Farm planner of the year

A winning line-up at last week’s Royal Show.

Newcastle University students Tom Reynolds (left) and Ian Pye (right) fought off stiff competition from five other colleges to win the prestigious Farm Planner of the Year Award organised by the Institute of Agricultural Management, sponsored by HSBC Agriculture and Farmplan and supported by Farmers Weekly.

Tom and Ian are pictured receiving their award at the Royal Show, Stoneleigh with (L to R) the institute’s Tim Brigstocke, FW editor Jane King, DEFRA secretary David Miliband, Dr Peter Rawlinson of Newcastle University, John Barker, senior HSBC agricultural manager and Neil Unitt of Farmplan.

Six teams were asked to produce a business plan for Waldersey Farms, Southery, Norfolk.

Commenting on the award Mr Miliband urged the contestants to:

“Spread the message that farming is a young person’s industry as well as one for older people. If you broadcast that message it will have more impact than if I say it.”

Finalists in the competition were teams from Harper Adams University College and Writtle College.

Students from the Royal Agricultural College, Bishop Burton and Reaseheath College also took part.