Top dairy farmers show off their credentials

One of the banes of modern journalism is the fact that the job has become almost exclusively office bound.

The bulk of information comes via e-mail or from the internet, followed up with phone calls.

It was therefore a refreshing change to get out for two days at the end of last week to help judge the Farmers Weekly Dairy Farmer of the Year Award - to be reacquainted with the sights, sounds and, indeed, the smells of real farming.

Everyone knows that dairy farming is going through a tough time, with falling prices, rising costs and all manner of political interference. But you wouldn't have guessed it walking around the farms of our three finalists.

There was very little complaining about the tough economic environment that besets the industry.

Instead, all three were focussed on running efficient businesses, getting the best from their cows and planning for future expansion.

All three had a clear grasp of their costs. All three had a clear vision of where they were taking their businesses. Most of all, all three were making sustainable profits and were convinced dairying has a bright future....