2023 Farmers Weekly Awards judges

The awards are judged by a panel of industry leaders and experts in agriculture. The Farmers Weekly Awards also invites previous winners to judge the new crop of entries and nominees.

The judging process is a two-stage process including pre-scoring to determine our shortlist and judges visits on farm where entries are discussed and evaluated in detail to decide the winning entries.

Ag Student of the Year

Hayley Chapman
Farmers Weekly judge

Ben Chilman
Ag Student of the Year 2022

Ally Hunter-Blair
Farmer and independent judge

Arable Adviser of the Year

Phil Case
Farmers Weekly chief reporter

Jock Wilmott
Arable Adviser of the Year 2022

Edward Vipond
Farm manager and independent judge

Arable Farmer of the Year

Richard Allison
Farmers Weekly arable editor

Will Oliver
Arable Farmer of the Year 2022

Damion McAuley
Independent judge and agronomist

Beef Farmer of the Year

Debbie James
Farmers Weekly Welsh correspondent

Simon Cutter
Beef Farmer of the Year 2022

James Hadwin
Independent judge, beef and sheep consultant and tenant farmer
JH Agri Consultancy

Contractor of the Year

Oliver Mark
Farmers Weekly machinery editor

Martin Hays
Contractor of the Year 2022

Jill Hewitt
Independent judge and NAAC chief executive

Dairy Farmer of the Year

Shirley Macmillan
Farmers Weekly livestock deputy editor

Catherine Pickford
Dairy Farmer of the Year 2022

Gaynor Wellwood
Independent judge, dairy business consultant and dairy farmer

Diversification Farmer of the Year

Charlie Reeve
Farmers Weekly news and business reporter

Tim and Tanya Spittle
Diversification Farmers of the Year 2022

Nick Evans
Independent judge and Oxbury co-founder and managing director

Farm Manager of the Year

Suzie Horne
Farmers Weekly business editor

Rob McGregor
Farm Manager of the Year 2022

Richard Price
Independent judge and director Ewematter Ltd, independent agricultural consultancy

Grassland Manager of the Year

Rhian Price
Farmers Weekly Midlands/Welsh borders correspondent

Ian Boyd
Grassland Manager of the Year 2022

Emily Grant
Independent judge and sheep and beef consultant

Livestock Adviser of the Year

David Jones
Farmers Weekly arable deputy  editor

James Daniel
Livestock Adviser of the Year 2022

Claire White
Independent judge and senior veterinary adviser for NFU

Mixed Farmer of the Year

Emma Gillbard
Farmers Weekly arable reporter

James Leslie
Mixed Farmer of the Year 2022

Andrew Robinson
Independent judge and head of agriculture, Armstrong Watson

Pig Farmer of the Year

Judith Tooth
Farmers Weekly livestock editor

David Fulton
Pig Farmer of the Year 2022

Charlie Dewhirst
Independent judge and NPA, senior policy adviser

Poultry Farmer of the Year

Philip Clarke
Farmers Weekly news editor

Rebecca Tonks
Poultry Farmer of the Year 2022

Kerry Maxwell
Independent judge and communications manager at the British Poultry Council

Sheep Farmer of the Year

Michael Priestley
Farmers Weekly livestock reporter

Andy Wear and Jennifer Hunter
Sheep Farmers of the Year 2022

Moira Gallagher
Independent judge and SAC Consulting business consultant

Young Farmer of the Year

Matilda Bovingdon
Farmers Weekly news reporter

Matthew Nichols
Young Farmer of the Year 2022

Cath Crowther
Independent judge and CLA East regional director

Sponsors

Farmers Weekly Awards

The Farmers Weekly Awards is the most prestigious awards in the agriculture industry, recognising farmers' achievements across the country. Join us in celebrating farming and put farmers centre stage.

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