The CropTec Show: A New Era
For the past eleven years, CropTec has been showcasing technical knowledge, products, services and solutions to the UK’s most progressive growers and agronomists.
As the show enters its twelfth year, it has unveiled a new brand identity as well as made significant changes to its conference programme, aligning with evolving agricultural practices and industry trends.
As part of the refresh, this year the show will introduce three keynote theatres focusing on Innovation, Knowledge and Profit, to provide visitors with practical advice to futureproof their farms. The sessions will explore a range of topics including crop varieties, eco-friendly fertilisers, pesticide regulations, diversification, and the role of AI and robotics in arable farming.
Verity Hyland, CropTec Event Director says: “CropTec’s purpose is to help the farming community thrive. By bringing together companies, visitors and industry experts, CropTec shines a light on the arable industry’s key topics, concerns and opportunities. We can’t wait for our audience to experience the refreshed show.”
CropTec is hosted by Farmers Guardian and powered by Agriconnect, the UK’s largest agricultural information business, which serves the British farming community through its news platforms and events.
Nick Ornstien, Agriconnect Managing Director says: “At Agriconnect, we’ve been providing vital information to the farming community since 1844. With the farming industry facing both huge challenges and opportunities for growth, it’s important for us that CropTec continues to evolve and focus on the topics that matter most to the agricultural sector.”
CropTec is taking place 27-28 November 2024 at the NAEC Stoneleigh. Find out more at www.croptecshow.com
Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2024, Unveiling the Future of Sustainable Farming
Gear up for a farming event like no other. The eagerly awaited Low Carbon Agriculture Show is just around the corner, scheduled for March 6th and 7th at NAEC Stoneleigh in Warwickshire. Dedicated to two days of learning, networking, and exploring the latest sustainable farming practices for farmers, landowners, and industry enthusiasts committed to combating climate change.
Rachel Lewis, Head of Events Marketing at Low Carbon Agriculture, highlights two must-attend seminars:
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Nurturing Nature (Energy and Business Theatre)
Delve into the ways farmers actively nurture wildlife and restore the environment. This seminar, supported by Environment Bank, features insights from experts such as Anthony Curwen, Ian Jelley, Jon Dearsley, and Rory Hodgson, providing a deep dive into nature-friendly farming.
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Mastering Waste (Energy and Business Theatre)
Explore the intricate world of waste management in agriculture, covering disposal methods and alternative uses. Led by Tina Benfield, this seminar boasts speakers like Eoin Sharkey, Dr. Gesa Reiss, Richard Reynolds, and Dr. Lloyd Glanville, shedding light on innovative waste solutions.
The Low Carbon Agriculture Show proudly presents speakers with diverse perspectives, including Farmers Guardian editor Olivia Midgley, NIAB head of farming systems ELizabeth Stockdale, and CLA chief land use policy adviser Susan Twining, offering a comprehensive view of sustainable farming.
Beyond the wealth of knowledge, the event is a hub for networking and collaboration. Connect with fellow farmers, gain insights, and stay abreast of the latest advancements in energy storage, conservation, and usage. Explore the newest farm tech, interact with suppliers, and even test the latest low-emission vehicles.
Discover how these vehicles contribute not only to sustainability but also prove to be cost-effective in the long run. As the industry evolves rapidly, staying at the forefront of sustainable agriculture means embracing the latest innovations available.
Learn the art of passing on a business that's not just sustainable but future proofed. The next generation deserves nothing less, and the Low Carbon Agriculture Show is committed to providing insights and guidance for creating a profitable and sustainable future for agricultural and rural communities.
Cheryl Waterman, Head of Content for Agriconnect, shares her thoughts:
"Crafting the conference program for the Low Carbon Agriculture Show has been a gratifying experience. We've designed an agenda that empowers farmers to tackle challenges and meet net-zero targets, ensuring a forward-thinking approach."
