18 | FRIDAY OCTOBER 31 2014WWW.FARMERSGUARDIAN.COM

Farmers celebrate industry

innovation

It was a fantastic night at the 2014 BritishFarming Awards last Thursday, with almost500 farmers and industry representativesgathering to celebrate the best in British

farming innovation, new entrants, students,partnerships and farming families.

Danusia Osiowy and Vickie Robinsonreport. Pictures by Marcello Garbagnoli.

Sponsored by:

| 19FRIDAY OCTOBER 31 2014WWW.FARMERSGUARDIAN.COM

To view and buy pictures from the British Farming Awards, visit

farmersguardian.smugmug.com

Falklands war veteran

Simon Weston

received a standing

ovation for his after

dinner speech.

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2014 winnersrevealed

Sponsored by:

From: Andrew Ward,Lincolnshire; Ed Ford, Essex;and Rebecca Horsington,SomersetThe project: A farming trio

who are recognised for theirtireless efforts when floodingswamped the SomersetLevels earlier this year.Over the subsequent

weeks and months, the triowere instrumental inorganising a fleet of morethan 70 lorry loads of forageand bedding from across thecountry to travel to Somersetand help ease the burgeoningcrisis under #forageaid, acampaign Andrew firstestablished during the terriblesnow storms in spring 2013.What the judges said: “This

was an incredibly toughcategory to judge but for thesheer scale of the project andgalvanising the industry, theSomerset Floods ResponseTeam’s work stood out.”On winning:Ed: “It is just one of thosethings you stand up and do. Idid not think we were beingheroes, we just did what wethought was right.”Andrew: “This award is forthe whole farmingcommunity, it was Britishagriculture which made it[#forageaid] a success.”

AGRICULTURAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR

From: Gulworthy, DevonStory: Hailing from a farmingbackground and the youngestof four brothers, Ross Edwardshas always wanted to work inthe agricultural industry. Recently graduating with a

first class honours degree inagriculture, the 22-year-oldpreviously secured ascholarship with Velcourt,where he completed a 12-month work placement on a1,578-hectare (3,900-acre)farm estate in Dorset, helpingto run 1,000 dairy cows, 2,500

Romney sheep and 400beef stores.

During histime atHarper,Ross waschairmanof theweeklyforum andwasrecently

awarded theTop Student in

Agriculture award, for achieving74 per cent across all modules. When he is not managing his

own flock of pedigree Texels,Ross remains a keen member ofTavistock YFC and hopes to puthis dissertation findings – whichlooked at the effects of lucernein dairy cow performance – togood use when he shortlybegins a trainee farmmanagement programme.What the judges said: “Ross’approach to joining the industrywas well-planned and based onmore than hard work on thefarm. This ranges from buildinghis flock of Texel sheep fromthe age of 10, to contributingthrough membership within theTexel Sheep Society, NationalSheep Association and YoungFarmers. “Ross has deeply involved

himself in the studentcommunity, taking onleadership roles, and hasshown strong understandingcomplacency is not an option infarming.”

This is just amazing, a

really cracking wayto end my course. Iam off to NZ forfive monthstomorrow

“

From:Red House Farm, NorthShropshireThe business:Back in 2005,Stephen read a magazine articlewhich gave him inspiration for hisnovel idea. Seven years later,after extensive field trials carriedout by Stephen and his father on-farm, the first commercial crop ofquinoa in the UK was grown. They subsequently evolved the

British Quinoa Company tohelp market the cropmore efficiently andengage consumerrelations. It now has a smallnetwork of three growers,who are dotted aroundthe country and the aimis to expand whilereducing the risk.Stephen already hasother crops in the pipelineand hopes to develop them ina similar way to quinoa.What the judges said: “Wewere impressed with the wayStephen had looked at all aspectsof the crop, from variety selectionthrough agronomy, to market

requirements. The fact he hasput in place some commercialprotection demonstrates asound business sense. His work

with the UK pesticides regulator,the Chemicals RegulationDirectorate, is particularlycommendable.”

FARMERS GUARDIAN FARMING HERO – sponsored by Crystalyx

I feelshocked to havewon and proud tobe part of the

farming communityREBECCA

HORSINGTON

“ARABLE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Certis

FarmersGuardian’snews andbusinesseditor BenBriggs(left) withRossEdwards.

Left to right: GraemeWarnock, marketingco-ordinator atCrystalyx, Ed Ford,Rebecca Horsingtonand Andrew Ward.

Inez Cornell,arable productmanager fromCertis, withStephen Jones.

