Taking place at the 160th Great Yorkshire Show, the annual Co-op Farming and Supply Chain awards is a highlight in the calendar for many. Showcasing the Agri-Food industry, the awards celebrate the very best of British farming.
This year, Dunbia were delighted to have two of our suppliers praised for their ongoing hard work and determination to improve not only their farming enterprises but also the wider Agri-Food industry.
Sheep Farmer of the Year & Outstanding Farmer of the Year- Rodger & Hillary Bell
Running a strong flock of 550 ewes, consisting of Texel, Suffolk and Charollais breeds, Roger and Hilary Bell are an efficiency driven couple, who thrive on performance based data to maximise farm profitability. Using their EID software, they are able to record and monitor both their ewe and lamb performance. This allows for the business to benchmark their performance year on year, aiding their drive towards continuous improvement.
Through their countless contributions to the industry and by working closely with the Co-op and Dunbia, Roger and Hilary have demonstrated time and again their commitment to building strong, long-lasting relationships across the supply chain. They strive for innovation and are widely involved with industry research to pursue efficiency on their farm to produce quality, British lamb.
Farming Ambassador of the Year- Caroline Morris
Producing prime Hereford cattle, running both a pedigree and commercial flock, as well as Gloucester Old Spot pigs, Caroline has been applying her knowledge, which she continuously grows, to the family farm business, in which she is now taking increasingly more management responsibilities.
Caroline strives for a farming system which is sustainable, both environmentally and economically, and interactive with the wider community. Her family farm hosted Open Farm Sunday for the first time this year, where they were able to showcase their high levels of animal welfare and health alongside the opportunity to promote their enterprising Farm House Shop.
Standing as the Chairman for Leighton Buzzard YFC, a member of the Three Counties Beef and Sheep Group as well as the Midland and East Anglia Hereford Breeders Association, Caroline has established a fantastic opportunity through her expanding platform to both endorse the benefits of the Co-op Pioneer Programme and Hereford Foundation Farming Group and promote Co-op Values. Caroline is a truly fantastic ambassador for the UK Agri Food Industry.
Speaking about the two very deserving champions, George Williamson, Head of Agriculture, commented;
“The Agri Food industry is an incredibly dynamic sector to work in, with an ever increasing list of challenges, farming needs to be more adaptable and forward thinking than ever before. Our champions work tirelessly to ensure that the livestock they produce is of the best quality to provide the best quality food for the consumer. Rodger, Hillary and Caroline completely epitomise this through their innovative farming practices and we are very proud that they choose to supply Dunbia.”
