King’s Birthday Honours 2025: Food and farming leaders recognised

The King’s Birthday Honours List for 2025 has recognised outstanding individuals for their significant contributions to the UK’s food and farming agriculture sectors.

This year’s recipients have been recognised for their work in sustainable farming, agri-tech innovation, education, and community service.

Geoff Sansome, a partner at Hawford Farm in Claines, Worcester, has been awarded an MBE for services to farming and the voluntary sector.

He recently retired as head of agriculture at Natural England after 42 years of advising and helping farmers.

See also: FW Awards: Nominate for the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award

Mr Sansome has supported Ukrainian refugees in Worcestershire and is a long-time volunteer with the Farming Community Network (FCN).

He also chairs the Wildgoose Rural Training Centre in Hallow, which supports adults with learning difficulties and young people facing challenges in education.

He described the honour as a “very nice surprise” and credited the teams and organisations he has worked with throughout his career.

“I see this award as recognition of them, rather than a personal achievement,” he told Farmers Weekly.

Janet Hughes has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her distinguished public service to agriculture.

As director of Defra’s Future Farming and Countryside Programme, she played a key role in designing and implementing the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, which replaces EU subsidies with payments for environmental stewardship.

Ms Hughes recently announced her departure from Defra to become director general for Civil Service Reform and Efficiency at the Cabinet Office.

She said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to be recognised in this way on behalf of the incredible people and teams I’ve had the chance to work with over many years, most recently at Defra.

“I’m hugely proud of everything we’ve achieved together and the progress we’ve managed to make, and deeply grateful to have had the opportunity.”

Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), has also been appointed a CBE for services to agriculture and rural communities.

Over his eight-year leadership of the RPA – and 40 years in the civil service – he has been instrumental in delivering agricultural support schemes across England. He is due to step down this summer.

Dr Phil Hadley, formerly the AHDB’s international trade development director, was awarded an OBE for his services to international trade in agriculture.

He left the AHDB in spring 2024 to become the secretary general of the International Meat Secretariat (IMS).

There is also a CBE for Andrew Richardson, chairman of the board of Food and Drink Wales, for services to the sector.

Additional MBEs

Hugh Crabtree has been awarded an MBE for his contributions to the pig industry through innovation and leadership at Farmex Ltd in Berkshire.

Richard Ikin was honoured for founding the Young Farmer Development Award and his broader service to farming and agriculture in Manchester.

And Donald Morrow was recognised for his work in agricultural education and development in Northern Ireland, as well as his longstanding commitment to Scouting.