But that's not all – the event boasts a diverse range of exhibitors, showcasing the latest technologies and solutions in the sustainable farming landscape. From energy-efficient equipment to innovative agricultural practices, the exhibitors add an extra layer to the immersive experience at the Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2024.
The Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2024 is set to be a groundbreaking event, propelling the agricultural industry towards a greener, more resilient future.
British Farming Awards Announces Charity Partnership with My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
The British Farming Awards is thrilled to announce its 2024 charity partnership with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, a charity dedicated to funding the search for effective treatments and a cure for motor neuron disease (MND). The charity partnership aims to raise awareness of the foundation and raise funds on the night of the awards.
The British Farming Awards, which successfully raised over £8,000 for the charity last year, is excited to re-join forces with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in their mission to combat MND. The Foundation, inspired by the late Doddie Weir, a rugby legend who bravely battled MND, has been at the forefront of funding groundbreaking research since its establishment in 2017.
Doddie Weir's connection to the farming community adds a special resonance to this partnership. Growing up on a family farm in the Scottish Borders, Doddie's farming background shaped his competitive spirit and instilled in him a deep appreciation for the agricultural industry. His legacy and determination continue to inspire the work of the Foundation.
The British Farming Awards, sponsored by Morrisons and organised by Farmers Guardian, brings together hundreds of individuals from the farming industry each year. The event, now in its twelfth year, celebrates pioneering farmers across all sectors who are leading the way in technology, science, food production, and sustainability. It serves as a unifying force within the farming community, providing a platform to recognise and celebrate their achievements.
"We are delighted to partner with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation for the British Farming Awards," said Sarah Whittaker-Smith, Event Director of the British Farming Awards. "This partnership is an incredible opportunity to raise awareness about MND and contribute to the Foundation's vital research efforts. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those affected by this devastating disease."
The British Farming Awards, which open for entries alongside Marts The Heart Awards on the 14th of March, will bring together over 800 farmers and industry professionals from across the UK. In addition to recognising outstanding achievements in the farming sector, this year's event will also serve as a platform to support the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and their vision of a world free of motor neuron disease (MND).
For more information about the British Farming Awards which take place on Thursday 17th October at The Vox, Birmingham and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, please visit https://www.britishfarmingawards.co.uk/britishfarmingawards/en/page/charity-partner
About the British Farming Awards
The British Farming Awards is an annual event that celebrates the achievements of individuals in the farming industry. Sponsored by Morrisons and organised by Farmers Guardian, the awards recognise innovative and pioneering farmers across all sectors in the UK.
www.britishfarmingawards.co.uk
About the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation is a charity dedicated to funding research projects and finding a cure for motor neuron disease (MND). Established in 2017 by rugby legend Doddie Weir and his trustees. The Foundation has committed over £8 million to date to support vital research and clinical trials across the UK and Europe.
www.myname5doddie.co.uk
Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2024 Unveils Stellar Lineup of Exhibitors and Sponsors
Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2024 Unveils Stellar Lineup of Exhibitors and Sponsors: Leading the Charge Towards Sustainable Farming
London, 11 December 2023 — Agriconnect, the UK’s largest agricultural information business, proudly announces the latest list of confirmed exhibitors and sponsors for the highly anticipated Low Carbon Agriculture (LCA) Show 2024. Following Agriconnect's strategic acquisition of LCA from Renewable Energy Events Ltd and now powered by publisher Farmer’s Guardian, the event has evolved to become a pivotal platform, combining four events into one across important sustainable UK topics: Energy Now, Environmental Business, Farm Technology and Low Emission Vehicles.
The stellar 2024 lineup of companies who have already signed on to exhibit next 6-7 March 2024 at NAEC in Stoneleigh include:
2G Energy│A-Consult│ADAS│Agrecalc│Agri Food & Bio Institute│Agriwebb UKEU│Alltech E-CO2│Alt-Group│Amberside Energy Development│Ampyr Solar Europe│Supergen - Aston University│Biomass Connect│Birch Solutions UK│Birketts│Borger UK│BrightEdge Solar │Caplor Energy│Carter Jonas│Conrad Energy│Cool Farm│DEFRA│Dragon Renewables Energy│Easy Crypto Hunter│EBRI│Emergya Wind Technologies / DirectWind│Energy Now│Environment Bank│Ethical Power│Eurofins Agro Testing│Farm Carbon Toolkit│Farmeye│Fisher German│Forestry Commission│Future Gen Renewables│Geospatial Ventures│Go Geothermal│H L Hutchinson│Laurence Gould Partnership│LEAF│Linton & Robinson Environmental│Livestock Information│Lloyds Banking Group│Mootral│MPC Services│NFU / NFU Energy│NIAB│NIBS│OMEX Environmental│Organic Farmers & Growers CIC│Pear Technology│Quintas Energy UK│Radviliskis Machine Factory│Savills│SE Rapson & Sons Consultancy│Societe Generale Equipment Finance│Soil Association UK│SPAL Automotive UK│Taeda Tech Project│The BioFactory│Timac Agro UK│Two Blues Solar│UNDO Carbon│Voltalia│Wattstor│ Working for Wildlife / The Woodland Trust│Your Eco│Zevon Energy
Sustainability Takes Center Stage: A Response to Emerging Legislation
With sustainability and net zero at the forefront of emerging legislation in the agricultural sector, the LCA Show 2024 is poised to guide farmers and landowners through the energy, environmental, and farming transition. Governments worldwide are aligning farming policies with environmental best practices, amplifying the need for information and solutions.
LCA provides crucial guidance to businesses navigating the evolving landscape of sustainable farming practices and planning.
"The farming community has a critical role to play in reaching Net Zero, and there is an ever-growing need for farmers, landowners, Farm Tech companies and suppliers to come together to find ways to boost production sustainably while helping to address climate change," says David Jacobmeyer, founder of LCA. “Interest in information about sustainable practices and plans in farming has never been higher and we’re excited to see this event grow each and every year.”
By joining the LCA Show as an exhibitor and sponsor, companies will get a chance to reach thousands of progressive farmers, agricultural professionals, and industry leaders actively seeking innovative carbon-reduction solutions. Across the exhibition floor and conference, you can demonstrate your commitment to sustainability at an event dedicated to low-carbon agriculture.
For more information about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities at the Low Carbon Agriculture Show 2024, please visit LCA Show 2024 Exhibitors.
The event is free to attend and to learn more, please visit: https://www.lowcarbonagricultureshow.co.uk/visit
About Agriconnect
Agriconnect is a talented team of people who produce the information, events, and digital platforms that bring together the UK agriculture community. Agriconnect is the UK’s largest agricultural information business, has been the trusted source of information for farmers since 1844. Today, Agriconnect continues that legacy of quality information, while also serving as a connection hub for people, ideas, and inspiration for the entire agriculture industry. For more information visit agriconnect.com.
Agriconnect is part of the Arc network.
About LCA
Low Carbon Agriculture is a vibrant business event designed to help farmers and landowners achieve a profitable and sustainable future, and in turn tackle climate change, through the generation of renewable energy, the implementation of low carbon technologies and best practice in both environmental and energy management.
The latest opportunities, technologies and services can be explored in the packed exhibition hall, accompanied by an industry-leading, multi-streamed conference, in which over 100 expert speakers provide insight and practical guidance on topics including clean energy generation and use, environmental best practice, regenerative farming, the integration of low/zero carbon technologies and current policy. For more information visit www.lowcarbonagricultureshow.co.uk or contact [email protected].
Expanded focus on the arable sector in Farmers Guardian portfolio
20th November 2023, Preston. Agriconnect, the UK’s largest agricultural information business, has announced today that it will be reinvigorating its focus on the arable sector within its flagship suite of brands.
