British Farming Awards 2023

Thursday, October 19, 2023

EVENING PROGRAMME

The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham Sponsored by

britishfarmingawards.co.uk

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09/10/2023 11:28

Supporting British Farmers

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We work with over

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British farmers.

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2 ,700

Net Zero

agriculture programme.

biggest

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We work closely with

our farmers to retail

award winning

British fresh food.

We source

2 ,000

Manufacturing Sites

RSPCA Assured pigs per week.

Shorthorn Beef is

Turriff Beef and lamb

Britain’s fastest

Colne Beef, pork, lamb and pet food

Flaxby Carrots and onions

Cutler Heights Fruit

growing native breed.

Chippindales Eggs Greenside Bacon, quiches, cheese and more

We annually spend

£500 million on British cattle,

pigs and lamb.

Winsford Beef, pork and lamb

Grimsby Fresh fish and shellfish

Spalding Pork and beef

Lowlands Nursery Outdoor plants

Gadbrook Fruit and veg

We spend over

on potatoes,

Rushden Potatoes

Deeside Sliced cooked meats

carrots and onions.

412 million eggs.

Rathbones Bread and bakery

Flowerworld Fresh flowers

£48 million

Each year we source

Falfish Fresh fish

We were the first

supermarket to launch

Planet Friendly Eggs

Thrapston Fruit and nuts

We sell over

14,000

tonnes of British

Wonky veg a year.

Our Manufacturing Roots

We support

British fishing

through our sites

in Grimsby and Cornwall.

MYTON FOOD GROUP

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09/10/2023 12:36

WELCOME TO THE 2023 BRITISH FARMING AWARDS

H

ello and welcome to the British Farming Awards 2023.

It is a huge honour to host this event, now in its 11th year, as we celebrate the very best of British agriculture and raise a glass to the winners and shortlisted nominees.

With more farmers than ever before able to attend what has become one of the best nights in the farming calendar, this sparkling showcase is our chance to highlight the pride, passion and innovation that is so abundant in our industry and shine a light on the people who work tirelessly to get food from field to plate every day.

Giving British farmers a voice and telling your stories is a privilege and one that is more important than ever.

Whether it is a story of success, overcoming adversity or simply making a difference, they are stories which inspire others to go above and beyond and chase their farming dreams.

And with farming’s role as not only food producer, but also a sector that shapes our beloved landscapes and provides open spaces for the public to nourish their physical and mental health, it is only right that we come together to celebrate agriculture’s special achievements.

Tonight is about getting together with your farming peers, meeting new friends and raising a toast to the best of British agriculture.

I hope you all have a wonderful evening at this year’s British Farming Awards.

Olivia Midgley, Editor, Farmers Guardian

A word from the sponsor

XAt Morrisons, we’re retailers

and foodmakers, sourcing and making much of the fresh food that we sell through our own manufacturing facilities.

This helps us to maintain our commitment on only selling 100 per cent British across our fresh beef, lamb, pork, chicken, eggs, milk and produce in season. Because we make food

ourselves, we have built up many long-term relationships with British farmers making us British farming’s biggest direct supermarket customer.

Sophie Throup, Technical and Sustainability Director, Manufacturing, Morrisons

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09/10/2023 15:50

MENU AND EVENING TIMINGS Starter Full English: Slow-cooked and pressed bacon hock, sausage and sage fritter, tomato jelly, confit egg yolk puree, mini hash round, black pudding aioli, pickled wild baby mushrooms Quinoa and beetroot samosa, sweet pickled ruby cabbage, cucumber salad, sriracha aioli, toasted coconut (vegetarian/vegan)

Evening timetable

X5.45pm Drinks reception and doors open X7pm Three-course dinner is served X8.45pm Awards begin and charity raffle X11pm DJ and dancing X1am Carriages

Mains Main: Blade of beef provided by Myton Food Group, pulled beef brisket and ale mini pie, potato, roasted beet, beef dripping gravy Sides: Beef dripping roast potatoes, seasonal vegetable selection, Yorkshire puddings Moroccan spiced squash Greek cheese and celeriac tart, garlic hassle back potatoes, creamed greens demi-glace (vegetarian) Dessert Raspberry frangipane tart, raspberry gel, white chocolate soil, ripple ice-cream, broken meringues

Tonight’s beef is Shorthorn beef and from Myton Food Group.

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britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:01

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BRITISH AGRICULTURE CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

This prestigious award 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 for fellow farmers, spearheading change and/or promoting the industry to the wider public.

This award is chosen by the British Farming Awards team and will be announced before dinner.

Demonstrate the Quality of What You Produce with NSF

Providing assurance and certification services to farmers for over 30 years, we’re here to work with you.

Choose NSF as your assurance provider.

We offer multi-scope audits for a range of schemes including Red Tractor, LEAF Marque and GLOBALG.A.P. We are also approved to deliver supermarkets’ proprietary audits.

To find out more visit www.nsf.org/uk, call 01993 885610 or scan

Beef & Lamb | Crops | Dairy | Fresh Produce | Pigs | Poultry

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09/10/2023 12:01

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

Supported by

In association with

Auction Mart of the Year SEDGEMOOR

SELBY AUCTION

MARKET DRAYTON

DINGWALL AUCTION

AT Sedgemoor, we pride ourselves on the service we give our vendors and purchasers alike, along with the very high standards of welfare for stock in our care. We can offer 100 dairy cattle, 800 store cattle, 300 stirks, 400 calves, 1500 store lambs, 1500 cull ewes, 250 breeding sheep and 100 pigs on the same day. We provide bespoke lairage for stock travelling long distances to ensure their best condition.

Due to our exceptional location off J24 of the M5, we act as a gateway for the West Country to national buyers. Purchasers regularly attend from Wales, Shropshire, Yorkshire, Norfolk and Cambridge.

Market Drayton is honoured to be shortlisted for the Marts the Heart Auction Mart of the Year award.

Our sincere thanks go to all our clients who use the market and have contributed to its success. It is the team ethos from director through to drover who all display that ‘can do’ approach and who are passionate about making the market thrive. Our aim is to enhance our client’s livestock marketing experience by bringing together the rural community and offering a facility where service and trade matter. Coupled with ever-changing technology, we try and keep our buyers and sellers informed on a daily and weekly basis.

We are delighted to be nominated for the Mart’s the Heart Auction Mart of the Year award. At Selby, we have a small, dedicated team and our aim is to keep in touch with and provide a first class service for buyers, sellers and hauliers, as their continued support is key to the success of our business. We have a hands-on approach with all members of the team willing and able to lend a hand wherever needed. We are well placed geographically and attract stock from Yorkshire and surrounding counties, allowing us to offer a great cross-section of livestock at our Wednesday fatstock and fortnightly Saturday store sales.

Evolving from a farmers’ co-operative, Dingwall and Highland Marts is managed by auctioneers and members of the local farming community. Working with local markets in Fort William, Portree (Isle of Skye), Lochmaddy (Isle of North Uist) and Stornoway (Isle of Lewis), we are committed to ensuring sellers over the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and beyond continue to access the best advice and sales opportunities. An increasing annual throughput of 20,000 cattle and 215,000 sheep ensures substantial interest from buyers and sellers. This is augmented by sales of farm implements, household goods, a thriving cafe.

A word from the sponsors THE Livestock Auctioneers’ Association is delighted to sponsor the awards, which acknowledge the role auctioneers and their businesses play in the livestock industry and the wider agricultural and rural community, a key part of which is ensuring farmers get a fair and true price for their stock. This is a great opportunity to recognise the role auctions play within the industry.

SHEARWELL Data is delighted to be continuing its support of the Mart’s the Heart Awards. Livestock markets are an integral part of the livestock farming community. Not only are livestock markets a place of business, but also a space where farmers can seek advice and see friends. Livestock markets and the live sale rings are key to a buoyant and competitive livestock farming sector and the future of the UK red meat sector.

CHRIS DODDS Executive secretary, Livestock Auctioneers’ Association.

RICHARD WEBBER Director, Shearwell Data.

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britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:02

New Auctioneer of the Year JAMES AMPHLETT (McCartneys)

ELEANOR O’NEILL (Gisburn Auction)

HAVING the trust and respect of both farmers and buyers is one of the most important things to me. I work at both Worcester and Ludlow markets and sell all types of livestock from prime cattle and sheep to stores and breeding stock. Another principal part of the role is as head of pedigree sales for the firm, which allows me to obtain new contacts from further afield and promote the everexpanding image of the firm. A hands-on approach early on sale days as well as plenty of farm calls makes for strong customer relationships which are a big part of the day-to-day work.

HAVING accepted the position as auctioneer and head of dairy at Gisburn mart in March 2022, I have enjoyed the rollercoaster of learning and opportunities. I have had the most fantastic year in Gisburn’s dairy shippons, smashing records numerous times.

Weekly sales provide such variety, which is both a challenge and a pleasure. Now on the rostrum, everything comes together – the people, the cows, my ‘eye’ and my knowledge – to push to achieve the best from each sale. As a mum of two young girls, it is wonderful to be able to show them hard work pays off.

JAMES COOK O’CONNELL (Hobbs Parker)

DANIEL WATSON (Leyburn Auction)

FOR as long as I can remember, I have loved going to market and I was fortunate to be trusted by my grandfather to buy calves and breeding ewes. I started work as a drover in Ashford market less than three years ago. I have now progressed to auctioneering and sell the cull ewes, ewes and lambs, breeding ewes and rams, and sell at our collective machinery sale. I believe the market system is the best way to sell livestock, and as a young auctioneer, I am going to do my very best for all farmers to make sure that livestock markets stay strong for the benefit of all.

GROWING up on the family farm and attending local marts gave me knowledge of livestock and the ability to value stock which I use when making farm visits and stepping into the rostrum. I was welcomed to Leyburn mart in the spring of 2022 as a trainee auctioneer and fieldsman. I started selling machinery at farm sales and within five months I was selling store lambs. I then progressed to auctioneering at the rearing calf sale, as well as store cattle, prime and cast sheep and other sales, where I hope I have managed to keep buyers and sellers happy.

Auction Cafe of the Year THE FOOD TROUGH (Ayr)

CLITHEROE CAFE

AUCTION EATS (Brockholes Arms)

MONMOUTHSHIRE CAFE

THE Food Trough was established at Ayr Livestock auction mart in April 2022, by local farmer’s wife, Mary Drummond. Mary and her small team pride themselves in providing their customers with fresh, tasty, homemade food in a friendly and welcoming environment. We offer a selection of breakfasts, homemade soup, filled rolls, freshly ground coffee and home baking all made on-site, as well as daily specials. We strive to ensure traceability and use local suppliers where possible, serving butcher’s meat and pies, milk, eggs, brie, ice cream and locally sourced pork and baker’s rolls, bread and vegetables.

AUCTION Eats is a family-run cafe at Brockholes Arms Auction near Garstang, Lancashire. We have been established for seven years and offer a unique blend of Italian cuisine and traditional British cafe food six days a week. By day, our customers rave about our big breakfasts and hearty lunches. In the evening, the cafe transforms into a bustling takeaway and restaurant, offering freshly made pizzas, pasta and other delicious Italian dishes. We always offer a friendly face, a welcoming chat and a warm, ‘home from home’ eating in environment for visitors, buyers, vendors and locals too feeding up to 300 visitors a day.

WE are over the moon to be nominated for cafe of the year. In May 2021, we were invited to re-open and provide the catering facilities here at Clitheroe Auction Mart. The menu, which has seasonal daily specials, caters for all tastes, from a bacon sandwich to a full carvery for any occasion. Serving coffee and a delicious selection of cakes and pastries made by our on-site pastry chef. We use only fresh local produce and we are very proud of the team who have helped create a fantastic environment for diners which is welcoming and friendly, and has undoubtedly contributed to us being nominated for this award.

SUPPORTING the local farming community, we offer homemade warming meals and a display of freshly baked cakes. All our food is locally sourced from butchers and producers. Our menu is famous for its big breakfasts, fresh crusty baked baguettes, roast dinners and lots of daily specials. Our cafe is run by a small team of farmers and their wives who enjoy producing good home-cooked food.

We are lucky to have a large spacious area for our farmers and local community to gather and socialise. The cafe is fast becoming the social hub of our community and we are proud to work alongside Monmouthshire rural support, RABI, Gwent YFC, and our local vets.

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09/10/2023 12:02

Paul Coates P. Coates, Cumbria XPaul Coates farms with his wife, Julie, their two sons James and Daniel, and his father at Barrockend Farm, near Carlisle. The family run a mixed farming enterprise including beef, sheep and arable, across 202 hectares of arable and grassland, and a further 146ha of land nearby.

The farm is home to the family’s 40-head pedigree Beef Shorthorn suckler herd and dairy beef finishing unit,

with 350 dairy cross British Blue calves finished annually.

Improving the genetics of the suckler herd has been a key focus of Paul’s over the years with the desire to produce a more efficient cow which is hardy and healthy.

Paul has also been on a journey to improve the farm’s soil health over recent years, as well as improving the farm’s biodiversity through planting hedgerows and wildflowers.

Paul Coates

system, finishing 150 Aberdeen-Angus cross dairy calves annually. The transition to a dairy beef system was implemented with an emphasis on rotational grazing for maximum grass utilisation, which has resulted in pasture quality and yield improvements.

As part of this Neil has also taken on a five-year reseeding programme, with grass growth monitored regularly to ensure the cattle are getting the most from the grazing platform.

Neil Davies

Neil Davies Cefnllan Livestock, Powys XMaximising profit from forage

is an integral part of the system at Cefnllan Farm, Powys and has been the driving force behind the business’s change in direction.

Since taking over the farm at a young age, Neil Davies has made many a change to the original farm business, all with the aim of maximising forage utlisation and increasing output per hectare.

The farm’s suckler herd has been replaced with a dairy beef

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britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:42

BEEF FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Helen Parr and Daniel Fabb D.R.A. Fabb Contractors, Cambridgeshire XHelen and Daniel Parr

are first-generation farmers, running a herd of 170 pedigree, polled Hereford cows across 158 hectares of grassland on the Fens in Cambridgeshire, as well as a hay and straw contracting business.

Without the opportunity of a family farm, both Helen and Daniel have undoubtedly worked hard to achieve what they have today and applied a real can-do attitude throughout their journey.

After getting into the beef industry in 2012, the couple decided to go down the pedigree beef route establishing the Fabb herd.

Since then, genetics has become a significant part of the beef enterprise, with Helen and Daniel supplying pedigree polled, Hereford genetics across the world, including semen sales, breeding stock for artificial insemination, stock bulls and breeding females.

Helen Parr and Daniel Fabb

achieve the duo’s shared goal of reaching net zero, including improved genetics, tree planting on unproductive farmland, Bokashi fermentation trials and investment in cattle housing to name a few.

Both Greg and Rowan believe there will be many opportunities available for UK agriculture over the coming years, and they remain excited about the future of farming.

Greg and Rowan Pickstock

Greg and Rowan Pickstock G. and D. Pickstock, Powys X Producing carbon neutral beef by 2030 using only commercial and affordable methods, is the current aim of father and son duo, Greg and Rowan Pickstock. The newly-built Brogain Farm is home to a semi-extensive beef finishing system where dairy beef calves are reared from two to four weeks of age, through to finishing between 18 and 22 months of age.

There have been many changes made to try and

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09/10/2023 11:42

Richard Beck J.S and S.M. Beck and Son, Cheshire XThird generation farmer Richard Beck farms with his wife, Emma, and parents, Steven and Susan, running 425 Holstein Friesian cows, producing average annual yields of 8,900 litres, with milk sold to Muller on a Sainsbury’s contract.

Following a study tour to Australia and New Zealand, he converted to autumn and spring block calving in 2010 which has not only simplified the heifer rearing process, but

improved feed efficiency, with milk from forage now standing at 3,800 litres.

With an eye on net zero targets, Richard is focused on soil health and forage quality and is measuring and monitoring carbon emissions, while solar panels have also been installed.

Richard is keen to credit the team at Whitening House Farm, with many members of staff having been with the business on a long-term basis.

Richard Beck

Katherine Jenkinson Katherine’s Jersey Milk, Cumbria XKatherine Jenkinson, along

with her parents and brother, are milking 155 pedigree Jersey and cross-bred cows, across 83 hectares (206 acres) of owned and tenanted grassland.

Katherine, who works full-time as a milk recorder, has her own 45-strong pedigree herd and is a regular on the show circuit, scooping various awards.

The cows are run on a lowinput, low output system, on a mainly grass-based diet and calving all-year-round. The herd

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is averaging 18kg at 6.1 per cent butterfat and 4.04 per cent protein.

In March 2020, she began selling milk from a vending machine which has now grown to three and now also includes local eggs, cheese and her recently launched milkshakes.

Katherine has secured a customer base of people who are lactose-intolerant thanks to the protein found in the Jersey breed which is A2 beta-casein and processed differently by the body.

Katherine Jenkinson

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:43

DAIRY FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Patrick Morris-Eyton Morris-Eyton and Son, Cumbria XAnimal health and welfare, efficiency and sustainability are a key focus for Patrick Morris-Eyton.

Keen to create an optimum environment for cows to fulfil their potential, he invested into a new, 54-point rotary parlour, while increasing numbers from 240 to 420 followers.

A move to three times-aday milking has increased milk yields with average annual production per cow of 11,800 litres at 4.4 per cent butterfat and 3.4 per cent protein.

Alongside this, there have been significant improvements in pregnancy rates, which have increased from 20 per cent to 31 per cent, and mastitis cases have reduced from 30 per 100 to eight.

As an Arla supplier, Patrick has been involved with its Climate Check project for the past three years, improving efficiency and productivity on-farm, utilising resources and reducing waste across the business.

Patrick Morris-Eyton

The new milking parlour halved milking times and the new facilities and system has led to improvements in health, fertility and performance.

Supplying to Arla, cows are yielding 6,500 litres at 4.5 per cent butterfat and 3.4 per cent protein, with milk from forage standing at about 2,500 litres.

Nathan is aiming to improve this figure and is focused on maximising forage quality and wants to increase cow numbers to 400.

Nathan Utting

Nathan Utting D-Agri-S, Suffolk XNathan Uttering runs the business alongside his father, uncle and cousin and is responsible for the management of the 300 cross-bred milking cow herd, along with two other members of staff.

He has been instrumental in making a number of changes to the business which includes moving into a new dairy unit in 2020, switching from an all-yearround calving system to an allautumn block calving system and drastically reducing mastitis.

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09/10/2023 11:43

Alwyn Phillips Penygelli, Caernarfon XAlwyn Phillips runs two flocks – 200 Texels and 200 Poll Dorsets, which are self-replacing and performance recorded.

His philosophy is that sheep naturally eat grass rather than concentrates and his aim is to produce rams which have been reared on grass and sell direct from the farm to commercial producers, with up to 60 rams sold each year.

He has been involved in a

number of industry research projects over the years including RamCompare, with his rams consistently amongs the top performers.

He has also focused on improving his grassland management and has been celling grazing since 2015 and is involved with the GrassCheck GB project.

In recent years, grassland output has increased by more than 30 per cent with fertiliser usage halved.

Alwyn Phillips

supplemented with silage/hay and bought in fodder beet.

The flock is in the process of switching completely to Romneys from North of England Mules which are lighter and perform better on an all grass system, allowing more sheep to be kept on the same area of ground.

The aim is to breed with as many ewe lambs as possible to increase the number of lambs born without increasing livestock units.

Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith T.H. J.P. Case, Somerset XAndy Smith runs a grassland

farm on a share farming basis with the owners of the land. It has 800 breeding ewes and 50 pedigree South Devon cattle with a focus on producing breeding sheep and cattle capable of thriving on low input pasture systems.

Sheep are rotated around the farm on a one- to threeday paddock system on a mixture of good quality permanent pasture and herbal leys and are wintered at grass

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britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:03

SHEEP FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Robert and Becca Rennie Rennie Livestock, Kelso

Becca and Robert Rennie

XRobert and Becca Rennie

contract farm at Mowhaugh and Attonburn on the Roxburgh Estate running 2,200 hill type North Country Cheviot predominantly for breeding, selling 700 ewe lambs, 200 draft ewes and 30 two-shear rams every year, along with 1,500 store lambs.

The couple have recently bought a lowland farm near Kelso which had been tenanted by the Rennie family for more than 90 years where

they run 400 Romney ewes lambing outdoors with minimal interference.

They also have a flock of 100 pure Texel and Texel cross Beltex ewes which breed 30-40

shearling rams to sell at Kelso Ram Sales every year.Before being sold they are used on the Romneys to produce fat lambs to sell, with some finishing off grass in 12 weeks.

David and Matthew Roberts D.W. and A. Roberts and Son, Holywell XThe aim for father and son, David and Matthew Roberts, is to ensure their business remains sustainable in the long-term.

They run a flock of 1,400 Texel cross Mules and are focused on reducing costs by growing better grasses along with red clover leys to produce better quality silage.

This has involved extensive soil testing and reseeding by direct drilling and the introduction of herbal leys has also helped to overcome drought problems.

Matthew and David Roberts

This has resulted in greatly reducing the amount of bought in compound feed and fertiliser.

Having better grasses and growing other crops such as fodder beet

has also reduced days on-farm for lambs. The farm is a Farming Connect focus site and a blueprint farm for Morrisons to help them become net zero by 2030.

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09/10/2023 12:03

Colin Chappell Chappell Farms, Lincolnshire XColin Chappell and his

family farm 645 hectares of arable land, adopting a conservation and regenerative farming system.

Working in ‘partnership with nature’, the farm grows a wide rotation with 5.5 per cent of the farm dedicated to wildlife, which will rise to nearly 8 per cent on renewal of their Countryside Stewardship agreement.

Colin focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of soil biology, which he believes

led to the most rapid changes on the farm, which have sometimes come at a financial cost.

On his heaviest field, he went ‘cold turkey’ overnight and direct drilled.

This led to a halving of yields for the next two years, which then led to cover cropping and soil regeneration in the form of a liquid cocktail of fish hydrolysate, molasses and potassium humate, but also the knowledge that in those first

Colin Chappell

few years a little bit of soil movement helped.

Ed Horton S.S. Horton and Sons, Gloucestershire XRunning a hybrid system

based on amalgamating organic practices and traditional farming methods to create a low-input yet high gross margin system, Ed Horton manages 3,500 hectares in Cirencester.

The rotation has been widened to include 18 different combinable crops, to enable the risk to be spread and allow different options to culturally control weeds before planting.

He is able to change rotations to manage weeds rather

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than relying on crop chemistry with a limited range of crops.

The range of cropping also opens up several new markets, allowing the business to deal with individuals rather than grain buyers from a middleman.

As well as using livestock to manage disease and regulate growth, 65 per cent of the farm’s nitrogen and 100 per cent of its phosphorus and potassium requirements are derived from organic manure obtained from two neigh-

Ed Horton

bouring dairy units, farmyard manure from the beef herd, and slurry from tenanted pig finishing units.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:44

ARABLE FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Nick Padwick Ken Hill Farms and Estate, Norfolk XNo synthetic insecticides have been used at the privately owned, 4,000-hectare north-west Norfolk estate, Ken Hill farms, for 14 years.

Liquid fertiliser use has also been eliminated and granular fertiliser use has gone from 250 tonnes to just 25t to be fertiliser-free by 2025.

Since arriving five years ago, farm manager Nick Padwick has introduced a rewilding project covering more than 400ha, including 200ha of woodland and

200ha of ex-arable land which is currently being managed by pigs, ponies and cattle.

Nick explains a large expanse of fresh water, marsh and arable land is coming to the end of its first Higher Tier, five-year Countryside Stewardship Scheme, which embraces all options that encourage biodiversity above and below the ground.

Yield is no longer the focus of the system – instead he is concentrating on the sustainability of the soil and

Nick Padwick

the land’s ability to produce crops for future generations.

Oliver Scott Bradford Farming LLP, Shropshire XBradford Farming consists of

more than 4,800 hectares, including arable, sheep, wildflowers, residential and commercial property, leisure enterprises, industrial portfolios and rural opportunities.

The farm has adopted a regenerative system by utilising direct drilling and minimum tillage cultivations, and incorporating cover cropping and sap testing to reduce artificial fertiliser application and minimise the use of pesticides and sprays.

Farm manager Oliver has begun polycropping by growing blended cereal varieties and gaining a better understanding of soil and plant nutrients to grow stronger, more resilient plants that require less spray input.

The current rotation includes salads, poppies and potatoes grown by local producers.

The opportunity to grow a variety of crops for different markets helps to spread risk and improve the land quality.

Utilising resources and skills, Oliver diversified into growing

Oliver Scott

wildflowers, which allows smaller, less productive areas of land to be harnessed and maintained.

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09/10/2023 11:44

Andrew, Marisa and Kirstie Baird J.P. Baird, South Lanarkshire XChanges made by the Baird family to the way they run their business have had a massive impact on improved efficiency and productivity.

Andrew Baird farms in partnership with his wife, Marisa, and daughter, Kirstie, running a 200-cow, cross-bred, robot milked autumn block calving herd near Lanark, South Lanarkshire.

In 2010 they moved to paddock grazing to increase whole farm production and at this time were milking 180 cows

Andrew, Marisa and Kirstie Baird.

twice-a-day with a fresh paddock after milking.

In January 2020, they started milking with robots and increased the herd to 200 cows.

As a result, both grass and milk

production have increased, but at the same time, fertiliser usage has been reduced.

Cows are averaging 7,675 litres from 1.8 tonnes of concentrate with 4,077 litres coming from forage.

Soil health has improved since a paddock-based grazing system was adopted.

Grass is measured on a weekly basis and reported through Agrinet, which has shown the growth has increased in total tonnes of dry matter grown.

John is investigating diverse swards and how they might complement work already been done by introducing more clover and reducing bought-in fertiliser.

John Fare

John Fare Fare Farms, Lancashire XOver the last 15 years

John Fare has transformed his dairy system to maximise the use of grass.

Block calving the 290-cow herd in spring and autumn has helped with the management of grass and silage supply.

Soil samples are taken every two years to ensure nutrient levels are on target and clover is being used to reduce reliance on bought in nitrogen.

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britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:45

GRASSLAND FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Chris and Bella Mossman, Mossman Farming, Ceredigion XTough times pushed Chris Mossman to transform his farming system, starting by improving soil health and diversifying his grassland.

The first 11 hectares of multi-species swards were sown in 2018 and since then all reseeds have been diverse swards with both cutting and grazing mixtures used.

There is also a nitrogen reduction plan in place. Having traditionally used 300kg/ha, by 2022 this had reduced to

126kg/ha with the eventual target being 50kg/ha, with none used on the multispecies swards and the aim of producing 12t/MD/ha in the 2023 season.

Chris has been joined in the business by his youngest daughter, Bella, and with the changes already implemented, her ideas for diversification and beginning to invest in renewables the family are confident they will be farming their improved land for generations to come.

Bella and Chris Mossman

Graham Parks G. Parks, Macclesfield XGrassland management is key to the success of Graham Parks’ business which is based on buying-in beef calves from dairy herds and finishing them on a mainly forage-based diet.

Graham has adopted a rotational block grazing system which he says has improved the quality of grass grown and also significantly extended the grazing season.

Ensuring the cattle have

top quality grass every day is important, and Graham is aiming for 12.5 to 13ME grass all summer and says excessive field operations are not necessary to achieve this.

Forage

A focus on forage is enabling him to stock more animals on the same acreage. Last year it was 2.4 livestock units per hectare, but this year is expected to be 2.5/ha.

Graham Parks

15 BFA p14 15 Grassland.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:45

James Duke ADF Milking, Sussex XA new technology based on ‘intelligent venting’, developed by ADF Milking, is improving dairy cow teat health and speeding up milking times on UK farms.

High mouthpiece chamber vacuum levels caused by inconsistency in the size of cow teats causes external and internal teat swelling, restricting the capacity of the teat canal, slowing down milk flow and preventing full milk-out.

The solution is called InVent, which detects when the vacuum level rises above a threshold kilopascals.When that point

is crossed, a valve in the liner mouthpiece chamber opens, injecting clean, food-grade air into the mouthpiece and reducing vacuum, resulting in each liner being the perfect fit on every teat during milking.

Controlling vacuum levels on each teat individually results in calmer cows, less teat damage, higher yields and faster milk let down, says founder James Duke.

Trials on-farm revealed teat congestion and colour were also significantly better using the technology.

James Duke

mean speed of semen to be extracted within minutes.

By using the analyser to test semen, cows with uncertain heat timing can be inseminated with semen that has good longevity.

Measurements can be extracted from fresh, frozen, conventional or sexed semen.

The company is looking to scale-up the technology so it can be used on all samples from bull studs to allow every batch to have a time-dependent motility signature.

Dr Vincent Martinez

Dr Vincent Martinez Dyneval, Midlothian XA pioneering technique has

been developed to create analyser which measures how efficiently bull and ram semen is moving.

Dr Vincent Martinez, co-founder of Dyneval, developed the concept behind the Dynescan semen analyser after realising techniques based on statistical physics could be applied to light intensity fluctuations in a video of a semen sample under a low magnification microscope.

This allows key parameters of the progressive motility and

16 BFA p16 17 Agri-tech.indd 2

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:48

AGRI-TECH INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

The IAG Team Innovation Agritech Group, Berkshire XA vertical farming frame pio-

neered by Innovation Agri-Tech (IAG) is capable of growing up to 17 crops a year.

The GrowFrame360TM can grow 3,250 plants at any given time without sunlight or soil and uses 98 per cent less water compared to the crop being cultivated in a field.

The technology was inspired by IAG founder and chief executive officer Jaz Singh’s farming background in India where he saw how arable land was depleted by

The Innovation Agri-Tech team.

traditional growing practices.

Indoor vertical growing, with crops grown in controlled conditions, offered a solution.

The GrowFrame360TM has 10 grow panels per frame and

can be used for growing crops such as leafy greens, herbs and chillies. It was developed after six years of research and development with UK manufacturers, engineers and academics.

Thorvald Saga Robotics, Lincolnshire XSaga Robotics is redefining the way strawberries are cultivated.

The company has developed an electric-powered robot, Thorvald, which provides a range of automated integrated pest management (IPM) services, including utilising shortwave light to treat plants at night.

By using this technology, strawberry growers can reduce fungicide usage for controlling powdery mildew, while enhancing crop yields and improving disease control.

