Farm Carbon Toolkit launches the first competition of its kind at the Low Carbon Agriculture Show this February.
The annual Carbon Farmer of the Year Competition aims to recognise and champion farmers, sector organisations and businesses who are leading the way in adopting farming practices and developing new technologies that are helping to reduce farm emissions while optimising output.
Launched today at the Low Carbon Agriculture Show at NAEC Stoneleigh, this is the only competition of its kind to identify and reward farmers, sector organisations, and businesses that are working hard to manage emissions and carbon storage. The competition will allow stakeholders to frame discussions on carbon emissions and carbon sinks on farms in a very practical way, thereby encouraging maximum engagement with the issues.
The winners of this year’s Carbon Farmer of the Year competition will be announced at the Farm Carbon Toolkit’s annual autumn conference, which is being held at the Hendred Estate, Oxfordshire.
Farm Carbon Toolkit was established to facilitate discussion and information sharing between farmers and other actors, ultimately leading to changes in on-farm practice. With many years of experience of working with farmers, landowners and the wider agricultural community, Farm Carbon Toolkit understands that network creation is of paramount importance.
Together with the wider work of the Farm Carbon Toolkit, the new competition will help to increase levels of carbon literacy among farmers and land managers by bringing them together at a number of dedicated events and workshops to share what they are doing, discuss new innovations in machinery and techniques, as well as learn more about new research and link with related projects.
Adam Twine, Co-Founder and Non-Executive Direct at Farm Carbon Toolkit, says
“The new Carbon Farmer of the Year competition will help to create a network of respected alumni who are not only changing their practices to better manage emissions and carbon storage on farmland, but will help to inspire others through activity, practical demonstrations, and advocacy for changing management practices.”
By showcasing the good practices that are taking place on farms across the UK, the Carbon Farmer of the Year competition will encourage more farmers to appreciate what is possible for their own businesses, specifically around changing practices to reduce emissions, improve soil organic matter levels, water holding capacity, soil life and soil structure, and the many other positive consequences associated with these changes.
Liz Bowles, Chief Executive Officer at Farm Carbon Toolkit says,
“I am delighted to announce the new Carbon Farmer of the Year competition, which will reward those individuals and organisations in the farming sector who are pioneering practices and adopting new technologies to reduce the GHG emissions from agriculture. Our ambition with this competition is to showcase best practices and effective mitigation mechanisms that are realistic and practicable on every farm, and help everyone to increase their carbon literacy.”
For more information about the Carbon Farmer of the Year Competition, and for details on how to apply, visit www.carbonfarmeroftheyear.com
Notes for editors
About the Farm Carbon Toolkit
Farm Carbon Toolkit is an independent, farmer-led Community Interest Company, supporting farmers to measure, understand and act on their greenhouse gas emissions, while improving their business resilience for the future.
For over a decade, Farm Carbon Toolkit has delivered a range of practical projects, tools and services that have inspired real action on the ground. Organisations they work with include the Duchy of Cornwall, First Milk, Tesco, Yeo Valley and WWF. Their Farm Carbon Calculator is a leading on-farm carbon audit tool, used by over seven thousand farmers in the UK and beyond. To find out more visit www.farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk
