broilers

Tony Huggins Isuzu Andrew Hughes Isuzu Emily Hughes Clive Soanes Broilers Gerwyn Hughes Lower Pertwood Organic Farm Dan Hunnisett Germinal Raheela Hussain ETEX Beth Hutsby Lambs End Matt Hutsby Lambs End

Ewan Irvine Sheepdog School

Hannah Jackson ETEX

Name Company

Mark Jackson Agriconnect

Melanie Jackson Clive Soanes Broilers Ben Jenkin The Cornwall Project Julie Jennings National Sheep Association

Hannah Jewers Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Martin Jewers Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Lyn John P. Russon and Sons

Edward Johnson Johnsons of Old Hurst Emma Johnson CLA George Johnson Johnsons of Old Hurst Kirsty Johnson Johnsons of Old Hurst Tom Johnson Agriconnect

Aled Jones NFU Cymru Amy Jones McCartneys LLP Anna Jones Trefnant Hall Farm and Consultancy

Bethan Jones Jones Peckover Buddug Jones Livestock Auctioneers Association

Daniel Jones Daisy Bank Dairy Esther Jones Jones Peckover Gwawr Jones Bentham Auction Market

Marc Jones Trefnant Hall Farm and Consultancy Maurice Jones KW Alternative Feeds Simon Jones Livestock Auctioneers Association

Sion Jones Jones Peckover

KOlly Keen Penrose Contracting

James Keller Lambs End Sarah Kendall ADAS Amanda Kenny Skelton Farming Sanjeev Khaira Arc John Kirkham M. Kirkham & Sons

David Kivell Livestock Auctioneers Association

Mrs Kivell Livestock Auctioneers Association

Emily Knight Knights Care Farm LLP

The

of

farmers helping them to diversify and succeed.

For over 100 years we have been helping farmers and rural landowners to protect and make the most of their assets.

To protect your valuable land and property, join the CLA today.

WWW.CLA.ORG.UK

Guest List

Name Company Name Company

Luke Knight Knights Care Farm LLP Manjeet Kumari-Lal CLA

LGeorge Lane Oxbury Jessica Langton Nottingham University

Rhianna Larner Johnsons of Old Hurst Hazel Laughton Scotland’s Rural College

Val Lawson Bentham Auction Market

Robin Levin SAI Global John Lewis Squirrels Nest Treehouse Retreat Laura Lewis Squirrels Nest Treehouse Retreat David Lightfoot ABP Johanna Lindsay Balgay Farm Peter Lindsay Balgay Farm Kate Lister Lambs End Margaret Lister Lambs End Terry Lister Lambs End Bryn Lloyd Jones Peckover Huw Lloyd Jones Peckover Emma Loder-Symonds Non ing ton Farms James Loder-Symonds Non ing ton Farms Stuart Long Hexham & Northern Auction Market

Laurence Loxam Hillsgreen Tim Lugsden Benn Lugsden Shepherding Benn Lugsden Benn Lugsden Shepherding Tory Lugsden Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Paul  Lyford C&O Tractors

MDiarmaid Mac Colgáin Concept Dairy Dorothy Macdonald Dot’s Cafe Darlington Eleanor Macdonald Dot’s Cafe Darlington Greg MacDougall Bentham Auction Market

James Madders KW Alternative Feeds Agnes Maina The Cornwall Project George Mallendar Real People Roger Mann NSF

Joe Mannion Buitelaar Group Hugh Martineau Morrisons Janette Mathie The Cattle Information Service

Afrik McAvoy Lely Jude McCann NSF Roddy McClean Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest Karl McConville Strutt & Parker Chris McElligott CLA

Alli McEntyre Gaharan Hillsgreen Mari McLellan Balgay Farm Mark Means J.S. Means (Terrington)

Charles Mee Mee Farmers Emily Mee Mee Farmers Peter Mee Mee Farmers

Zoe Mee Mee Farmers Russ Merryfield  The Cornwall Project Charlotte Miller Dot’s Cafe Darlingnton Joy Miller Scotland’s Rural College

Lisa Mills M. Kirkham & Sons David Mitchell National Beef Association

Jodie Mockler Lambs End Nathan Mockler Lambs End Benjamin Mole Lower Pertwood Organic Farm Hayley Mole Lower Pertwood Organic Farm

Veli Moluluo Morrisons Alice Montgomerie Harper Adams University

Penny Montgomerie Scotland’s Rural College

Lyndsay Moore Agriconnect Tom Moore SAI Global Guy Moreton Real People

Wyn Moreton Jones Peckover James Morgan ABP Steven Morris Jones Peckover Bob Mosley Livestock Auctioneers Association

