2018 Awards
The winners of the 2018 British Farming Awards were revealed at a fabulous award ceremony, held at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham, and supported by Morrisons, on Thursday 18th October 2018.
More than 700 farmers and industry professionals attended the event, which showcased the innovation and achievements of British farmers across the agricultural industry.
2018 Winners
Agricultural Student of the Year:
Aimee Budge, Scotland’s Rural College
Arable Innovator of the Year:
David Fuller-Shapcott, J.N. Fuller-Shapcott & Co., Scottish Borders
Beef Innovator of the Year:
James Duerden, Killerwick Grange, Cumbria
Contractor Innovator of the Year:
Andrew Howseman, Howseman Agriculture, Lincolnshire
Dairy Innovator of the Year:
Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore, Fen Farm, Fen Farm Dairy Ltd, Suffolk
Digital Innovator of the Year:
Thomas Pemberton, Pemberton Dairies, Birks Farm, Lancashire
Diversification Innovator of the Year – Small to Medium:
Steven Holmes, Farmyard Ales, Moss Edge Farm, Lancashire
Diversification Innovator of the Year – Large:
Kathryn Mitchell, The Lambing Shed Farm Shop, Moseley Hall Farm, Cheshire
Family Farming Business of the Year:
The Kerr Family, W.W. Kerr & Sons, South Corton Farm, South Ayrshire
Farmers Guardian Farming Hero of the Year:
Dr Jude Capper
Farm Worker of the Year:
Jack Bedlow, M.E.S. Dart & Partners and A.G. Hedges (Farms), Oxfordshire
Machinery Innovator of the Year:
Iain and Stephen Birnie, Birnie Bale Trailer, SIB Services, Aberdeenshire
New Entrant Award: Against the odds:
Rhidian Glyn, Rhiwgriafol, R. & E. Glyn, Powys
Outstanding Contribution to British Agriculture:
Mary Mead, Yeo Valley
Sheep Innovator of the Year:
Sam Jones, Brookhouse Farm, E. Jones & Son, Worcestershire
2018 Video
Venue
The 2018 British Farming Awards was held in the Imperial Suite at The National Conference Centre, Birmingham. The NCC has gained an exceptional reputation across the industry, accommodating over 200,000 guests each year.
Guest Speaker
W
e were delighted that motivational speaker Chris Moon was the guest speaker at the 2018 British Farming Awards.
Profile:
Chris Moon is a former British Army Officer with three years operational experience. He left to work for a charity clearing landmines in Asia & Africa. He survived being taken prisoner in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge (one of the most brutal terror groups in history) and negotiated his release and that of two colleagues from threatened execution.
In 1995 he was blown up in a supposedly safe area of a minefield in remote East Africa losing an arm and a leg. He survived initially because he treated himself. About fourteen hours after injury he arrived in South Africa where doctors said they’d never seen anyone live with such a small amount of blood. Within a year of leaving hospital he ran the London Marathon, raised significant sums to help disabled people in the developing world, worked to ban landmines and successfully completed a full time Masters Degree.
“To be nominated for this award was a great thing, to be a finalist was awesome, to win it is unbelievable really.”
“I’m over the moon. It’s a brilliant industry to get into, it’s diverse and every day is different. You’ve got to work hard, put the hours in, but the reward comes in the end.”
“Winning was the biggest surprise – ever! lots of people supported me on the night as the venue was so close for us. Walking up to the stage was something I will never forget. ”
“Just to be a finalist and sat there in this room full of such inspirational people was enough, to win was just something else!”