Somerset FloodsResponse Team

Ross Edwards, Harper AdamsUniversity

Stephen Jones, The British Quinoa

Company

Winningthis award

means, for me,confidence mybusiness plan issound and thatmy work will

pay off

“

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From: W. Cumber and Son,Abingdon, OxfordshireThe business: In 2009, farmmanager Neil Rowe set aboutdesigning and building a new beefbuilding on a greenfield site forestate owners W. Cumber andSon, at Manor Farm. The aim ofthis ‘beef house’ was to maximiseoutput and at the same timeminimise inputs and the unit’scarbon footprint. Neil, whosebackground is in high-tech

robotic dairying, says the focusfor the design was on animalwelfare, with the end gamebeing to reduce antibiotic use.He says there is now no

prophylactic use of antibiotics,and antibiotic treatments for the150-cow Stabiliser herd plusfollowers is now close to zero.Neil says he is interested in

developing an ‘Oxfordshire Ox’local beef brand and is triallingdry-ageing beef with rock salt.

Other future developmentsinclude thermal imaging camerasto pick out ill animals and poorperformers.What the judges said: “Neil hasnot just demonstratedinnovation on a single level andleft it at that, he has gone on totry multiple innovations. Wewere impressed with hisawareness of issuessurrounding animal health andwelfare, and in particularantibiotic usage.“We could easily see how he

has worked to ensure the rightenvironment and level ofmanagement is achieved througha number of innovativeapproaches.”

It isabsolutely

amazing, I did notexpect to win at all.Innovation is vital to

the industryNEIL ROWE

“DAIRY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Cogent

From:West Drumlemble,Campbeltown, ArgyllThe business:Twenty-two-year-old Thomas Irwin has come home tofarm in partnership with his parentson the 105-hectare (260-acre) home steading, with 220 cows,

mostly Holsteins, but with a steadilygrowing number of cross-breds. His mission is to get the most out

of the abundant grass the Mull ofKintyre offers and to challengecows by cutting back on summerconcentrates, which he believeswill dramatically boost profitability.As a result of strict rotationalgrazing, the business has almosttripled its milk from forage to nearly3,500 litres.What the judges said: “[Thebusiness] showed a strongpassion for change and makingthe business fit with thegeographical and climateconstraints and also fit with themilk purchaser’s requirements.”Highly commended:StephenTemple, J.F. Temple and Son.

Unfortunately Thomas could not attend but

sent the following:

It is a privilege beingamong this special

line up of topinnovativefarmers

“DIVERSIFICATION INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Santander

Three Little Pigs:Beverley, EastYorkshireThe business: JonathanClarkson moved back to the

194-hectare (480-acre) familyarable farm, near Beverley, EastYorkshire when he marriedCharlotte in 2005. The couple were given a Berkshiresow as a wedding present andthis was the catalyst for thedevelopment of the Three LittlePigs business, which has beenselling chorizo and salami since2010. What the judges said: “A greatstory about how they got into pigsand why they decided to dochorizo. It has been a steeplearning curve but they haveseized opportunities anddeveloped the business.”

Wold Top Brewery:Driffield,East Yorkshire

The business:Tom and GillMellor have built a thrivingbusiness by turning their home-grown barley into a popular rangeof beers. Not content with runningthe award-winning brewery in aconverted barn on their 233-hectare (575-acre) arable farm,they have also formed an eventscompany, a wedding venue hireand bottle beer for otherbusinesses. Wold Top Brewery was set-up

just over a decade ago and nowuses all the farm’s barley, withproduction for this year reaching16,277 litres a week. The breweryis set to increase in size by 150per cent over the next 12 months. Wold Top Brewery is now one

of the biggest employers in thearea, with 18 staff and more whenevents are on.

Unfortunately Charlotte and

Jonathan Clarkson could notattend but sent the following:

This award isrecognition from theindustry that you aredoing something

right

“The couple believe their

diversification projects have madethem look more closely at how theymanage the farm and they nowemploy contractors for a range offield operations, increasing farmprofitability by about 15 per cent.What the judges said: “Tom andGill Mellor are making use ofeverything the farm has got alongwith all their attributes, skills andpersonalities – and in a uniquemanner. We particularly liked the factpeople could have a beer with theirown labels for weddings on the farm.”Highly commended:Gazegill OrganicFarm, Lancashire.

Itis brilliant, we

are really thrilled.This award will be hugelyimportant to our staff who

are fantastic and theabsolute key to running asuccessful business

WOLD TOP BREWERY

“

Joe Mannyon(left), head oflivestockprocurementat Morrisonswith Neil Rowe.

BEEF INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Morrisons

Judge and last year’swinner, Tim Gibson (right),accepts the award fromCogent’s Mike Phillips onThomas Irwin’s behalf.

Small to medium

Large

Richard Simkin,2014 judge and lastyear’s winner (right),who picked up theaward on behalf ofThree Little Pigsfrom Santander’shead of agricultureSimon Harrison.

Santander’s head ofagriculture SimonHarrison (left) withGill and Tom Mellor.

Thomas Irwin

Charlotte and Jonatha

n

Clarkson, Three Littl

e Pigs

Neil Rowe, W. Cumber and Son

ThomasIrwin

Three Little Pigs (small to

medium business)Wold Top Brewery (large business)

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2014 winnersrevealed

From:Malpas, CheshireThe business:Ten years ago,David and his wife Sally Anntook over what was, at the time,a struggling 84-hectare (210-acre) dairy farm in Cheshire and

turned it into a diverse businessthanks to the hard work of thewhole family. After running a bed and

breakfast for some time fromthe farmhouse, they built fivefour-star holiday cottages on-site from redundant farmbuildings. Sally Ann manages and

markets the holiday businessherself, while David workswith 15-year-old son Lloydon-farm. Over the last fewyears they have replacedthe dairy unit with a beefcalf-rearing enterprise,producing about 400 calves ayear. Eldest daughter Laura has

built up a DIY livery business,while seven-year-old daughter

Lucy helps in showing visitingchildren and families the animalson-farm to make their staysmemorable. The installation of solar panels

and on-site contract pulletproduction have added to thisextraordinarily productiveholding, which encouragesvisitors to get involved in theday-to-day farming.What the judges said: “A clearfamily structure in which thetwo generations both play apart. They have a clear visionfor their business andanticipated emerging trends tosuccessfully change from dairyto calf rearing. The nextgeneration is beginning to comethrough in the right way; veryimpressive.”

The Chesters family,Millmoor FarmFARMING PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR

Miles Saunders and OMSCo:Step Farm, OxfordshireThe business:Miles was afounder member of the farmer-owned and farmer-run OrganicMilk Suppliers Cooperative(OMSCo) of which there are now200 members in the widerpartnership.In the past two years OMSCo

has invested £2 million inconsumer communications to

help improve thestability of theorganic milkprice, as wellasdiversifyinginto newmarketsand newproducts -particularlyexports.Export sales

are predicted togrow to 20 per

cent of turnover over the nextthree years. Miles is currently an OMSCo

board director and he firmlybelieves he would not have thesuccessful business he has today,if it was not for his relationship withthe co-op. What the judges said: “It wasthe persistence and originalitywith which OMSCo drives itsbusiness forward which set itapart from the other candidates inthis category.”

Simon and Nick Mellin,Roaming Roosters:Higham,LancashireThe business: The brothersinitially began selling free-rangechicken hand-reared from day-old chicks through farmers’markets, their dad’s butchersshop and an online business.They then moved into breedingsows and starting rearing free-range pork from specificallynative British breeds.

This is amassive surprise, I

never expected to havea chance. The partnershipbetween OMSCo andourselves has been 20years in the making

MILES SAUNDERS

“

FAMILY FARMING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Keenan

We areshocked and reallychuffed. We have

never entered anythinglike this before.

This award is greatTHE CHESTERS

FAMILY

“In 2012, they opened a farm shop

and bistro in Higham, Lancashire,following a huge growth of onlinesales and in November last year thebrothers opened their secondpremises; a meat cutting anddistribution warehouse specificallyfor online sales. They now have seven farming

partners supplying meat into theirbusiness, have developed an on-farm education centre tocomplement the farm shop and

bistro and have plans to open achain of butchers. What the judges said:“Roaming Roosters

demonstrates vision, investmentand innovation in what seems tobe a clear and effectivepartnership.”

This is really good, I amreally surprised to

have won it – it means alot. It gives the teamrecognition for what

we are doingSIMON MELLIN

“

Left to right: Paul Mitcham,regional sales manager atKeenan, with Lloyd, Laura,Sally Ann and David Chester.

Left to right: BriefingMedia’s Rupert Levy,Miles Saunders,Nicholas Saphir,chairman of OMSCo andBriefing Media groupeditor Emma Penny.

Corporate

Private

Left to right: BriefingMedia’s Rory Brown,Simon Mellin andRoaming Roosters’farm shop managerGeorge Cropper.

Miles Saunders and OMSCo (corporate)

Roaming Roosters(private)

Sponsored by:

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NEW ENTRANTS AWARD: AGAINST THE ODDS – sponsored by NFU

From: Glen Farm,StaffordshireThe business: AlthoughJames, 34, grew up on farmsin Lancashire, there was nofamily farm to pursue aftercompleting his degree inagriculture at Harper AdamsUniversity. Undertakingvarious work placements, hetravelled to New Zealand anddiscovered innovative sheepfarming practices he wantedto introduce in the UK. James established his own

contract winter grittingbusiness which enabled himto build up enough capital tosecure a 34-hectare (85-acre) county council farmtenancy in Staffordshire,along with an additional rentalof 40ha (100 acres). Workingwith Innovis, James is one ofthe first farmers in the UK tobreed the Aberfield/NZRomney cross-bred and isfine-tuning his breedingstock. Work is under way

converting the cubicle shedsinto a contract calf rearingunit for Blade farming, whichwill manage 850 calves a year