Andy Moye A. & A. Livestock Susan Mundell Balgay Farm

Guest List

Name Company Name Company

Sarah Murray Agriconnect

NAndrew Naish Morrisons

Hayley Neal Nutfield Dairy Helen Neilson NSF

Dale Newitt NSF Alexander Newport CLA Jane Newton Agriconnect John Nicholas J.J. Morris

Kate Nichols KAT Farm Services

Matthew Nichols KAT Farm Services Tinsley Norman Skelton Farming Charlotte Nutting Oxbury

ONatalie Oakes CLA Andrea O’Donnell Tithe Green Natural Burial

Helena O’Donnell Tithe Green Natural Burial James O’Donnell Tithe Green Natural Burial

Jennifer Ogden  Bentham Auction Cafe

Edward Okell Village Green Farm Gemma Oliver Fen Farm Dairy Danusia Osiowy Agriconnect

PGrant Page ADAS

Annabel Palmer Hillsgreen

Gemma Park  Bentham Auction Cafe

Dominic Parker Agriconnect Jenny Parkhour Rivermead Dairy Andrew Parkhouse Rivermead Dairy Nic Parsons AHDB Navaratnam Partheeban Westpoint Farm Vets Sarah Peacock P. Russon & Sons Sara Pedersen Tim Carter Cattle Foot Trimming Services

Jo Pemberton ETEX Tom Pemberton ETEX

Antony Penrose Penrose Contracting Charlotte Penrose Penrose Contracting Josh Penrose Penrose Contracting Roz Penrose Penrose Contracting

Richard Phelps ABP Michelle Phillips J.J. Morris

Dan Phipps National Sheep Association

Lynne Phipps National Sheep Association

Emma Pierce Wilcox Harper Adams Hugh Pocock Hillsgreen Jane Pratt Rivermead Dairy Gwen Price Goleugoed James Price LEAF

Philip  Prior C&O Tractors

Jennifer Proudlove Halton Farms Andrew Purnell Lely Bharath Puttur Muddy Machines

R

Caitlin Read Arc Russell Readman Harper Adams Matt Redman Matt Redman Agriculture

Jim Reece Nutfield Dairy

Tom Reed Penrose Contracting Grace Reid National Sheep Association

Tom Rhodes Morrisons Harley Rich ABP Mark Riches CLA Andrew Rigby Isuzu Ernie Ritchie National Beef Association

Florian Ritzmann Farmdeals The Farming Forum

Clive Roads McCartneys LLP Gary Roberts Penrose Contracting Hawys Roberts Jones Peckover

Hywel Roberts Jones Peckover Jon Roberts Jones Peckover Lois Roberts Jones Peckover Matthew Roberts Morrisons

Mrs Roberts Morrisons

Sion Roberts Jones Peckover Sioned Roberts Jones Peckover Anna Robinson Bentham Auction Market

Benny Robinson Millwood Crafts Christopher Robinson Millwood Crafts John Robinson Millwood Crafts

Name Company Name Company

Laura Robinson Dot’s Cafe Darlington

Olive Robinson Millwood Crafts

Rebecca Robinson Millwood Crafts

Sarah Robinson South Brockwells Farm Partnership

Vicky Robinson LEAF

Vivian Robinson Millwood Crafts Alice Robinson  The Cornwall Project

Amy Ross Dot’s Cafe Darlington

Charlotte Ruddy  T. & O. Harrison

Jay Rudkin Featherstone Machinery

Hazel Russell Morrisons

Phyllis Russon P. Russon & Sons

Tim Russon P. Russon & Sons

Toby Russon P. Russon & Sons

Matt Ryan Oxbury

Andy Ryder Village Green Farm

SJack Sadler Harper Adams University

Tori Sanderon Morrisons Martyn Sanderson Morrisons

Michael Savage ABP

Richard Saxby Rivermead Dairy

Alan Scaife KAT Farm Services

Rachel Scaife KAT Farm Services

David Scales Lower Pertwood Organic Farm

Lee Scott Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Tim Scott Nutfield Dairy

