Soil Farmer of the Year
Run in partnership by Innovation for Agriculture and The Farm Carbon Toolkit, the national Soil farmer of the Year competition aims to find the best farmers and growers who are engaged with and passionate about managing their soils. The competition is sponsored by Hutchinsons and Cotswold Seeds.
Soil underpins the entire farming system. A healthy well-managed soil rich in organic matter will support productive and healthy crops and pasture, which in turn supports a profitable and resilient farming system.
Since 2015, our Soil Farmer of the Year competition has helped to find, promote and champion UK farmers who are passionate about safeguarding their soils and building resilient businesses. As part of the competition, the top three farmers host farm walks that bring farmers together to share good practice and innovations that improve soil health.
The competition has become widely recognised by organisations working in soil health, with many promoting it to their networks to increase participation.
Soil Farmer of the Year 2025 is open
The 2025 Soil Farmer of the Year competition will be an exciting opportunity to share and be recognised for the positive impact your farming practices have on your soil.
Why participate in Soil Farmer of the Year?
- Get recognition for your successful management of soil to enhance soil health and business resilience
- Contribute to increasing understanding of soil health by sharing your experience with other farmers
- Win a voucher for seeds from Cotswold Seeds and gain free entry to Groundswell 2025
How it works
Who can enter: Any farmer in the UK.
Theme: You will be sharing the practices you’ve implemented to improve soil health on your farm and the results you have seen.
Getting started: Entry forms are available here. Enter your details, and answer the entry questions either directly into the form, or you can submit a video or voice note sharing your answers.
Deadline for entries: Wednesday 5th March, 2025
Judging process: The entries will be anonymised before being shortlisted against the judging criteria. Shortlisted farms will receive a farm visit, which will take place during W/C 2nd June 2025. The competition is judged by a panel, which includes a past winner, plus representatives from Farm Carbon Toolkit and Innovation for Agriculture.
Awards ceremony and farm walks: The competition award ceremony will take place at Groundswell 2025. Winners will also have the opportunity to host a farm walk, with full support from Farm Carbon Toolkit and Innovation for Agriculture, which will be arranged for a mutually convenient date later in 2025.
Ready to take on the challenge and be recognised for the fantastic work you’re already doing to enhance soil health and farm business resilience? Submit your entry today.
2024 Soil Farmer of the Year
The winners and runners up of the 2024 Soil Farmer of the Year competition were announced at Groundswell, with all the finalists speaking about how they have prioritised soil management and the results achieved by doing so.
Tracy Russell and David Newman from Bucksum at Shabbington Fields Farm in Buckinghamshire claimed the top spot, with Ed Horton from SS Horton & Sons in Gloucestershire in second place and Ben Richards from Middle Trelan Farm Ltd in Cornwall placed third.
2023 Soil Farmer of the Year
The 2023 Soil Farmer of the Year winners were announced at Groundswell 2023, a huge congratulations to them all.
- 1st Place – Stuart Johnson, West Wharmley Farm, Hexham (pictured above, right).
- 2nd Place – Richard Anthony, R&L Anthony Ltd, Bridgend (pictured above, centre).
- 3rd Place – Bronagh O’Kane, Drumard Farm, Cookstown (pictured above, left).
Further details on the finalists and highly commended can be found here.
2022 Soil Farmer of the Year
The winners were announced at Groundswell 2022. Read about it here.
Details about farm walks at each of the winner’s farms can be found here:
- Mixed Soil Farmer of the Year - a farm walk with Billy Lewis
- Soil Farmer of the Year runner up - a farm walk with Andrew Rees
- Arable Soil Farmer of the Year - a farm walk with David Miller
2021 Soil Farmer of the Year
Read about the winners of our 2021 competition here and insights from the farm walks here:
- Soil Farmer of the Year 2021 walk with arable winner Tom Sewell
- Soil Farmer of the Year 2021 walk with livestock winner Sam Vincent
- Soil Farmer of the Year 2021 walk with runner up Antony Pearce
2020 Soil Farmer of the Year
Resources from our 2020 competition:
- Arable Soil Farmer of the Year 2020 walk with Jake Freestone
- Runner up Soil Farmer of the Year 2020 walk with John Martin
- Livestock Soil Farmer of the Year 2020 walk with Alex Brewster
2019 Soil Farmer of the Year
Resources from our 2019 competition:
- Farm walk with Julian Gold, our 2019 Soil Farmer of the Year winner
- Farm walk with Will Blackburn, 2019 Soil Farmer of the Year runner up
- Farm walk with Paul Davey, 2019 Soil Farmer of the Year third place
2018 Soil Farmer of the Year
Resources from our 2018 competition:
