Categories & Criteria

This award recognises the accelerated growth of an exciting sector which is providing a wealth of support and solutions to farming practices. You do not need to have an agricultural background but you will be helping farmers and/or industry professionals find solutions whether that be through increasing crop yields, streamlining data, improving animal health, reducing waste or lowering carbon footprints to name but a few.

Entry criteria:

• Must be a UK business with an agricultural link OR a farmer who has developed an agri-tech product
• Can clearly demonstrate a positive impact within a farming sector
• No agricultural background required
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering 

Award sponsored by Hillsgreen

Content creation and the introduction of social media influencers in farming is booming, with more and more farmers recognising the benefits of multimedia platforms to grow their business, communicate with new and existing customers and improve overall public perception.

If you are a champion of our industry who is using digital mediums to raise the profile of farming or to educate to wider audiences, then tell us your story and enter this award.

Entry criteria:

• You can be using platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Youtube, TikTok, Podcasts, Websites
• You will be able to demonstrate how you have used digital media and platforms to raise the profile of farming or to educate. 
• Paid partnerships and earnings do not affect eligibility for this award
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

As the Agricultural Student of the Year, you will be successfully progressing your learning and career, inside and outside of college or university. Open to all agricultural students in the UK, whether they come from an agricultural background or are new to the industry. You will be clearly able to demonstrate self-motivation, initiative, adaptability and a commitment to agriculture outside of academic life.

Entry criteria:

• Student or undergraduate studying a degree course at a UK university or college
• No agricultural background required
• Must be able to demonstrate agricultural activities or areas of self-development outside of college or university
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

This award recognises the ongoing versatility required by arable farmers who must respond to fluctuating commodity prices, unpredictable weather and evolving legislation, while striving to achieve a profitable and sustainable business. You will have made a key change(s) to improve your farm and are open to exploring new possibilities to help safeguard your business now and for the future whether that be through progressive, environmental or more collaborative approaches.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage an arable enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of the farm is not important
• You will be able to identify challenges within your business and how you have overcome them
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

We are looking for a beef farmer who is not afraid to embrace change to boost efficiencies within their business to make their margins work harder. You are making the most of the opportunities presented to you whether that be in management of quality cattle, demonstrating good stockmanship or implementing best practice. You will be introducing different ways to positively contribute to climate-friendly farming, improving efficiency, productivity and profitability.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage a beef enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of herd is not important
• You will be able to identify challenges within your business and how you have overcome them
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

In a competitive market where margins are tight and efficiency is key, the partnership between contractor and farmer is pivotal. Whether you are operating in mainstream services or developed a niche for a given sector, you will be implementing practical solutions, developing strong customer relationships and offering a cost-effective service to farms, regardless of size.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage an agricultural contracting enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of enterprise is not important
• Can include general contracting and/or bespoke services
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Exploring new ideas and opportunities, you will be shaping your business to become more robust, sustainable and adaptable against an ever challenging sector. Whether you are a large-scale dairy unit or a smaller family-run farm, using progressive technologies to improve efficiencies or developing your chosen system into something more niche, you enjoy challenging conventional thinking.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage a dairy enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of herd is not important
• You will be able to identify challenges within your business and how you have overcome them
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

This award is to respect the fact farm businesses no longer just operate behind a closed gate, as farmers look to add value to their enterprise regardless of the size and scale of your business. You might be operating within agri-tourism, food and drink production, leisure, retail and/or events to name but a few. Adding value to your core business will be at the heart of your diversification to help support the longevity and success of the farm in the future.

Entry criteria:

• Size or scale isn’t important – the entries will be broken down into two sections: Small to Medium and Large
• Need to be trading as a diversification for a minimum of two years
• The Farming enterprise must still remain the core part of the business
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Award sponsored by NFU Mutual 

This award is to respect the fact farm businesses no longer just operate behind a closed gate, as farmers look to add value to their enterprise regardless of the size and scale of your business. You might be operating within agri-tourism, food and drink production, leisure, retail and/or events to name but a few. Adding value to your core business will be at the heart of your diversification to help support the longevity and success of the farm in the future.