Nik Searston SAI Global Joseph Seels  T. & O. Harrison

Kerry Sewell KAT Farm Services Neil Shand National Beef Association

Alfie Shaw A. Alexander & Co

Elain Shaw A. Alexander & Co

Amanda Sheep T. & O. Harrison

Cathy Shellard Lower Tunley Farm

Robert Shepherd Thomma   Shepherd

Mel Shipley Oxbury Annemarie Shotton ETEX

Mark Simcock Harper Adams

Tom Simmons Riviera Produce Trever Simpson Hexham & Northern Auction Market

Candida Sirmon Agriconnect

Jonny Slack Peepy Farm

Wayne Slee  The Cornwall Project Ellen Smith Isuzu Claire Smithson T. & O. Harrison

Colin Smithson T. & O. Harrison

Alastair Sneddon Bagshaws LLP

Lynda Sneddon Bagshaws LLP Jeanie Stainton  Bentham Auction Cafe

Richard Stanbury  The Cornwall Project Sarah Stanbury  The Cornwall Project Debbie Stanton SAI Global Mike Steele Lely Christine Steer Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Robert Steer Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Russell Steer Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

Bertie Steggles Hillsgreen Matt Stevens Germinal

Phil Stocker National Sheep Association

Jennifer Struthers Scotland’s Rural College

Graham Style Lower Pertwood Organic Farm

Justine Sumner Agriconnect

TKeith Tallentire Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Caroline Tasker South Brockwells Farm Partnership

Debbie Taylor Bentham Auction Cafe Imogen Taylor Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock

Your

Assurance

Name Company Name Company

Iona Taylor Fen Farm Dairy

Michael Taylor Bentham Auction Cafe

Amanda Thomas KAT Farm Services

George Thomas Brooks Leney Jo Thomas CLA

Llew Thomas National Sheep Association

Michael Thomas McCartneys LLP Roseanne Thomas AHDB

Pamela Thompson KAT Farm Services Richard Thompson KAT Farm Services John Thorley The Henry Plumb Foundation

Neal Thornber NSF Simon Thorpe NSF David Throup Morrisons Emma Throup Morrisons Sophie Throup Morrisons

Harry Todd Rivermead Dairy Anna Tomlinson Hillsgreen Bradley Towell McCartneys LLP Frank Towers Bentham Auction Market

Sue Towers Bentham Auction Market

David Townsend Cutsey Farm Rachel Tredgold Lambs End Sam Tredgold Lambs End Simon Turner ETEX

UNick Uglow  The Cornwall Project

Lisa Urquhart Kivells (Exeter Livestock Centre)

VAndy Venables Hillsgreen Elle Vercoe-Gibson NSF

Ajesh Visram Agriconnect

WDavid Walker Supply Chain In-Sites Paul Walker Village Green Farm

Gareth Wall Bentham Auction Market

Monique Wallace

Penrose Contracting Sarah Wallbank Bentham Auction Market

George Wallis Isuzu

Conor Walsh Paul’s Farm Dafydd Walters J.J. Morris

Andrew Walton Hexham & Northern Auction Market

David Walton ETEX

Diana Walton Hexham & Northern Auction Market

Jack Walton Hexham & Northern Auction Market

James Walton Hexham & Northern Auction Market

Lucy Walton Hexham & Northern Auction Market

Peter Walton Hexham & Northern Auction Market

Howard Warnes Massey Ferguson Glenn Warrilow KW Alternative Feeds Charlotte Wash KW Alternative Feeds

Rachel Watling Agrii Nicholas Watts Nutfield Dairy Alison Waugh Daisy Bank Dairy Joe Webb T. & O. Harrison

Richard Webber Shearwell Data Georgina Websdale Supply Chain In-Sites Grace Welling Germinal

Arron Wells South Brockwells Farm Partnership

Chrissy Wells South Brockwells Farm Partnership

Joanne West

Laura Westcott

The Cornwall Project Nicola Wetherill CL Booking

Richard Wetherill CL Booking Ben Wheaton Landbridge Chartered Surveyors

Paul White Paul’s Farm Paul White Nottingham University Jonathon Whiteley Incisive Media

Guest List

Name Company Name Company

Rebecca Whitfield Rivermead Dairy Tom Whitfield Rivermead Dairy Lewis Whiting The Cornwall Project Dawn Wightman New Holland Andy Wilcox Harper Adams University

Iain Wilkinson Balgay Farm Jennifer Wilkinson Balgay Farm Katie Williams Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Andy Williams Riviera Produce Martin Williams CLA Matthew Williams Benn Lugsden Shepherding

Richard Williams Oxbury Mervin Wills Isuzu Lucy Wilson Wilsons Farm and Kitchen Michael Wilson Morrisons Robert Wilson Wilsons Farm and Kitchen

