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.
2025 Soil Farmer of the Year
The 2025 Soil Farmer of the Year competition opens for applications on the 5th of December 2024 which is World Soil’s Day. The application window for the 2025 competition will close on the 5th of March, with subsequent judging taking place thereafter.
If you would like to enter the competition or nominate a farmer who you think would be a brilliant Soil Farmer of the Year, or would like any further information, please contact Emma Adams emma.adams@farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk
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:
