Soil Farmer of the Year

What it is all about?

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 in a way that supports productive agriculture, biodiversity, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and builds soil organic matter and carbon.

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.

Soil Farmer of the Year 2020

The competition is now open!

More information about the competition this year is available here.

Farmer applications are made through an online questionnaire and if you want to nominate a farmer to be recognised please email Becky on [email protected] for an application form.

If you have any questions about the competition, please contact Becky on 07875 356611 or by email on [email protected]

Soil Farmer of the Year 2019

Our winners receing their awards at Groundswell 2019.

Our 2019 winners L-R - Julian Gold, Simon Cowell (2018 winner) Will Blackburn and Paul Davey

2019 Resources

Click on the images to read the write ups from the farm walks

Finalist - Peter Van Vliet.

Soil Farmer of the Year 2018

Our winner and some of our fantastic finalists were presented with their awards at Groundswell.

L-R Martin Howard (finalist), Angus Gowthorpe (Runner - up), Simon Cowell (winner) and Simon Drury (finalist)

2018 Resources

Finalists - David Lord, Martin Howard and Simon Drury.

What have we achieved to date?

This infographic shows some of the fantastic farmers who have been recognised by this award.

Click here to access it.

2017 Resources

Click on the pictures to read the write ups of the soil farmer farm walks.

Finalists - George Hosier and Adam Lewis

The resources for the 2017 Soil Farmer of the Year Competition was launched on World Soils Day, 5th December 2016. Click here to go to the 2017 pages.

2016 Resources

The competition was launched on World Soils Day back in December 2015. The finalists were announced in March, (read the release here) and then the results were announced in May. Click on the images below to access the resources from the three farm walks.