The arable sector sits at the heart of innovation and technology in farming. It is an incredibly dynamic sector that continues to evolve throughout the UK as farmers look to build dynamic businesses in the face of a range of global and domestic challenges.
Within the Agriconnect business, there has always been a focus on arable content with the monthly Arable Farming magazine, Crop it Like it’s Hot podcast and Croptec exhibition.
The Agriconnect team will be reshaping the format and regularity of these award-winning media brands to better integrate more of the news, analysis, and commentary about the arable sector into its broad range of UK farm readers.
From 2024 Arable Farming will move from being a monthly magazine to a quarterly publication which, crucially, will be backed by an engaging and informative web presence in the form of arablefarming.com. With a renewed focus on digital content which embraces online-first articles, videos, podcasts, webinars and revitalised newsletters, as well as bespoke commercial propositions, the quarterly print offerings will also seek to serve an already engaged audience with a repositioned editorial offering.
As well as being distributed to the Arable Farming mailing list of 10,000 readers in March, June, September and November, the team will explore how this content can be served via Farmers Guardian to its 25,000 farmers and agricultural experts.
Arable content will also be served in print at FG and online at farmersguardian.com as it always has, but the arable sector will have its own microsite of dedicated content, making it easier for readers to access this information.
With exciting plans around the “Crop It like Its Hot” podcast, which is already available on a range of platforms, these are all part of an exciting suite of arable focused content streams and events within Agriconnect. The Croptec event, which takes place at Stoneleigh on November 29-30, continues to grow, and will feature more technical content for farmers, growers and agronomists than ever before. FG and AF reporters will be there to cover all the latest news.
After more than 20 years, Teresa Rush, the editor of Arable Farming, is leaving the business. Remarking on her departure, Nick Ornstien, MD of Agriconnect, said: “We have Teresa to thank for helping the Agriconnect business develop its focus on the arable sector over the past 20-plus years. Her expertise has been invaluable and we’re deeply grateful.
“We’re looking forward to our broad FG and AF team continuing this focus on the arable sector, within the Farmers Guardian products, and sharing more of this content with our readers.”
More information around publishing schedules and the launch of arablefarming.com will be released in the next month.
#FARM24 scoops prestigious media award
24 Hours in Farming has won the Commercial Partnership of the Year at the prestigious 2023 PPA Awards
Agriculture’s biggest digital campaign, led by Farmers Guardian and supported by Morrisons, showcases the role of British farmers to the general public and their dedication and pride as the nation’s food producers and guardians of the countryside.
Agriculture's biggest digital campaign, led by Farmers Guardian and supported by Morrisons, showcases the role of British farmers to the general public and their dedication and pride as the nation's food producers and guardians of the countryside.
Using the hashtag #FARM24, farmers and industry organisations from across the UK take to social media to share what a typical day might look in the journey from field to fork and educate consumers about where their food comes from.
Taking farmers to the masses, the 2022 campaign achieved a reach of 28 million, trending on social media and supported by the Prime Minister, celebrities, athletes, chefs and social media influencers.
The campaign was praised by judges as a truly impressive partnership, raising awareness of the valuable work the agricultural industry does to audiences far and wide.
Agriconnect expands into sustainability farming sector with acquisition of Low Carbon Agriculture
LONDON, 20 June 2023 – Agriconnect, the UK’s largest agricultural information business, has enhanced its portfolio with the acquisition of Low Carbon Agriculture (LCA) from Renewable Energy Events Ltd.
LCA is comprised of four co-located events: Energy Now Expo, Environmental Business Expo, Farm Technology Expo, and Low Emissions Vehicle Expo.
These conference-led events will become a part of the Agriconnect business. Agriconnect publishes Farmers Guardian, plus other titles, and is the organiser of industry-leading events such as LAMMA, Croptec, Future Farming Expo, and Farm Business Innovation.
Sustainability and net zero are crucial topics within agriculture and are at the forefront of emerging legislation within the sector, especially as governments continue to align farming policy with environmental best practice.
