Farmers Weekly Awards 2007

Arable Adviser Of The Year
Sponsored by Crops

Richard Ward

Richard Ward manages 485ha (1200 acres) on the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire/Warwickshire borders, near Moreton-in-Marsh. Specialising in seed production, the 385ha (950 acres) of arable are growing wheat, barley, naked oats, oilseed rape and winter beans.

What qualities make a top Arable Adviser?

• Enthusiasm is an absolute must. The 2008 Arable Adviser needs to be able to inspire me to follow his advice.
• Technical appreciation and understanding. Goes without saying. Must be up to date.
• Honesty. Not to be sales or sales target driven.
• The ability to advise one product instead of another because it is superior at tackling a known problem, i.e. It’s the best.
• Justification. Why does he want me to use a product? Do I really need it?
• To have a reasonably accurate idea of what sort of return I am going to get for my investment.
• Flexibility. Best-laid plans often have to be changed. Sometimes I don’t want to have to go twice so need to have products that can mix or change of strategy, therefore allowing me to go for one application
• Local knowledge. If not, he must not be afraid to ask me for specific problem areas, so as not to miss them.
• Follow up. To investigate if it was applied as recommended and what the effect was.

Arable Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by Growhow

Philip Wynn

Director Wynn Business Partnerships

Philip Wynn’s agricultural career spans over 30 years, involving the management of a diverse range of farming businesses, as well as strategic advice to clients. Mr Wynn developed Aubourn Farming into a national farming and consultancy organisation which became part of the Savills Group in the early 1990s. He now runs his own consultancy business with a client base that includes the management of 4050ha (10,000 acres) of arable and livestock farms in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

What Mr Wynn will be looking for:

• Meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of crop production
• Excellent physical and financial performance of individual crops and utilisation of labour and power resources
• Care for the environment
• Top class results
• Leadership qualities that bring the whole team together to achieve and deliver business goals.

Beef Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by McDonalds

David Hendy

Independent beef and sheep consultant

David Hendy has worked in the beef and sheep sectors for more than 35 years and has extensive experience in production, nutrition, marketing and processing. What

Mr Hendy will be looking for:

• A beef farmer who has benchmarked production costs, variable, and fixed and overheads
• Someone who uses latest technology to improve production and reduce costs and produces to a marketing blueprint and a long term business plan.

Contractor Of The Year
Sponsored by Michelin Exelagri

Richard Minton

Chairman of the National Association of Agricultural Contractors

Richard Minton has worked in the amenity sector and is starting a new business, JPCS Weed Control. He also represents the industry on a number of committees promoting best practice and the safe use of pesticides.

What Mr Minton will be looking for:

• An operator who puts customer service first
• Someone who believes contractors need to improve their image and meet the high standards demanded not only by customers, but also by the strict legislation that now governs the work they do.

Countryside Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by Environment Agency

Caroline Drummond

Chief executive of Linking Environment And Farming

Caroline Drummond has worked with LEAF since its inception in 1991 after lecturing in agronomy at Shuttleworth College. Ms Drummond works throughout the UK and Europe developing and promoting Integrated Farm Management through demonstration farms, management tools, including the LEAF Audit through to the market place with LEAF Marque produce. She is a fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies, sits on government steering groups and is a governor and on the School of Agriculture for the Royal Agricultural College.

What Ms Drummond will be looking for:

• Farmers who are passionate about their business and their role as stewards of the countryside
• Farmers who are balancing the need for a long term economically viable farming business, showing environmental responsibility while at the same time as giving something back to the local community

Dairy Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by DairyCo

Gwyn Jones

NFU National Dairy Board Chairman

Gwyn Jones is a dairy farmer in West Sussex and actively involved in the agricultural industry. He is an NFU Council member and sits on the Governance Board.

He is also chairman of the Farmers Forum, sits on the Board of Dairy UK, is a member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council, deputy chairman of COPA (milk) in Brussels and a council member of the DairyCo.

What Mr Jones will be looking for:

• Dairy farmers who are commercial in their approach to the business, maximizing their milk contracts
• Dairy farmers who are in tune with the demands of the 21st century, including animal welfare and the environment.

Diversification Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by James Miles-Hobbs

Ian Stockley

Farming Business Expert

Ian Stockley has involved with agriculture all his working life. His career, after graduating from RAC, was in teaching Farm Accounts and Farm Management in a number of colleges. He was Chief Examiner for Agricultural and Horticultural accounts with CGLI and developed a training consultancy for farm businesses, bankers and other professionals.

He then went into agricultural banking with Lloyds TSB and retired in 1999 as Chief Manager. Since then he has continued to have an active involvement with the industry as non executive director of a 9,000-acre farming business, working with a number of charitable bodies and as part of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's Growing Routes Programme.

This Award for Diversification Farmer of the Year is important to encourage farm businesses to develop skills and resources to provide specific products and services that are both attractive to the buyer and the consumer - and at the same time satisfying and profitable to the provider. Success in the future requires businesses to 'think outside the box' and look at the opportunities beyond the farm gate. I anticipate an exciting challenge with the judging!

Livestock Adviser Of The Year
Sponsored by Silotite

Peter Morris

National Sheep Association chief executive

Peter is currently NSA chief executive, but has a wide ranging employment history, including time spent in farm management and with south west NFU. Peter is keen to see livestock businesses making maximum use of external knowledge when appropriate.

Peter will be seeking a livestock adviser who is adding value to his clients businesses and is helping them maximise the opportunities available to them in future. As a former farm manager Peter is well aware of the value a good adviser can add to a business and the areas where an outside viewpoint can benefit farm management.

Local Food Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by Farmshop.uk.com

Charles Trotman

CLA rural economy adviser

Charles Trotman has worked at the Country Land and Business Association for the past five years during which time he been responsible for co-ordinating all food policy programmes.

What Dr Trotman will be looking for:

• Businesses that have truly captured a market and can demonstrate a viable business

Farm Manager Of The Year
Sponsored by CLAAS

David Bolton

Cheffins consultant

Mr Bolton will be looking for:

• Someone who has made a significant impact on the business through restructuring, collaboration, adding value or cutting costs
• Evidence of strong business and staff management
• Evidence of leadership skills.

Poultry Producer Of The Year
Sponsored by Eb Equipment

John Newton

Senior poultry consultant ADAS

After 22 years at the NFU, joining as a group secretary and leaving as a national poultry specialist, John Newton moved to ADAS in 2004. Mr Newtown is looking for:

• Someone who is farsighted enough to be doing something different and making a profit.

Sheep Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by Footvax

Sam Boon

Signet Breeding Services manager

Sam is a sheep farmer’s son who has recently completed a Nuffield Scholarship examining the options for hair sheep in the UK sheep industry. As manager of Signet breeding services Sam has a keen interest in genetics and breeding.

Sam will be looking for sheep business which is making the most of modern technologies to improve flock performance and which carefully examines it input costs and is keen to eliminate unnecessary costs where possible. Low fixed costs and strong marketing practice will be also be top of Sam’s agenda.

Young Farmer Of The Year
Sponsored by Massey Ferguson

Paul Davies

Professor of Agriculture and vice-principal at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.

Paul Davies has taught both at Writtle and Harper Adams colleges as well as at the RAC during his 30 year plus career in agricultural education. He also takes on advisory roles in the agrochemical industry, food business and the animal feed sectors.

What Prof Davies will be looking for:

• Someone who stands out from the crowd
• Someone who, through his or her commitment and determination, together with their willingness to take business risks alongside a lot of hard work, is realising their goals
• Someone who is a bit visionary and can see and exploit current opportunities and make the most of new market opportunities.