The robot assists farms in their

The Saga Robotics team.

commitment to sustainability as it eliminates the need for diesel operations and reduces reliance on chemical fungicides.

Thorvald can also disperse predatory mites, cut runners and collect data in strawberry systems.

The company is planning to advance the data software

technology further by incorporating yield forecasting and disease detection. And because the technology is modular it is scalable which means it can be applied to different products and markets.

The robot is available to growers through a Farming-as-a-Service (Faas) model.

17 BFA p16 17 Agri-tech.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:48

Bruce Wilson B.C. Wilson, Yorkshire XB.C. Wilson is a specialist lime

spreading contractor. Operating in a 150-mile radius of the North Yorkshire base, Bruce Wilson has been offering application services and lime sales since 200, after purchasing the business from an existing contractor.

Operating predominately as an owner-operator service, Bruce applies lime and mineral products using a Gustrower 36-metre spreader mounted on a MAN TGM 13.290 4X4 chassis.

Other services include ATV-based spraying, weed wiping and

Avadex application. During the winter months, the business provides snow clearance and gritting services for commercial clients.

In addition to field applications, B.C. Wilson offers soil sampling services using a Magictec sampling system mounted on a Honda Pioneer UTV. This service allows the business to accurately assess and record nutrient levels in soils and generate field-specific application maps for nutrient application alongside work for agronomy businesses.

Annually, he provides services

Bruce Wilson

for an average of 50 different customers, with typical daily work rates of lime application of between 200-250 tonnes.

James Dodson Vineworks, Sussex XEstablished in 2006 by

James Dodson, Vineworks offers a range of vineyard and wine production services, including turnkey establishment of greenfield vineyards plus harvesting and maintenance.

Predominately operating in the South East, the business has grown with the increase in UK viticulture production and has developed its services to adapt to the needs of vineyard owners.

Following a degree in Viticulture and Oenology from

18 BFA p18 19 Contractor of the Year .indd 2

Plumpton College, Mr Dodson recognised that the growing demand for UK-produced wine would require a dedicated contractor who could offer solutions which were task-related, such as pruning and harvesting, alongside consultancy, advice and complete vineyard establishment with the supply of rootstock vines, trellising supplies and vine protection guards.

During peak season, the business employs up to 85 members of staff with 50

James Dodson

vineyards managed full-time, alongside a typical establishment of 30 new sites per year.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 15:51

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

George and Jonathan Fraser G. and R. Fraser, Wiltshire XG. and R. Fraser offers specific

service contracting and contract farming operations across an area of approximately 1,400 hectares. Operated by George and Jonathan Fraser, the business employs nine full-time staff across a base of 150 customers.

Alongside traditional agricultural contracting, the business offers more specialist services, including digestate application from anaerobic digestion (AD) units and direct drilling.

The application of organic manures from AD plants led to

business to invest in a Vervaet self-propelled tanker and application unit, which allows improved productivity and application accuracy. The growth of this service has aligned with a focus on the reduction of artificial fertiliser consumption and net-zero targets for some of the larger customers.

Reflecting this attention to improved environmental impacts, the business works with agronomy business Agrii to host no-tillage trials and open days to demonstrate their findings.

George and Johnathan Fraser

Machinery costing also plays an important part in their business management.

Kevin Heywood A.J. Heywood and Sons, Cornwall XLed by Kevin Heywood, A.J

Heywood and Sons offers a wide range of services including forage harvesting, combining, crop establishment, slurry spreading and, more recently, groundworks.

Recognising the changes in farming businesses and customer demands for increased insight into the tasks carried out, the business invested heavily in sensing and data collection.

Using a John Deere HarvestLab NIR sensing system allows them to provide information reports of silage quality and slurry nutrient

consistency when collecting grass and applying slurries.

Aiming to offer year-round employment to their 22 full-time staff, the business expanded into groundworks to increase the diversity of the services offered.

This has allowed the business to maintain a closer working relationship with some of their customers as they are able to respond to a wider range of tasks required.

Focusing on punctuality and machine reliability, the business employs an operations manager

Kevin Heywood

and full-time mechanic to better manage customer expectations and reduce any issues with unexpected breakdowns.

19 BFA p18 19 Contractor of the Year .indd 3

09/10/2023 15:52

Tamara and Tracey Alexander The Friesian Experience, Cumbria XHosting sleepovers with a horse

has provided a novel diversification for two farmers in the Lake District.

Searching to create a new income stream to keep their family on a farm which had not made a profit in decades, sisters Tracey and Tamara Alexander set up Stable Stays in 2019.

Holidaymakers can stay in a double stable with a luxury bed, where their chosen horse can put its head over the dividing screen to ‘say hello’, or they can see through a clear screen to watch their stablemate sleeping or munching on hay.

Tamara and Tracey Alexander

There is also the option of a Shetland pony, which can join in the accommodation side of the stable.

This expanded on the Friendship Barn, where visitors can spend time

with a chosen horse in a sitting room environment. Customers include young children with autism and elderly people who have spent time with horses in the past.

Amy Bateman Amy Bateman Photography, Cumbria XCombining her love of photography and the farm has been a winning strategy for Amy Bateman, with diversifications built around the picturesque Cumbrian farm.

After winning the major title of British Life Photographer of the Year, Amy and her husband sat down to create a business plan, conscious of farming subsidies being reduced.

This started with photography tours on-farm, before installing two luxury glamping pods to offer photography holidays. The business

has a unique selling point; learning about photography surrounded by nature. There is an on-farm studio in a stable, and the business offers photography days at Lake District farms, including their own.

Amy’s book Forty Farms was published in September 2022, bringing her work to a wider audience and sharing the reality of British farming.

A supporting photography exhibition has toured the country, promoting the beauty of the countryside, Amy’s work and her business to a larger number of people.

20 BFA p20 21 Diversification of the Year Small to Medium.indd 2

Amy Bateman

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:27

DIVERSIFICATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL/MEDIUM) CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Charlie Bowling Farmer Strong, Lancashire Charlie Bowling

XThe closure of gyms and group

activities during Covid-19 provided inspiration for Farmer Strong, as Charlie Bowling initially looked for ways to train on-farm.

As an international wrestler representing Team GB, Charlie’s work came to a sudden halt during the pandemic, and he started to search on-farm for suitable equipment to keep up his training regime at home. He shared his solutions on social media, utilising items from old tractor tyres to sandbags.

As restrictions eased, Charlie started offering training sessions,

taking advantage of the allowances for outdoor exercise, and expanded into group sessions once restrictions allowed, establishing ‘Farmer Strong’.

Word-of-mouth and social media have been essential recruitment tools, and there are now 70

subscribed members at the gym.

They also host a yearly event called ‘Fittest on the Farm’, which brings local gyms to the farm to complete challenges. Looking to the future, Charlie was hoping to set up a franchise scheme.

Holly Brooks Popell Barns Mobile Farm, Hampshire XBringing farming to children

who may never have the opportunity to see a farm otherwise is a key driver for Popell Barns Mobile Farm.

As first-generation farmers themselves, Holly and Lester Brooks wanted to engage young people and share their passion for the agricultural industry and what it has to offer.

The mobile farm teaches about animal welfare, biodiversity and sustainable farming, as well as bringing a practice

milking cow to teach children how to milk. The farm has also expanded into a care farm for children with special educational needs one day a week, and hosting school trips.

They sell their own produce direct to the public including raw milk and eggs, as well as honey and their own ice cream.

As a small, family farm, the relationship between the two businesses has been beneficial, with the mobile farm helping to sell their produce and raising awareness of the main farm.

Holly Brooks

21 BFA p20 21 Diversification of the Year Small to Medium.indd 3

09/10/2023 12:28

Chris, Sue and Thomas Heseltine J.G.E. Heseltine and Son, North Yorkshire XWhat began as a small diver-

sification within a 1,000-strong livestock farm has now become the main enterprise for Chris, Sue and Thomas Heseltine, with visitor numbers in excess of 60,000 from February to October.

Providing an educational, hands-on opportunity for families and schoolchildren to learn about food production and farming, visitors can see and interact with a large number of animals and activities, from egg collection and feeding lambs to

brushing pigs and seeing chicks hatch.

There is a significant outdoor area for families to play and picnic, although the on-site shop is also open. Education is fundamental throughout the park, with information points and boards displayed across many areas about the animals and the farm.

Alongside four full-time staff, there are 37 part-time workers and both the farm businesses and the diversification rely on each other to maintain the

Chris, Sue and Thomas Heseltine

farming link and subsequent success. Word of mouth has secured existing and new customer bookings.

Roger, Robert, Richard and David Nicholson Cannon Hall Farm, Yorkshire XWhen Roger Nicholson ap-

proached his bank to fund his open farm project, he was told in no uncertain terms he would never be able to make it viable.

Undeterred, he went on to secure the required funding and reinvest the subsequent profits to grow the business into what it is today with the support and help of his family.

Today, Cannon Hall Farm welcomes more than one million visitors across its multi-functional site, comprising a working farm, adventure

22 BFA p22 23 Diversification L.indd 2

playgrounds, a farm shop, two gift shops and three restaurants.

Key investments have been a new farmyard, built in 2013, which allows the public to view the farm from purpose-built galleries while allowing farm work to go on unhindered by visitors. Their indoor play area, The Hungry Llama, opened in 2015 and is one of the largest and best equipped in the region and there are more expansions planned over the forthcoming months.

Roger, Robert, Richard and David Nicholson in their farm shop.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:50

DIVERSIFICATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE) CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

David Rawlings D.A. and S. Rawlings, North Yorkshire XDavid Rawlings has success-

fully diversified into multiple enterprises through strategically adapting to market conditions.

Opening in 2010, the Priory Barn and Cottages offers a unique location for weddings and events, comprising a converted barn, a marquee and seven cottages centered around a private courtyard.

Six years later, work began on the production of what was to become an award-winning vodka, borne from the potatoes

grown on-farm and distilled on-site. Environmentally-friendly credentials also feature heavily, with the used potatoes being fed to the livestock, the distilling tower being powered through solar and waste kept to an absolute minimum.

Wighill Park Glamping is the latest diversification, which opened in 2020 and is aimed at visitors wanting to experience farm life in comfort and style, offering 12 sustainable, wooden glamping pods and an adultonly shepherd’s hut. The diversi-

David Rawlings

fications have also created new jobs for younger members of the family and enabled the employment of local staff.

Emily and Charlie Woodall The Barn KT9, London XDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, Emily and Charlie Woodall saw an opportunity to evolve their 405-hectare (1,000-acre) arable farm on the cusp of Greater London into a multifaceted hub which brings together food and drink, fitness, camping and unique event experiences.

Following a simple refurb of an old dairy shed, Emily, a qualified instructor, now delivers more than 40 hours of classes by 11 instructors, with nearly 100 unlimited members.

What started as a pop-up event in a tipi for a month to host baby classes on-site has gone on to develop and now operate as a cafe, open seven days a week and serving more than 1,000 coffees a week to walkers and cyclists, employing two full-time employees and two extra part-time weekend staff.

The tipi also hosts food events welcoming top, local chefs and utilises their World War Two blister hanger to become a unique event space.

Emily and Charlie Woodall

23 BFA p22 23 Diversification L.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:50

Paul Coates P. Coates, Cumbria XPaul Coates, who farms with

his father, wife and two sons, has developed and grown a mixed farming enterprise including a 40-strong suckler herd, 350 dairy beef cattle and 600 ewes.

Paul monitors and analyses livestock data every six weeks to increase productivity and lower the carbon footprint through tweaks, such as adjusting rations to increase and or decrease specific levels of protein for example.

He has adapted his land man-

agement to reduce the impact of being within a challenging location by utilising herbal leys with mixed swards to support the water holding capacity of the land and minimise the effects of droughts and heavy rainfall.

To improve biodiversity, nine acres of wild bird cover and wildflowers have been planted, as well as 12,000m of hedgerows in total over the past 20 years.

Paul is one of Morrison’s ‘Blueprint’ farmers and has become involved in initiatives

Paul Coates

such as mapping of soils to identify spot fertilising, animal health and nutrition, that can be shared with others.

Martin, Juliette and Matt Lines M.T. Lines and Partners, Cambridgeshire XMartin Lines farms in part-

nership with his father to grow mainly winter cereals on their family farm alongside some contract farm agreements.

For more than 10 years, he was in the old Countryside Stewardship Scheme to try to improve the natural habitat for wildlife on the farm; restoring hedges and establishing grass strips alongside hedges, ditches and field boundaries.

Martin, who is chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, has a strong focus on

24 BFA p24 25 Sustainable.indd 2

reducing pesticides and fossil fuel-based fertiliser using soil sampling for nitrogen, handheld tissue analysis, lab analysis and biomass imagery from satellites.

The farm no longer uses insecticides. There are flower margins every 90 or 120 metres across large fields and around the outside of small fields. GPS is used for placement of inputs and inflation tyre technology is used in all machinery, with further investment in tracks to minimise soil damage.

Martin Lines

Martin has brought in sheep to graze cover crops in the winter, adding fertility and biology into the soil.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:51

SUSTAINABLE FARMER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

David Shelton Shoby Priory Agricultural, Leicestershire XDavid Shelton is a fourth-gen-

eration farmer. He runs 2,650 acres with his son and two daughters, which embraces mixed farming principles and comprises 900-head of finishing beef, 230,000 chickens, 2,000 bed and breakfast pigs, arable and a solar field.

David joined the Morrisons Net Zero programme in 2021 which includes measuring the farm’s carbon footprint and looking towards reducing the level of emissions overall while improving the sequestration

and environmental credentials of the farm.

David has invested in roundhouse cattle buildings which has improved cattle housing environment and air flow, reducing pneumonia and allowing for safer handling.

The arable enterprise is at the heart of the circular farming system, maximising the outputs from farming livestock to improve the soil through high organic matter inputs from manure.

Recently, David has entered into a joint aquaponics venture, involv-

David Shelton

ing brown trout kept in tanks in polytunnels and the water being used to water salad and vegetable crops growing below.

Guy Prudom P. Prudom and Son, North Yorkshire XTogether with his parents, Guy Prudom rents three farms totalling 800 acres, running 230 sucker cows and 65 replacement heifers, using Stabiliser bulls on the cows and Angus on the heifers.

The family has been crimping cereals for nearly 20 years, which has not only brought the harvest date forward by up to three weeks, but ensures weed seeds are collected in the grain tank and removed off the field.

The farm is six years into the

strip till, Mzuri system, and soil organic levels are now pushing 4 per cent across most fields.

The soil improvements mean cover crops can now be established by just using the rear coulter bar, saving soil damage, diesel and time. Soil testing has been integral and is carried out on a four-year rotation.

Increased emphasis is placed on transitioning the cow’s diet from dry cow to pre-calving to produce the best quality colostrum and reduce calf mortality.

Electric fencing about a me-

Guy Prudom

tre from the hedges and stone walls has created the perfect space for wildflowers, insects and mammals.

25 BFA p24 25 Sustainable.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:51

Stephanie Powell Farming Fireside Chat, Monmouthshire XFarming can be an isolating and stressful job with little opportunity to share problems and advice around a fireside – so why not create a virtual version of that instead? Welsh farmer Stephanie Powell has done just that with the Farming Fireside Chat UK Facebook page.

Farmers often cannot physically be in a room together because of time and distance, so Stephanie decided to create a virtual space for them.

She launched the page in January 2022, and it has since

gone from strength to strength; members post their problems and others pitch in with advice and potential solutions. She has also found that introducing an anonymous button has proved a positive option for those who have something particularly sensitive which they want to share.

Although it is monitored and led by an administration team, it is driven by a community of like-minded farming and rural people with a common purpose: to help and encourage each other.

Stephanie Powell

Ally Hunter Blair Ally Hunter Blair AKA WyeFarm, Ross-on-Wye XIt started as a mission to prove

that British farming is ‘not just a load of grumpy old men in flat caps.’ Now, with more than 55,000 followers on social media and his own YouTube channel, Ally Hunter-Blair is one of the country’s best-known farmers.

By using videos and photographs to capture the highs and lows of life on a British farm, Ally is seen as a principal farming influencer, engaging with his followers to promote the industry he makes a living from.

He uses digital platforms to

26 BFA p26 27 Digital Innovator.indd 2

Ally Hunter Blair

share that story and communicate with a curious public, taking every opportunity to champion British agriculture and promote a sustainable farming approach.

Ally and the farm have also featured in several TV programmes, most recently including Born Mucky – Life on the Farm on the Discovery channel.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:52

DIGITAL INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Matt Slack E.V. Slack and Sons Master Butchers, Yorkshire XAs a farmer and butcher, Matt

Slack knows that British meat is the best in the world, which gives him a running start for promoting the industry on social media; something he does with remarkable results.

Since embarking on his social media campaign in 2020, he has gained more than 100,000 followers and achieved more than 50 million views.

His ambition is to educate people about where their food originates from and why they should back British farmers. He

Matt Slack

believes he has amassed a following quickly because he aimed to be as transparent as possible, with honest and informative content.

He wants to get across the message that British agriculture and livestock are the ‘best in the world, and something to be proud of’.

Tom Ware ‘Just Talk Agri’, Nottingham XYoung farmer Tom Ware took

to social media to encourage others in the agricultural community to open up about their mental health struggles after losing his friend and one-time colleague, Leonard Eadon, to suicide.

Eighteen months later, Tom’s ‘Just Talk Agri’ content on social media platforms has gained a large following.

Tom said: “Farming can be a lonely industry, which is where we come in to make sure that farmers know there are people

Tom Ware

there for them and that we are there for one another; for people to know that it is okay to speak

out and get the help they need to make their life that little bit better.”

27 BFA p26 27 Digital Innovator.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:52

Isla Soutter Harper Adams University XIsla Soutter has farming in

her blood. Born and raised on a purebred pedigree livestock farm with Texel sheep, pedigree Limousin cattle and arable land, her childhood was spent surrounded by the iconic Lake District landscape and adopting a passion for it through her family’s and grandparent’s farming businesses.

Studying at Harper Adams University has helped her pursue her passion for the sector further and she has thrown herself into educational

life, while also taking on various opportunities outside of her academic studies.

Isla has been involved with numerous breed societies and is a key member of the Limousin and Hereford youth programmes, with a particular love for showing and stock judging.

In 2020, Isla took the opportunity to travel to New Zealand to take part in the World Hereford Conference and, although she was put on the reserve list for the UK,

Isla Soutter

with a determination to be involved regardless, she was approached by Denmark and secured a place on their team.

Daisy Haigh Nottingham Trent University XDaisy Haigh has a goal and

she is not afraid to pursue it.

She has a family deeply rooted in agriculture and although she has pursued her education, she has ensured that she has also continued to dedicate herself and her time to working with her grandmother on their business, Beckside Farm Fertility. Studying agriculture at Nottingham Trent University, she received first class marks for her dissertation: The effects of oestrus synchronisation on conception rates in

dairy maiden heifers. Building her knowledge around cattle and genetics is clearly where her passions lie.

Daisy is a keen member of Young Farmers. Starting out at her local club in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, she rose through the ranks to become Nottinghamshire county chair for two years between 2020-2022.

She was runner up in the National YFC senior member of the Year 2023 and placed third in the national stockjudging competition too. At the heart

28 BFA p28 29 Ag Student (NEW with BB amends).indd 2

Daisy Haigh

of it all, though, are cattle, and Daisy began her herd of pedigree British Blues aged 10 and showed all over the country.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 15:53

AG STUDENT OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Stephen Evans Harper Adams University XAfter being told there was

no hope of him entering the industry, Stephen Evans defied all odds and worked hard to secure his place in the farming sector.

And now, he is completely hooked.

From a non-farming background in Northern Ireland, Stephen spent much of his weekends as a child on a friend’s farm and went on to work for a local dairy farmer.

Firmly set on pursuing his passion, he was determined to

attend Harper Adams University, and secured a place there to study agriculture.

Stephen had always set his sights on working with cattle, but a placement led him to work in the pig sector, and this changed the course of his journey.

He has since dedicated a lot of his time to promoting agriculture to those outside the industry and uses his own story as an example of the opportunities farming can offer.

Outside of academic life,

Stephen Evans

Stephen attends the Young Farmers of Ulster and enjoys livestock judging. He also a keen public speaker.

Naomi Ramsay Scotland’s Rural College XNaomi Ramsay has overcome

many challenges to get where she is today and hopes this is an example to others in terms of what can be achieved when you focus on your passion.

