At this year’s annual Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) Awards, held on 22 September at Cowdray House in Sussex, the Allerton Project was delighted to receive special commendation in the inaugural ‘Water Quality Farmer of the Year’ award, sponsored by Anglian Water, Portsmouth Water, Severn Trent, Southern Water and Wessex Water.
This new award celebrates the practical work taking place on productive, commercial farms to protect and enhance water quality, recognising farmers and land managers delivering positive outcomes for water through practical action on nutrient, pesticide and soil management.
The Allerton Project was recognised for its pioneering work in this space over more than three decades, with much of our research fed through into national policy in that time. Despite judging taking place in the driest summer on record, the judges were impressed with the range of work undertaken at the Allerton Project, and then subsequently implemented in our commercial farming operations.
This includes our research on soil and tramline management and cultivation techniques, farm wetlands and leaky dams, buffer strips and sediment traps, clean water ponds and – most recently – our groundbreaking field drainage project, which aims to highlight both the commercial and environmental benefits of well-drained agricultural land.
Picking up the award on behalf of the Project, Head of Sustainable Farming Joe Stanley said: “It was a pleasure to represent colleagues past and present who have contributed to our work over the years, much of which is now helping to improve water quality at a national scale. The Allerton Project remains a special place where top-quality research and practical farming exist side-by-side, and this award is recognition of the positive benefit it has had on the farmed landscape since the 1990s.”
Rob Shepherd, Chairman of the Environmental Farmers Group, was also recognised, winning the National Agricultural Award for his work in developing collaborative farmer-led conservation. Rob played a crucial role alongside GWCT in establishing the UK’s first Farmer Cluster, Allenford, in 2013 and later the Environmental Farmers Group (EFG).
Award judge Andrew Wraith from Savills said: “Rob Shepherd has chaired over 100 EFG meetings. His leadership has inspired others to set up their own cluster groups, sweeping away the ‘farmers don’t do co-operation’ myth and demonstrated how collaboration can transform the delivery of natural capital.”
Responding to his win, Rob said: “I feel humbled to receive the National Agricultural Award from RASE. It is really for all the farmers and landowners who have co-operated over the years with Farmer Clusters and with the EFG. Collaboration isn’t for everyone, but it does seem that in the field of environmental improvement and biodiversity gain the cooperation of land managers over a larger landscape can produce more beneficial results.”