FW Awards 2017: Farm Adviser of the Year
Delivering value for money and serving his clients’ needs are key motivators for Andrew Jenkinson, who joined land agents Robinson and Hall after leaving Reading University 12 years ago.
“It would be all too easy to spend my time trying to drum up new business, but for me it’s more important to serve my core clients and that inevitably leads to other things anyway,” he says.
Andrew describes himself as a “generalist land agent”, but he has a great deal of specialist knowledge too, and his interventions often make a real difference.
See also: Read about all the Farm Adviser of the Year 2017 finalists
Andrew Jenkinson
Robinson and Hall, Buckinghamshire
For example, a client was recently in danger of losing five years’ worth of BPS claims, but negotiations with the Rural Payments Agency led to corrections being made and the penalty waived.
Winning ways
- Meticulous attention to detail, especially with subsidy and grant applications
- Achieves clients’ objectives without avoiding difficult conversations
- Always on the lookout for new opportunities for the company and its clients
- Has been instrumental in growing the business through innovation and reputation
He also helps farmers evaluate Countryside Stewardship options, often leading to better land management practices and higher, more stable returns.
Succession planning is another forte, and Andrew has helped numerous farmers prepare to hand on the business in a way that benefits all parties.
Not satisfied with expanding his company’s business and improving profitability for his clients, Andrew is particularly proud of the work he does in the wider industry.
This includes his role as the youngest-ever president of the Herts, Beds and Bucks Agricultural Valuers’ Association and as a highly successful Agricultural Mortgage Corporation agent.
“I carry out a number of public speaking engagements each year, including our autumn conference, which I started six years ago.”
Andrew has clearly achieved a great deal in his short career, winning the respect and admiration of everyone he works with.
Finalists in the Farm Adviser of the Year category were:
- Ainsley Baker, Kite Consulting, Staffordshire
- Richard Gooding, British Quality Pigs, Suffolk