Entry criteria:

• Size or scale isn’t important – the entries will be broken down into two sections: Small to Medium and Large
• Need to be trading as a diversification for a minimum of two years
• The Farming enterprise must still remain the core part of the business
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Award sponsored by Goodyear Farm Tyres

At the heart of many farms lie the families behind them who, through generations, have developed the business to help secure its place in years to come. As a family, you will be able to clearly demonstrate a shared vision of where the business is going and who is responsible for the different areas core to the farm. You will also be able to confidently identify short- and long-term business challenges and work collectively to overcome them and develop new ideas and efficiencies. Succession planning will also be part of your future to help safeguard the family farm.

Entry criteria:

• Multiple generations of the same family must be involved in the farm
• You must be able to demonstrate succession planning to safeguard the future of the business
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Many farm workers often go that extra mile, whether that be continued loyalty in the form of time and effort, attention to detail or adopting new approaches to ensure the farm business runs efficiently and effectively. Candidates will be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the business and how their efforts have contributed to a dynamic farm enterprise.

Open to all farm workers in the UK, we are looking for individuals who can offer examples of their self-motivation and commitment to the farm businesses they work for.

Entry criteria:

• Must not be managing the farm as a whole, or an owner
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Award sponsored by Eternit 

This award recognises an individual or group of people who are flying the flag for British Agriculture by making a positive difference across the agricultural industry. They may be campaigning about a specific cause or issue and/or raising positive awareness about the role of farming to the public.

You can nominate someone you feel is Flying the Flag for British Agriculture. They will not be notified that they have been nominated unless they are chosen as the winner of the award.

This award is chosen by the British Farming Awards team and announced during the Awards Night.

Award sponsored by Germinal 

This award recognises a farmer who is pushing the boundaries with grassland management and whose knowledge and application can demonstrate leading yields and quality nutritional values, alongside sustainable practices. Open to all sectors, farmers will be developing innovative grazing systems, and maximising grass growth and/or nutritional potential whether that be through reseeding, mowing, achieving good soil health or regular monitoring.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage a farming enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of the farm is not important
• You will be able to identify challenges within your business and how you have overcome them
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

This award welcomes entries from farmers who have had no security of a family farm and have built an enterprise completely from scratch. You may have worked your way towards achieving your goals despite not coming from an agricultural background or have left a career in another industry to pursue a dream to farm.

Entry criteria:

• You will have started your own farming enterprise within the last five years
• No prior farming background or family farm within the direct family
• Must own or manage a farming enterprise in the UK - size or scale of the farm is not important
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

We are looking for a sheep farmer who is not afraid to embrace change to boost efficiencies within their business. You will be making the most of the opportunities presented to you and recognise the importance of delivering quality production and management, utilising technology, and developing ways to improve stockmanship.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage a commercial sheep enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of the farm is not important
• You will be able to identify challenges within your business and how you have overcome them
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Award sponsored by NSF

This award recognises farmers who are safeguarding the land for future generations and are embracing sustainable farming practices which work in harmony with the environment. You will be proactively reducing your carbon footprint whether that be through exploring regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, soil health, water management stockmanship and renewable energy to name but a few.

Entry criteria:

• Must own or manage a farming enterprise in the UK
• Size or scale of the farm is not important
• You will be able to identify challenges within your business and how you have overcome them
• Able to demonstrate sustainable farming practices
• Entrant or nominee must be aged over 18 years at the time of entering
  

Award sponsored by The Ethical Butcher

This award recognises individuals who take proactive steps to reduce their carbon footprint while enhancing soil health, biodiversity, and water management. Whether through the adoption of regenerative agriculture techniques, responsible stockmanship, or the use of renewable energy, nominees will demonstrate a commitment to farming in harmony with nature.