Rosie Wilson Bentham Auction Market

Tara Wilson Bentham Auction Cafe

Tim Wilson KAT Farm Services Philippa Wiltshire NSF Tom Windsor Lely Ben Wixey Germinal Ollie Wood Penrose Contracting Carl Woodcock Oxbury Claire Wright Clive Soanes Broilers

Gareth Wyn Jones Farmdeals/The Farming Forum Rhian Wyn Jones Farmdeals/The Farming Forum

YJohn Yeomans Llwyn y Brain Sarah Yeomans Llwyn y Brain Stuart Young Rivermead Dairy

The only UK bank dedicated to British agriculture

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In 2019, Caroline Drummond was awarded the British Farming Awards Outstanding Contribution to British Agriculture.

The esteemed and much-loved leader of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) received rapturous applause from the audience for her admirable achievements and inspirational influence on British agriculture, which spanned 38 years.

As Chief Executive of LEAF, Caroline made farming in the UK more environmentally responsible for the future by combining modern farming with conservation and engaging with the public out on farms.

She held numerous positions on farming-related councils and played a central role in changing the face of Britain’s farming policy. She was awarded an MBE for her services to agriculture in 2009.

Tonight, we will mark Caroline’s incredible legacy as we raise money for Cancer Research UK following her untimely passing earlier this year.

How to make a donation...

Just scan the QR code to donate to Cancer Research UK

A tribute to farming champion Caroline Drummond

Caroline Drummond MBE June 24, 1963 – May 23, 2022

Thank you to our judges

More than 60 industry professionals and farmers from across the country and from all sectors joined our judging panels this year. Their support, knowledge and time were instrumental over the summer when rigorous interviews were carried out with all of our finalists. Here is our 2022 team.

XJessica Langton, 2021 winner, Nottingham University

XTom Bradshaw, Deputy President, NFU

XAlan Laidlow, Chief Executive, The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland

XKit Franklin, Principal Investigator, Hands Free Farm

XMichael Halliwell, Commercial Director, Cattle Eye

XJanine Adamson, Innovation Technical Lead, Crop Health and Protection

XVicky Robinson, Technical Director, LEAF

XJake Freestone, 2021 winner

XDr Sarah Kendall, Associate Managing Director, ADAS

XNavaratnam Partheeban, Director of The Oxford Farming Conference, Farm Vet, Westpoint Farm Vets

XCharlie Bowyer, Business Development Manager, Livestock and Aquaculture at Agri-EPI Centre

Colin Davidson, 2021 winner, Skiall Farm

Jill Hewitt, Chief Executive, National Association of Agricultural Contractors

Beth Duchesne, Rural Business Advisor, Brooks Leney

Neil Fell, 2021 winner, N.R. Fell Mobile Sheep Dipping

Nic Parsons, Head of Dairy Development, AHDB

Janette Mathie, Head of Field Services, Cattle Information Service

Tim Sinnott, 2021 Winner, Ivy House Farm

Chris McElligot, Head of Marketing, CLA

Tom Cripps, The Ethical Butcher

Chris Walsh, Diversification Specialist, NFU Mutual

Jenny McKerr, 2021 winner, The Wee Farm Distillery

Kirsty Sadler, Deputy Head of Agriculture, Lloyds TSB

XKarl McConville, Deputy Head of Rural, Strutt and Parker

XRoddy McClean, Head of Agriculture, Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest

XSusie MacMillan, 2021 winner, Macs Farm

XJoanne Lampkowski, Regional Agricultural Manager, AMC

XSusie Dalton, 2021 winner, Daltons Dairy

XAled Jones, President, NFU Cymru

XBecci Berry, Board Member, The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture

XGuy Moreton, Executive Chairman, Real People Chloe Shorten, 2021 winner, J.C. Innes and Son

XJohn Thorley, Chairman, The Henry Plumb Foundation

XTom Addison, 2021 winner, Addison Agri

XHelen Brookes, Business Development Manager for Livestock and Agriculture, Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock

XJames Hadwin, Agricultural Consultant, JH Agri Consultancy

XMatt Harding, 2021 winner, Bentley Suffolks

XProfessor Louise Manning, Sustainable AgriFood Systems, The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology

XSophie Throup, Head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Sustainable Sourcing, Morrisons

XJames Wright, 2021 Winner, Wrights Farms

XJohn Bennett, Director, Dairy Decisions

XDavid Brown, President, Ulster Farmers Union

XMarc Jones, Trefnant Hall Farm and Consultancy