With a growing demand for information from farmers in this area, the partnership between LCA and Agriconnect will help enable more than ever before to guide their businesses through the energy, environmental and farming transition.
LCA founder, David Jacobmeyer, will work in partnership with Agriconnect to continue developing the event within the farming community as well as providing information about renewables, low carbon solutions, environmental best practice and the agricultural transition.
David Jacobmeyer said: “Since launching Energy Now Expo in 2010, later rebranded to Low Carbon Agriculture Show, we’ve seen tremendous growth and interest in both clean energy and low carbon sectors.
“The farming community has a critical role to play in reaching Net Zero, and there is an ever-growing need for farmers and landowners to come together to find ways to boost production sustainably, while helping to address climate change.
“I am looking forward to both the growth of Low Carbon Agriculture and working closely with Agriconnect to help guide farmers through this huge period of change.”
Nick Ornstien, Managing Director of Agriconnect, added: “Agriconnect prides itself on being not just ‘for’ the farming community but ‘of’ the community. Within our own teams, as well as throughout our diverse customer community, we’ve seen increasing interest in information about sustainable practices and plans in farming.
“That’s why I am so delighted to have LCA become a part of Agriconnect and I am truly looking forward to partnering with David to continue our focus on this important sector in farming.”
About Agriconnect
Agriconnect is a talented team of people who produce the information, events, and digital platforms that bring together the UK agriculture community. Agriconnect is the UK’s largest agricultural information business, has been the trusted source of information for farmers since 1844. Today, Agriconnect continues that legacy of quality information, while also serving as a connection hub for people, ideas, and inspiration for the entire agriculture industry. For more information visit agriconnect.com.
Agriconnect is part of the Arc network.
About LCA
Low Carbon Agriculture is a vibrant business event designed to help farmers and landowners achieve a profitable and sustainable future, and in turn tackle climate change, through the generation of renewable energy, the implementation of low carbon technologies and best practice in both environmental and energy management.
The latest opportunities, technologies and services can be explored in the packed exhibition hall, accompanied by an industry-leading, multi-streamed conference, in which over 100 expert speakers provide insight and practical guidance on topics including clean energy generation and use, environmental best practice, regenerative farming, the integration of low/zero carbon technologies and current policy. For more information visit www.lowcarbonagricultureshow.co.uk.
Arc Acquires Rural and Leisure Portfolio from Fortem International
LONDON, November 29th, 2021 – Arc, the global events, data, and media platform backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, announced today it has acquired five rural sector events from Fortem International. These events will become part of Arc’s Agriconnect business (Farmers Guardian Ltd. and LAMMA Ltd.), adding additional depth and reach across the expansive UK agriculture sector.
The five co-located events in the portfolio connect UK farmers and land owners who are seeking alternative sources of income.
Sanjeev Khaira, who leads Agriconnect, said, “We are excited to add the rural and leisure portfolio to Agriconnect, which is already one of the UK’s largest agricultural information and events platforms. The addition of this portfolio, which includes leading events Farm Business Innovation and Holiday Park and Resort Innovation, gives us more opportunities to empower and inspire people and businesses in agriculture. We view this transaction as the beginning of a long term partnership.” The existing team at Fortem International will continue to run the portfolio through the next edition, November 2nd and 3rd 2022.
Tom Borthen, CEO of Fortem International said, “We are pleased to be entering into a partnership with the Arc team, and are excited for the growth potential of the rural and leisure portfolio as it becomes part of Agriconnect and Arc. We see this as a tremendous opportunity to learn from each other and leverage our collective content and events experience in order to develop more opportunities for our customers to come together and make the connections they need.”
This is Arc’s second acquisition as it continues to develop its position as a next generation events and media platform for B2B communities around the world. Canson Capital Partners (“Canson”), a participant in the partnership since its inception, served as financial adviser to Arc.