MACHINERY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – sponsored by LammaXchange

From:Watton Grange Farm, EastYorkshireThe business: Following a rethinkof cultivation practices, fourthgeneration farmer Will Pexton hasdeveloped a multi-use drill whichcan establish crops in one pass.Based on a Sumo Trio frame,hoppers remain mounted at alltimes and the main frame can beoccupied with either an OSR drillingframe (500mm spacing), a beandrilling frame (250mm spacing) oras its original traditional discassembly. Modifications can beremoved at any point.Initially developed as an OSR drill,

wanting to direct drill, Mr Pextonwanted more accuracy than thesplash plate distribution method

offered by other machines on themarket. The drill he designed placesthe seed in 500mm rows withoutusing any traditional disc cultivatingmethods, meaning only about one-sixth of the field is disturbed on thesurface. In addition, he furtheradapted it to drill beans.What the judges said: “This is awell thought-out project showinggood communication skills between the variouspartners involved anddelivering agenuineimprovementto thebusiness.”

to bring an estimated £33,500of additional income.What the judges said: “James’ambition, hunger and level oftechnical knowledge about hischosen sheep flock is to beadmired and the reason whythis new entrant will beunstoppable. A soundbusiness head on youngshoulders is the reason whyfarming is not just a lifestyle buta profitable industry to be in.”

It is great to have

something to show forall the work I have putin. New entrants arevital to the industry

JAMES BEARY

“I had built

the equipment andmade various changesto it – somebody said

why don’t you enter, so Idid. I am shocked to

have wonWILL PEXTON

“

RENEWABLES INNOVATOR OF THE YEARFrom:Uphouse Farm, NorfolkThe business:Father and sonteam Nigel and Patrick Joice areliterally breaking new groundwith their £1.86 millionrenewables project. After a two-year trial, which has seen thepoultry farmers use waste fromthe 5.8m broilers they produceeach year, theyrecently receivedEuropean approvalfor the poultrymuck to beclassed as a fuelfor biomass. Not only has

this change inlegislation helpedto turn theirbusiness around, itcould also benefitthousands of poultryproducers across the EU.What the judges said: “Nigeland his son Patrick are whatthe judges called ‘true

We areincredibly excitedabout this and weowe a lot to the

company behind ourefforts, BHSLNIGEL & PATRICK

JOICE

innovators’. This is a ground-breaking project which has onlycome about through sheer

determination and persistence.”Highly commended: NicholasWatts, Vine House Farm.

SHEEP INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Rumenco

From:Newton Abbott, DevonThe business:As a firstgeneration farmer Mike Tewson iskeen to put plans in place now,which will enable his own son, 18-year-old Niall, to come back fromstudying and be able to farm aviable business.Mike, who farms at Crokers

Farm, spent time working in NewZealand after finishing college andsays he admired the Kiwi farmers’mind-set of being open to newideas and prepared to implementthem.

Adopting a similar approach, hereviewed traditional practices andintroduced changes to hismanagement and genetics. Hereplaced the existing high inputindoor March lambing flock with aflock which lambs outdoors inApril and requires minimal input. The flock is now grazed on

grass and big bale silage ratherthan concentrates and NZgenetics have been developed forfast growth from the grass-basedsystem.The traditional Mule/ Lleyn flock

has alsobeengraded upto pureHighlanderstatus andtraditionalterminal sireshave beenreplaced byPrimera. Last year, Mike launched a new

entrants’ initiative to help offeryoungsters the chance to enterthe livestock sector. The new

entrants aregiven a minimumof 100 Highlander

ewe lambs to crossto the Primera and in

return the new entrantwill deliver back 10kg

liveweight per ewe in year oneand 20kg liveweight per ewe inyear two to five. Two newentrants took up the initiative last

year and two more will be joiningthis year.What the judges said: “Mike isproviding a sustainable andprofitable way of getting youngpeople into the industry. It isbeneficial for both partiesinvolved, and demonstrates anattractive return on investment.”Highly commended: CatherineNakielny, The Ram Shop.

This is a great surprise. The

table I was on was fullof young people and it

was great to see that – it is great for

the industry

“

LammaXchangecommercialmanager AjeshVisram (left)with Will Pexton.

“

Stephen James(left), NFU Cymrupresident, withJames Beary.

Left to right: BriefingMedia’s Neil Thackray,Nigel and Patrick Joiceand Briefing Media groupeditor Emma Penny.

David Thornton(left), technicalmanager atRumenco, withMike Tewson.

James Beary, Glen Farm

Nigel and PatrickJoice

Mike Tewson, Crokers Farm

Will Pexton, lowdisturbance multi-use drill