Grassland Farmer Of The Year

The Competition

The ‘BGS Grassland Farmer of the Year’ competition aims to find the UK’s top grassland farmers, promoting the ability that they demonstrate within our industry and rewarding them for their achievements.  The judges will be looking for a farmer who demonstrates overall excellence in grassland management and is a successful contributor towards profitable and sustainable farming practices.

Entries are welcome from beef, sheep and dairy farms and from all areas of the UK.

The competition examines the farmer’s approach to the following areas:

• Grassland & Forage Policy – nutrient management, use of non-grass forages, weed control, re-seeding policy
• Grazing & Forage Management – production from forage: grazing system/silage system, forage budgeting and forage quality, grass measurements and forage analysis, integration of grazing/silage, stocking rate
• Livestock Production & Welfare – production data, balance of bought-in feeds, replacement policy, welfare of livestock
• Environmental Issues – water quality protection, soil resource management, carbon management, biodiversity and habitat management
• Overall Impression– for example: use of resources, business sustainability/resilience, staff management and development, wider participation

Download the full scoring criteria matrix here.

Local judging tends to take place in June, with the three national finalists being visited by the judging panel towards the end of August/early September.

What do I win?

The overall winner of the competition will receive BGS’ prestigious trophy and £500 in prize money. The winner is announced at an Awards Evening in the autumn.

The 2023 Awards Evening took at the Cliff Hotel and Spa, Gwbert, Cardigan in October 2023. Click here to view photos of the event.