Contact
Caitlin Read, [email protected], +44 (0) 7727 860756
Additional Notes
Events in the Rural and Leisure Portfolio
Farm Business Innovation is designed to provide expertise, advice and resources to innovate, diversify and make more money from land. Whether it is diversifying into glamping, looking into alternative crops or livestock, starting a spa, running events, weddings, farm shops, or revitalising rural retail, there is an abundance of ideas for landowners looking to expand.
Holiday Park & Resort Innovation provides expert advice and an abundance of ideas for holiday park owners looking to grow, develop or improve their business. Collocated within Rural Entrepreneur, there is an endless number of opportunities to expand and diversify their holiday park or resort.
Family Attraction Expo is the trade event designed to provide their visitors with the most exciting entertainment products and services to transform their commercial leisure or holiday parks.
Country House Business Innovation - under one roof, over two days this will be the most illustrious place in the UK where an estate, manor, or country house owner can source information and advice on funding, grants, planning, new products, new services, new ideas, troubleshooting, business tips, marketing tools, networking, inspiring keynote sessions, likeminded professionals, potential partnerships and so much more. Visitors go into their next venture full equipped.
Leisure Food & Beverage Expo - the UK’s leading event for leisure, tourism, sports and entertainment venues to find all the products and services they need to enhance their on site customer offering.
About the businesses
Arc
Arc is a B2B platform backed by investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital that intends to redefine business networks by building the next generation events and media business. With a customer-centric approach, guided by data and intelligent insight, Arc seeks out ways to connect communities, wherever, whenever, or however, people need to come together to meet, network, learn, and grow their businesses.
Agriconnect
Agriconnect is a talented team of people who produce the information, events, and digital platforms that bring together the UK agriculture community. Agriconnect is the UK’s largest agricultural information business, has been the trusted source of information for farmers since 1844. Today, Agriconnect continues that legacy of quality information, while also serving as a connection hub for people, ideas, and inspiration for the entire agriculture industry.
Agriconnect is part of the Arc network.
EagleTree Capital
EagleTree Capital is a leading New York-based middle-market private equity firm with assets under management of $4.8 billion as of December 31, 2020. The firm has completed over 35 private equity investments and over 75 add-on transactions over the past 20+ years. EagleTree primarily invests in North America in the following sectors: media and business services, consumer, and water and specialty industrial. For more information, visit www.eagletree.com or find EagleTree on LinkedIn.
Canson Capital Partners
Canson Capital Partners is a leading Alternative Capital focused Advisory and Merchant Banking firm. Providing senior advice and principal to principal engagement, we seek to connect sources of Alternative Capital with specific opportunities enabling our clients to achieve their long-term strategic objectives. Canson has advised on over $54 billion of transactions since inception, with a strong track record of partnership focused transactions, and have c. $500m AUM invested alongside our clients. Notably, Canson advised Providence on its £600m sale of Clarion Events to Blackstone. Canson Capital Partners is the trading name of Canson Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For more information, please visit www.cansoncp.com.
Jeremy Clarkson highlights the challenges facing the agricultural community today
Speaking exclusively to the British Farming Awards after receiving a special award for Flying the Flag for British Agriculture, farming’s most famous partnership praised the drive and integrity demonstrated by farmers across the industry.
“We shouldn’t be the country’s most popular farmers because all farmers should be popular,” said Jeremy Clarkson, who described himself as a ‘trainee farmer’.
“Every time you sit down to eat something you are eating something that is made by British farmers.
“If there is a Red Tractor on your food packaging it was grown in Britain so buy that because if it has not come a long way to get here.”
Reflecting on the heavy criticism farmers often face from the wider public in their role as food producers, Kaleb Cooper was insistent at the willingness to embrace sustainable farming practices.
“If anyone thinks that a farmer is out there to make food as cheap as possible and abuse that role, they are wrong,” he said. “Farmers care and they care so much.”