After years of questioning her own abilities due to her dyslexia diagnosis, during lockdown she finally decided to pursue her dream of working outdoors with livestock and applied for college.

Hard work and support have enabled her to thrive despite her dyslexia and since

attending Scotland’s Rural College, Naomi has gone from strength to strength – originally, she set out to study a one-year HNC but, she decided to continue and has now completed her bachelor degree in agriculture.

And, to further her education even more, she will continue on into a fourth year honours programme.

Outside of academic life, in March 2023 she became a Lantra industry champion, and completed a summer

Naomi Ramsey

placement with SAC Consulting, where she shadowed senior consultants and completed a wide range of tasks.

29 BFA p28 29 Ag Student (NEW with BB amends).indd 3

09/10/2023 11:53

Holly Atkinson Carswell Farms, Devon XHolly Atkinson started her career in agriculture as a farm vet, despite not coming from a farming background. However, a change in career path has still allowed her to apply her previous skills in her day-today work.

Holly is now based on a seven-site organic dairy unit in South Devon. She works as part of a large team and helps manage the youngstock with the farm manager and farm owner.

Together with the team,

Holly has anticipated various changes on the farm which have raised herd health and promoted efficiency.

Holly does not only have the welfare of animals in mind, she has also trained as a mental health first aider to promote mental health with her colleagues.

But this has not stopped at the farmyard, additionally on social media, Holly’s face_your_ thoughts page showcases insight and her own drawings about mental health..

Holly Atkinson

Jack Marlow Moulton College, Northamptonshire XAssistant farm manager Jack Marlow is part of a small team which runs the college farms livestock and arable systems, while tailoring the calendar around the students’ learning experience.

Jack is responsible for changing from stabiliser cattle to pedigree Limousins, while they are pushing their Green Gene trait to track the college’s carbon footprint.

Strongly supporting the curriculum, he teaches 17 hours a week tutoring the students around machinery and arable, and has received extremely positive

30 BFA p30 31 Farm Worker.indd 2

feedback via a survey about their teaching experiences.

He has worked to improve the arable yields over the past two years through better soil management, appropriate crop rotations and operation timings.

Jack helps to run a focus group for local farmers to share knowledge and attends multiple continued professional development events, working closely with the Limousin Cattle Society and regenerative specialists. His vision is for the college to become a centre of excellence.

Jack Marlow

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:53

FARM WORKER OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Sam Mosford G.A. Glassford and A. Stones, Cheshire XLosing your farm and pedigree milking herd would be enough to take many out of the industry, but Sam Mosford saw this as an opportunity and took on a Cheshire dairy farm and has not looked back.

Sam joined in 2016 and has worked up to become the herd manager, overseeing a small team and transitioning the cows into a new robotic milking system, which now comprises five machines. Alongside these runs an automatic feeding system, two slurry vacuums and

an automatic calf feeder.

His natural stockmanship has shone through and increased the cow’s milk production by 4,000 litres. He has improved various aspects of the herd health, including their fertility rate by 10 per cent in only two years working closely with their local vet.

Sam’s passion for pedigree cattle is clear, and he has led the herd to win numerous awards with through the local and national Holstein clubs while building up the herd reputation hosting events.

Sam Mosford

developing new projects to increase herd numbers and is adopting regenerative practices with mixed swards, soil health and reduced cultivations.

Nick has led a team to design and build cost-effective milking and housing infrastructure for the farm, alongside his normal duties.

He is a member of several discussion groups to share knowledge and enjoys engaging with the public during farm visits.

Nick Tucker

Nick Tucker Wastenage Farms, Devon XAfter joining the team at Wastenage Farms 14 years ago, Nick Tucker soon took up the role of herd manager and was responsible for developing a new dairy unit situated within Dartmoor National Park.

Achieving excellent yields, milk quality and animal welfare, he has a key focus on herd health which he believes ultimately contributes to a profitable and successful business, allowing expansion and progression.

He is also interested in

31 BFA p30 31 Farm Worker.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:54

Alex and Emily Crawley Grazing Management, Gloucestershire XAlex is a war veteran who proudly served with the Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

Following his diagnosis with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2017, he took a voluntary placement working with dairy cattle, which he said helped ‘soothe’ his PTSD. When Alex won a Clyde-Higgs scholarship via the University of Warwickshire, it was a dream come true. His studies culminated in working numerous jobs, before settling on a large-scale beef and sheep farm upon graduation.

Alex managed to secure 2.4 hectares (six acres) of rough pasture and launched Grazing Management in 2020, with one of his main focuses being contract conservation grazing to restore wildflower meadows, peatlands and heathlands. He takes on areas which are no longer commercially farmed and he aims to bring them back to grazing.

He credits the strength and valour of his wife, Emily, in building the business’ ethos which is centered on teamwork and togetherness.

Alex Crawley

Damian Barson Tessleymoor Farm, Yorkshire XThe old adage ‘it is never too

late to live your dream’ applies to Damian, who started farming at the age of 50.

Following a career in sales, finance and marketing, he was lucky to find an opportunity to take on a 26-hectare (64-acre) farm in Lancashire. He has now moved to a new farm – more than 40 hectares (100 acres) – which he solely manages.

Now a first-generation farmer, he aims to use various types of livestock to manage the pasture, minimise the use of fertilisers and

32 BFA p32 33 New Entrant.indd 2

Damian Barson

rotate animals to cultivate the land.

Embracing technology and software to improve his flock management has let Damian shine in an industry full of change and

innovation. He remains excited to see what the years ahead have in store, and also what he can offer to aspiring farmers of any age, gender and culture.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:54

NEW ENTRANTS AWARD: AGAINST THE ODDS CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Adam and Lucy Johnstone Lyde Green Farm, Hampshire XAdam and Lucy run a low-in-

put, regenerative dairy system on their farm with a mix of more than 200 Jersey cows.

Prior to their farming journey, Adam and Lucy had grown up in the countryside but without farming in their blood, although Adam studied agriculture at Harper Adams University.

Adam joined the Royal Marines for five years but had to be medically discharged, which led to a below-knee amputation.

Rejection and disappointment marked their struggles

to get on the farming tenancy ladder, with landowners rejecting the couple due to their inexperience and lack of family connections. But Lucy’s desire to take on a job milking was enough credibility for one farmer to give them a chance at Lyde Green Farm.

Demonstrating patience, determination and will to succeed, the couple have worked tirelessly to make their business run efficiently and effectively, and credit their vet for supporting them along the way.

Adam and Lucy Johnstone

Jason and Amelia Greenway Springwater Farm, Devon Jason and Amelia Greenway

XJason and Amelia are first-gener-

ation farmers from Dorset without any previous agricultural education or family business behind them.

They agreed a farm tenancy with the National Trust to give them the security and space they needed on 40.5 hectares (100 acres) of land to improve conservation, diversity and focus on animal welfare.

Their farm is certified organic and regenerative farming is at the heart of their business ethos, where they manage a range of Highland cattle and Mangalitza pigs.

They deliver sustainable meat

boxes from the farm, which are sold direct to the consumer through a local butcher who delivers nationwide with eco-friendly controlled packaging.

At the beginning of their farming

journey, Amelia held down two part-time jobs and Jason had one full-time role, which provided them with enough money to invest in their business.

33 BFA p32 33 New Entrant.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:54

The Beaumont family Gowbarrow Hall Farm, Cumbria XSam and Claire Beaumont farm 156 hectares (385 acres) in the Lake District operating a hybrid farm incorporating rewilding and regenerative grazing principles with 65 Shorthorn cattle, 14 Kunekune pigs and four fell ponies.

They are passionate about restoring their ancient wood pasture, species-rich grassland and heather moorland habitats, while producing nutrient-dense food. They produce Pasture for Life certified beef which they sell direct to consumers nationwide.

The farm is managed day-today by Sam and Claire, who have two young children, with Claire’s parents also involved as partners in the family farm business.

Both Sam and Claire admit convincing Claire’s parents to convert to regenerative farming was difficult at the beginning, but now they fully embrace it. Since moving to zero-grain feeding and outwintering their cattle, they said they have found their animals are healthier.

While they recognise increased input costs will probably

The Beaumont family

continue to threaten their family farm business, they are confident a low-input system will help them with this.

The Brown family Bluebell Dairy, Derbyshire XBluebell Dairy has grown

from milking a small herd of cows into a thriving family farm business and micro-dairy producing award-winning artisan ice cream.

Geoff, his wife Rosemary, their son Oliver and his partner Ella have worked together to grow the business, which has not been without its challenges.

To adapt during Covid-19, the family had to think of innovative ways to support the farm while it was closed to the

34 BFA p34 35 Family Farming Business.indd 2

public. For example, a ‘click and collect’ milk delivery service was set up overnight, delivering home-produced milk, ice creams and local produce to more than 650 households.

They said their key to success has been the high level of hard work, determination and input from each family member involved in the farm business.

The family are incredibly passionate about nurturing the environment, participating in countryside stewardship,

The Brown family

ongoing plans for solar panels and increased habitat management on the farm.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:55

FAMILY FARMING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

The Lowry family Manby Grange, Lincolnshire XThe Lowry family run a small, mixed family farm which prides itself in breeding quality Limousin cattle. Alongside the herd, the family produce arable crops and offer a contracting service with the help of their son Billy, who has become a partner in the business.

Dealing with the issue of succession was something the family felt was very important to sort out, and with the help of The Royal Countryside Fund, they were able to make

that happen. They said they value having Billy’s input and his ability to offer different perspectives and views to the family farm business.

The family have an unwavering belief in protecting small family farms and preserving and nurturing the land for future generations, having had the farm in the family for over a century.

They also believe engaging with the public and highlighting the importance of good-quality, home-grown

The Lowry family

food is crucial for the future of small family farms.

The Pemberton family Pembertons Farm Shop and Dairies, Lancashire XEach member of the Pem-

berton family is involved in the operation of the farm business in one way or another.

They are passionate about promoting British agriculture and are continuously striving to improve their dairy farm, not only for the future sustainability of the family business, but for the public they serve through their successful farm shop.

It is the shop that lies at the heart of the business, promoting their own produce and bringing the farm and public

together through ventures such as raw milk and the milkshake vending machine.

They have also introduced positive environmental changes on-farm, investing in solar panels, implementing a dribble bar on the slurry system and purchasing electric milk floats.

Succession has always been something the Pembertons have been mindful of, giving their son Tom the opportunity to be involved in meetings with their bank manager from a young age, which Tom said

The Pemberton family

he ‘felt very lucky’ to be able to do.

35 BFA p34 35 Family Farming Business.indd 3

09/10/2023 11:55

FARMERS GUARDIAN FARMING HERO 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.

CATEGORY SPONSORED BY

Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper Clarkson’s Farm XJeremy Clarkson and Kaleb

Cooper were recognised for their hit Amazon Prime Video series, Clarkson’s Farm, which captured the hearts and minds of the British public and farming community alike.

The pair have raised the profile of agriculture, particularly of the challenges the industry faces to the British public, most of whom may never have known how tough the daily realities of farming

and producing food for the nation can be. Showcasing the trials and tribulations of life on a 1,000-acre Oxfordshire farm, Clarkson’s Farm has done much to boost farming’s image, with Jeremy and Kaleb’s working relationship proving a particular hit and the pair quickly becoming an unlikely double act. They won admirers within the farming community, as well as becoming unintentional farming ambassadors.

Emma Picton-Jones The DPJ Foundation XAfter 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 throughout his entire life, but

36 BFA p36 Farming Hero.indd 2

felt there were no options for him to get the help he needed.

Emma launched The DPJ Foundation which operates a 24/7 telephone counselling service for rural people with mental health problems, has raised more than £150,000 delivered 450 specialised courses and provided 120 farmers with fully funded counselling.

Sam Stables Herefordshire 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 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.

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.

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 11:55

37 BFA p37.indd 3

09/10/2023 12:39

NAME

A

COMPANY

Alan Neil Tamara

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Tracey

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NAME

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Roy Rob Paul Owen Holly Amy

Ashley Ashmore Ashton Aspinal Atkinson Austin

Morrisons

Ben Zara Andrew Kirstie Marisa Lee Robert Tom

Baggott Bailey Baird Baird Baird Baker Baker Ballingal

Market Drayton Incisive Media J.P. Baird J.P. Baird J.P. Baird Lloyds Banking Greenslade Taylor Hunt Kramp

B

Eternit ABP Greenslade Taylor Hunt ABP

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:20

GUEST LIST

NAME Sarah James

Banks Bannister

Dean Damian Joel Amy

Barron Barson Bate Bateman

Jamie

Batt

Claire Sam Richard Aled Gregor

Beaumont Beaumont Beck Beech Belcher

COMPANY

NAME

Volac National Association of Agricultural Contractors The IAG Team Tessleymoor Farm

Mia Lydia Rosie Emma Derek

Belfield Bell Bennett Billings Biss

Joe Martin Sarah Dani Matthew Jodie Des Penelope Charlie Des

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Amy Bateman Photography Greenslade Taylor Hunt Gowbarrow Hall Farm Gowbarrow Hall Farm J.S. & S.M. Beck & Son AGCO NFU Mutual

COMPANY BASF NFYFC Chair Manby Grange Greenslade Taylor Hunt Cultura Connect Isuzu SAI Global Morrisons Morrisons Morrisons Pemberton Dairies Pemberton Dairies Farmer Strong Kramp

39 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 3

09/10/2023 12:20

NAME Gareth

Boyes

Jackie Louise Andrew Ashley Ben Holly

Bradley Bradshaw Brewer Briggs Briggs Brooks

Alastair

Brown

Hugh

Brown

Rosemary Davide Chris Adam Clare Amie Kate

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Angela Mike Tom Mr Mrs Gary Chris Claire Colin Richard Phil George Jon James Sarah Andrew Jonty

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C

40 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 4

COMPANY

NAME

National Beef Association Volac Agriconnect F.G. Brewer & Sons AGCO Agriconnect Popell Barns Mobile Farm Livestock Auctioneers’ Association Livestock Auctioneers’ Association Bluebell Dairy Auction Eats Vine Works Buitelaar Buitelaar

Lorna Julie Paul Paul Sue

Cliffe Coates Coates Coates Cobourn

Craig Sarah Andrew Beth James Jonathan Leo Antonio Terry Jack Emily Jane Edward Alexander Emily Sue

Codling Coe Connah Cooke Cooke Cope Copping Corleto Coupe Cox Craig Craigie Crank Crawley Crawley Creswick

Anthony Gordon Sarah Filip

Cullum Cummings Cunningham Czajkowski

Paige Heather Hugh Lizzy Sarah Scott Sian Will Tom Rebecca Jennifer Alfonso

Dalby Davies Davies Davies Davies Davies Davies Davies Davis Dawes Day De Luca

The IAG Team Agriconnect Goodyear Farm Tires Goodyear Farm Tires Morrisons Morrisons Kramp Kramp Volac Chappell Farms AGCO Buitelaar Morrisons Goodyear Farm Tires Greenslade Taylor Hunt Market Drayton

D

COMPANY Market Drayton Morrisons Morrisons Barrockend Farm Monmouthshire Market NFU Mutual Lloyds Banking Lloyds Banking KW Alternative Feeds Kramp Auction Eats Buitelaar Lely Center Eternit BASF Village Green Farm Grazing Management Grazing Management Monmouthshire Market Massey Ferguson Bush Tyres SAI Global Isuzu Agriconnect SAI Global NFU Mutual NFU Mutual Agrecalc Cefnllan Livestock BASF NFU Mutual Auction Eats

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:20

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41 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 5

09/10/2023 12:21

NAME Charles Zanna

Dean Dennis

Joe Rick Freddi Ryan

Dewhirst Dewhirst Dewhurst Doble

Andrew Chris

Dobson Dodds

James Lucinda Mary Andrew James Natalie George

E

Dodson Douglas Drummond Duguid Duke Dukes Dunn

Peter Milly

Eakin Eaton

Steve Julie

Edmond Edwards

Lyndon Sophie Mr Mrs Steve Chelsea Becky Jonathan Stephen

Edwards Eke Elliott Elliott Ellis Entwistle Erkskine Evans Evans

Leanne

Eyre

42 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 6

COMPANY

NAME

ABP Livestock Auctioneers’ Association Morrisons Morrisons Auction Eats Greenslade Taylor Hunt Isuzu Livestock Auctioneers’ Association Vine Works CLA Food Trough AGCO A.D.F Milking Goodyear Farm Tires Tenant Farmers Association

F

COMPANY

Daniel

Fabb

John Chris Chris Gregg Simon Glenn

Fare Fellows Flatt Foster Foster Foulger

Sally

Foulger

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Beth Luan Mark Pete Cath Barbara Andrew Virginia Emma Amelia Jason Chloe

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Arc Bagshaws Bagshaws

Lindsay Daisy

Haddon Haigh

Ben

Harman

Jo Mike Chris Michelle

Harris Harris Harrison Harrison

Agriconnect Cultura Connect SAI Global Harper Adams University SAI Global

G

H

D.R.A. Fabb Contractors Fare Farms Agri Web Media Bush Tyres Bush Tyres Arc M.T. Lines and Partners M.T. Lines and Partners AGCO

Keenan Agriconnect Massey Ferguson ABP Corrimony Farm Lloyds Banking Lloyds Banking Sheepdog School Springwater Farm Springwater Farm Isuzu Massey Ferguson Nottingham Trent University National Beef Association Goodyear Farm Tires Goodyear Farm Tires Lloyds Banking Lloyds Banking

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:21

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09/10/2023 12:21

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44 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 8

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:22

GUEST LIST

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Olly Lindsay Mike Adam Georgie Harriet Stuart Lindsay

Harrison Hart Hartley Hayes Hayhurst Heap Heap Heasman

James Chris

Herrick Heseltine

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Heseltine

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Heseltine

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Heywood

Mr Mrs Janine James Jake Rachael Ioan Ally Annie Raheela Michael Bernie Sue Verity

Hiles Hiles Hogg Holden Holt Hopkins Humphreys Hunter-Blair Hunter-Blair Hussain Hutchienson Hutchinson Hutchinson Hyland

I

Goodyear Farm Tires Agriconnect Greenslade Taylor Hunt Agriconnect Morrisons Auction Eats National Beef Association J.G.E. Heseltine and Son J.G.E. Heseltine and Son J.G.E. Heseltine and Son A.J. Heywood and Sons Bagshaws Bagshaws Arc Morrisons KW Alternative Feeds ABP WyeFarm Eternit Saga Robotics Market Drayton Market Drayton Agriconnect

Ewan

Irvine

Sheepdog School

Amy Harry Mark

Jackson Jackson Jackson

Oxtale ABP Agriconnect

J

NAME

COMPANY

Stephen

Jacob

Katherine Milk Dani David Joel Ollie Adam Emma Paul Anke

Jenkinson Johnson Johnson Johnson Johnson Johnstone Johnstone Johnstone Jones

Anne Evan

Jones Jones

Iestyn Mark Maurice Pam Sabrina

Jones Jones Jones Jones Jordan

Lyde Green Farm Lyde Green Farm Lyde Green Farm Monmouthshire Market Market Drayton KW Alternative Feeds SAI Global Market Drayton KW Alternative Feeds Cultura Connect Virbac

Jas Alan

Kaur King

The IAG Team Buitelaar

Tom Mandy Andrew

Lamb Latham Laughton

Matt David Rob Robin Patrick John Laura Alice David

Launder Lawrie Leighton Levin Levinge Lewis Lewis Liddle Lightfoot

Eternit Cultura Connect National Beef Association Gallagher insurance ABP KW Alternative Feeds SAI Global

K L

The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture Katherine’s Jersey Bush Tyres BASF

Squirrels Nest Squirrels Nest Morrisons ABP

45 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 9

09/10/2023 12:22

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46 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 10

VISIT ISUZU.CO.UK FOR MORE INFORMATION 05/09/2023 13:53

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:22

GUEST LIST

NAME Izzy Juliet Martin Mr Alistair

M

Scott Andrew Diane Alasdair Nicola Sofia Sabrina Lovey Deepa Joe Bernardo Jack Dr Vincent Louisa Jackie Paul Jude James Declan Tom Tom Lizzy Oliver Olivia Scott Gareth Sally Sophie Liam Lyndsay Ian James