And Mr Clarkson utilised his platform to highlight the bureaucracy piled on farmers by the Government, which he believed was stopping farmers from ‘just getting on and doing their job.’
“The Government is stopping subsidies and grants so if they are not going to pay us to grow food they have now lost their right to tell us what to do,” he added.
“They have to back off and allow us, I say us but I am still learning, but allow people like Kaleb and Charlie, people like everyone in that awards room to make decisions that are best for where they live.
“If the Government is not paying they can hardly object. We cannot allow them to dictate anymore. I have met people in Government now and they are not impressive.”
On winning their award last Thursday, Mr Cooper said he felt like a ‘little kid’ to have won the award, but he also praised the great team he worked with.
“Behind every good farm is a great farming team.,” he added.
Mr Clarkson agreed and praised his young farmer ‘teacher’ as being the real star of the show.
“I could not have done this without you, you are the star of the show, apart from Gerald,” he added.
“But what was great, and I’m sure everyone in the room would say the same thing, every farm has a Gerald, every farm has a Charlie, every farm has a Kevin, every farm has an Ellen, every farm has a landowner and every farm has a Kaleb.”
British Farming Awards 2021: Winners announced
The farming community came together in their hundreds last week as 18 winners of the British Farming Awards were announced.
Sponsored by Morrisons and organised by Farmers Guardian, the sell-out event was attended by more than 700 farmers and industry professionals from as far as Orkney to Cornwall, and took place at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham.
Now in its ninth year, the event celebrated innovative, determined and extraordinary farmers across all sectors, along with the diversity and adaptability of the UK’s farming community, no matter the size or scale of their businesses.
Alongside farming’s core sectors, including dairy, beef, sheep, arable and machinery, there was also recognition for students, family farms, sustainable businesses, new entrants, new agri-technology and the huge number of diversifications, which are now so crucial to many businesses.
With 18 categories up for grabs, a panel of 68 judges interviewed 63 finalists over the summer before eventually deciding on this year’s winners.
Outstanding Contribution to British Agriculture (Sponsored by NSF)
Kicking off the evening was the Outstanding Contribution to British Agriculture award, which was presented to NFU president, Minette Batters.
As the first female president in the organisation’s 112-year history, Minette worked her way up the ranks to become a much admired and respected leader who now represents more than 50,000 farmers and growers in England and Wales since it was founded in 1908.
In her role she has taken farming’s fight to Government and tirelessly campaigned on the major issues affecting the industry at a crucial time in its history, including advocating the ambitious goal of reaching net zero across the whole of agriculture by 2040.
Outside of agri-politics, she is a mixed farmer from Wiltshire and has also diversified into weddings and catering.
Farmers Guardian’s Farming Hero (Sponsored by Fullwood Packo)
The winner of this year’s Farmers Guardian’s Farming Hero award is Scottish chilli farmer, Sheena Horner, who spearheaded a campaign to improve mental health in the throes of the pandemic, galvanising the farming community to achieve it with her.
Launched last October to coincide with #AgMentalHealthWeek, teams from the four nations of the UK and one representing ‘the rest of the world’ were tasked to run 1,000 miles by the end of this January.
Smashing their target, the teams, which saw 1,200 farmers and industry professionals take part, went on to run just short of 65,000 miles, the equivalent of two-and-a-half times around the world.
With each participant paying a £20 joining fee, #Run1000 event raised more than £60,000 for five farming charities and plans are already in place to do it again next year.
Sophie Throup, Morrisons head of agriculture, fisheries and sustainable sourcing, reflected on what has been ‘a monumental time’ for the agricultural industry.
She said: “The last 18 months have challenged us as a farming and food sector like never before. It is therefore even more important to have the chance to stop, reflect and celebrate some of the amazing innovation, care, best practice and creativity these British farming champions embody.
“At Morrisons, we are so proud to be British farming’s biggest direct customer and to help bring great British products to our customers’ tables. We look forward to continuing to grow, innovate and champion the work farmers do, now and every day.”