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NAME

M.T. Lines and Partners M.T. Lines and Partners M.T. Lines and Partners Bagshaws ABP

Laura Patrick Sam

Morris Morris-Eyton Mosford

Bella Lee Sarah Ben

Mossman Mountain Murray Mycock

Cultura Connect Morris-Eyton and Son G.A. Glassford and A. Stones Mossman Farming Morrisons Agriconnect Lely Center

Nelson Newbury Nicholson Nicholson Nicholson Nicholson Nuttall Nuzzo

Morrisons Arc Cannon Hall Farm Cannon Hall Farm Cannon Hall Farm Cannon Hall Farm SAI Global Auction Eats

O’Brien O’Sullivan Olley Ornstien Osiowy Owen Owen

Volac Volac AGCO Agriconnect Agriconnect Bagshaws Bagshaws

Nick

Padwick

Amy Graham Helen

Panton Parks Parr

Ailsa Andrew Joanna

Pemberton Pemberton Pemberton

Ken Hill Farms and Estate SAI Global Overbank Farm D.R.A. Fabb Contractors Pemberton Dairies Pemberton Dairies Pemberton Dairies

Mackintosh Lloyds Banking Macleod ABP Macleod ABP Macnab NFUS Madera Auction Eats Madera Auction Eats Madera Auction Eats Mandair The IAG Team Manikkath Haridas The IAG Team Mannion Buitelaar Marandino BASF Marlow Moulton College Martinez Dyneval Martyn NFU Mutual Massey Bush Tyres Massey Bush Tyres McCann RABI McCaughern Morrisons McDonnell Volac Mead Melton Kramp Mercer Lely Center Meritt Lyde Green Farm Midgley Agriconnect Millar ABP Millward Goodyear Farm Tires Mitchell Greenslade Taylor Hunt Mitchell Mooney Agriconnect Moore Agriconnect Morgan Livestock Auctioneers’ Association Morgan ABP

N

Emma Leighton David Richard Robert Roger Lizzy Fernando

O

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COMPANY

47 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 11

09/10/2023 12:22

By the side of Britain’s farmers Your farm is more than just a business, and our relationship managers know this. From specialist farm finance, to guidance and support for everyday funding, they will work alongside you and help nurture your ambition.

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BEE004965_LB_BFA Show Guide_132x86_0823.indd 1

23/08/2023 14:34

Beehive ID

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Page Size

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Stockcode

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Page Count

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Version Date

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Date

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Colour

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WE’RE PROUD TO SPONSOR 1 THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL/MEDIUM) AWARD Version

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48 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 12

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:23

GUEST LIST

NAME John Thomas Louise Alwyn Greg Rowan Hugh Kate Andrew Faye Stephanie

Pemberton Pemberton Penn Phillips Pickstock Pickstock Pocock Pocock Powell Powell Powell

Anna Reg Guy Marcello

Price Price Prudom Pulizzi

Alice Naomi David Lee Tanya Karolina Rebecca Robert Gwilym Heather Mathew

Rabjohns Ramsay Rawlings Reeves Reid Rejowska Rennie Rennie Richards Richards Roberts

Matthew Sian Heather

Roberts Roberts Robertson

Andrew Katie Michelle Charlie Alex Tim Stephanie

Robinson Robinson Robinson Rollason Roue Russon Ryder

R

COMPANY

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Pemberton Dairies Pemberton Dairies Ceres Rural

S

G. and D. Pickstock G. and D. Pickstock Cultura Connect Cultura Connect Buitelaar Buitelaar Farming Facebook Fireside Chat Greenslade Taylor Hunt Lely Center P. Prudom and Son Auction Eats ABP Scotland’s Rural College D.A. and S. Rawlings Lloyds Banking Lloyds Banking Kramp Rennie Livestock Rennie Livestock Market Drayton Market Drayton D.W. and A. Roberts and Son Morrisons Morrisons Monmouthshire Market Buitelaar Agriconnect Buitelaar AGCO KW Alternative Feeds P. Russon & Sons Agriconnect

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Neil Oliver

Scott Scott

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49 BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 13

09/10/2023 12:23

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COMPANY

Megan Mr Mrs Paul

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Holly Isla

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BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 14

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BFA p38 50 Guestlist .indd 15

51

15-Sep-23 12:40:38 PM

09/10/2023 12:23

THANK YOU TO OUR JUDGES Over 60 industry professionals and farmers from all agricultural sectors across the UK have joined our judging panels this year. Their support, knowledge and time were instrumental during the finalists’ interviews. A heartfelt thank you goes to all of them.

Meet our 2023 judging team

XAgricultural Student of the Year George Dunn, chief executive, Tenant Farmers Association Alice Liddle, corporate services specialist, Morrisons Rhona Campbell-Crawford, 2022 winner, Harper Adams University

XAgri-Tech Innovator of the Year Rebecca Geraghty, chief commercial officer, Agrimetrics Scott Davies, chief executive, Agrecalc Chris Chavasse, founder and chief technology officer, Muddy Machines

XArable Farmer of the Year

Tom Turner, agri business consultant, ADAS Patrick Levinge, head of agronomy, Velcourt Alice Dyer, arable specialist, Arable Farming

XDairy Farmer of the Year

XFamily Farming Business

Ewan Irvine, 2022 winner, Sheepdog School Amy Jackson, director, Oxtale Andy Venables, managing director, Hills Green

Louise Penn, agronomist, Ceres Rural Robert Ramsey, agricultural consultant, SAC Andrew Brewer, 2022 winner, F.G. Brewer and Sons

XDigital Innovator of the Year

XDiversification of the Year (Small to Medium)

XBeef Farmer of the Year

Philip Wynn, managing director, Wynn Business Partnerships Gareth Wynn-Jones, livestock farmer, Ty’n Llwyfan Emma Gray, 2022 winner, Sheepdog School

XContractor of the Year

Alasdair Macnab, vice president, NFUS Matthew Smart, founder and director, Rural Asset Finance Laura and John Lewis, 2022 silver, Squirrels Nest

Ben Harman, chairman, National Beef Association James Herrick, beef and arable farmer, Leicestershire John Aynsley, 2022 winner, Skelton Estates

XDiversification of the Year (Large)

James Bannister, chairman, National Association of Agricultural Contractors Olly Harrison, partner, T and O Harrison Tim Russen, 2022 winner, Russen and Sons

XFarm Worker of the Year

52 BFA p52 Judges.indd 2

Beth Gardner, adviser, Keenan

Lyndon Edwards, board member and dairy sector council chair, AHDB Gemma Smale-Rowland, appointee, NFU Dairy Board Gordon Davis, 2022 winner, Rivermead Dairy

Amie Burke, inclusivity programme manager, IGD Gregor Belcher, propositions consultant, NFU mutual

of the Year

Emily Mee, 2022 winner, Lyveden Farm Barbara Girvan, director, Corrimony Farm Tessa Berridge, senior programmes manager, Prince’s Countryside Fund

XGrassland Farmer of the Year

XNew Entrant: Against the Odds

Stephen Jacob, chief executive, The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture James Eckley, chief officer, The National Federation of Young Farmer’s Clubs James and Emma Edwards, 2022 winner, J.J. Livestock Solutions

XSheep Farmer of the Year

Phil Stocker, chief executive, National Sheep Association Angela Calvert, head of livestock and sales, Farmers Guardian David Eglin, 2022 winner, Bramcote Mains

XSustainable Farmer of the Year Jude McCann, chief executive, RABI Lucinda Douglas, regional director, north, CLA David Singleton, agricultural lecturer, Myerscough College

britishfarmingawards.co.uk 09/10/2023 12:24

CHARITY PARTNER As part of this year’s British Farming Awards, our chosen charity partner is My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, in memory of Doddie Weir.

D

oddie Weir was one of rugby’s most recognisable personalities.

He earned 61 caps for Scotland during a successful playing career, represented the British and Irish Lions on their successful tour to South Africa in 1997, and won championships with his two club sides, Melrose and Newcastle Falcons.

In 2005, having retired from professional rugby, Weir settled in at the 121-hectare (300-acre) Bluecairn Farm, located only a few miles from where he was brought up at Cortleferry. He went on to work for Hutchinson Environmental Solutions, a waste management company that was started by his father-in-law.

He was also active on the after-dinner speech circuit, and occasionally made appearances in his distinctive tartan suits on television, including as a sports pundit for the BBC. A talented, committed, and athletic lock forward, Doddie faced his biggest challenge after revealing he was suffering from Motor Neuron Disease (MND) in 2017. From the outset, Doddie was driven to help fellow sufferers and seek ways to further research into this as yet incurable disease.

Driven by his frustration at the

Picture: Getty

MY NAME’5 DODDIE FOUNDATION

Doddie Weir

lack of progress in the treatment of MND and the absence of options for those given this awful diagnosis, Doddie and his Trustees established the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, launched at Murrayfield ahead of the Scotland v New Zealand match in November 2017.

Their vision is clear: a world free of MND. To date, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation has committed more than £8 million to

research and over £1.5m to support families living with MND. To donate to the foundation, there are printed envelopes on the tables ahead of this evening’s raffle.

We ask you consider donating a £20 contribution as a table for each envelope, which we will collect during dinner.

MORE INFORMATION To find out more, visit myname5doddie.co.uk

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Raffle prizes

This evening’s raffle prizes will be drawn by British Farming Award’s host, Jim Smith North Face rucksacks with Goodyear farm Tires branding, worth £100 each Kindly donated by Goodyear Massey Ferguson Special Edition Queen’s Jubilee model tractor Kindly donated by AGCO Rugby ball signed by the Welsh team Kindly donated by Isuzu KUHN Manopul Knapsack sprayer, worth £100 Kindly donated by KUHN Gift voucher for StowAg, worth £150 Kindly donated by the NFU Rolly Toys ride-on child’s tractor with a choice on brand and 96-piece toolkit including delivery, worth £300 Kindly donated by Kramp Skyes Cottages holiday voucher, worth £500 Kindly donated by Sykes Cottages Two Madness tickets for the AO Arena in Manchester Kindly donated by ASM Global Two concert tickets Kindly donated by the NEC Two-night stay in a camping pod in Windermere, worth £175 Kindly donated by Parkcliffe caravan and camping park Leeds Rhinos signed rugby shirt Kindly donated by Leeds Rhinos

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