Guidance for entering the Farmers Weekly Awards

You and your background.
Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your home background? What made you decide to study agriculture, and why did you choose the college and the particular course you enrolled on? Did you have to overcome any particular challenges along the way?

Your academic achievements/activities.
Tell us about your achievements related to your current course or your previous studies – exam results, prizes, project work, work placements etc. Which aspects of your course have you particularly enjoyed and why? What are your proudest moments from your studies?

Your other achievements/activities.
What have you achieved outside of your academic studies (e.g. Awards, sporting achievements, leading roles in clubs/organisations, on-farm activities). What are you most proud of outside of your academic studies?

Your future plans.
What do you want to do when you finish your course? Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? 10 years time? What are you going to do to help you achieve these ambitions?

Your voice.
Tell us your views on a farming-related topic that you feel strongly about. Have your views on this topic led you to take any action?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us that might mark you out as a winner?

Summary.
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Ag Student of the Year?

Business Outline: Describe your business and the services that you offer to farming clients. How has your business changed over the past few years, both in size and in the services it offers? What innovations have you introduced in recent years?

Client Impact: What impact have your services had on your clients’ farming businesses over the past few years? Please give an overview across all the businesses you cover and also at least one specific client case study.

Achievements/differentiators: What are the biggest achievements over the past few years? Why do customers choose you rather than your competitors? What are you most proud of in terms of the services and support you (and, if applicable, your team) offer? How do you go the extra mile?

Intelligence: How do you keep abreast of changes that impact on your recommendations/services and stay one step ahead of the client?

We also need to know the main services offered and you will be required to provide two character references. Questions for your references will include:

• Their contact details
• What services do you supply this client?
• How long have you been working for this client?

Your business
Describe your business and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Innovation
How you have improved crop performance/output/profitability/sustainability over the past few years? Describe what you have done (e.g. changes to working practices, technical innovations) and the results of these actions (e.g. increase in yield, reduction in costs, control of disease/pests), with supporting data if you have it.

Your market
Where and how are your products sold? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

Your vision
Where do you see your business in five years and what do you plan to do to get there?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about you or your business that might mark you out as a winner? For example:

• Your team and the way they are managed?
• How you are looking after the natural resources of your farm – e.g. involvement in
  stewardship schemes, energy saving/production, water protection, biodiversity
• Your profile/wider industry/community role. For example, do you represent farmers on any
  committees, or help to promote the image of farming to the wider public through activities
  such as Open Farm Sunday?

Summary
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Arable Farmer of the Year?

Describe your system and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Tell us about your current herd performance and how it has improved over recent years (e.g. Rearing %, barren rates, kg of output/ha, gross margin per cow, days to slaughter). What have you done to improve herd performance?

Please tell us about your following policies (where relevant):
a. Breeding
b. Soil and grassland management
c. Feeding and nutrition
d. Herd health

What technology are you using on your farm to support day-to-day decision making? (e.g. EID, performance recording, computer programmes, weigh heads)

How do you benchmark your enterprise against other businesses? Do you know your cost of production or gross and net margins? Please include your figures if you have them (this will be kept confidential).

What people are involved in your business (e.g. staff, consultants), what roles do they play and how do you ensure you get the best from them?

Where and how do you sell/market your product? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

What are you doing to protect your natural resources? (e.g. renewables, stewardship schemes, biodiversity).

What animal welfare standards do you adhere to (e.g. Red Tractor, RSPCA, supermarket standards) and what do these entail?

What plans do you have for the future? Explain the opportunities and challenges ahead and how you plan to exploit or overcome them.

Is there anything else that marks you out as a winner? (e.g. wider industry/community role; collaboration with suppliers, customers or other farmers)

Costings: How you manage your operational costs and achieve a profitable business

• How do you calculate how much to charge?
• Do your charges change from year to year?
• How do you charge – by area, hour, etc.?
• Do you have different payment plans to suit different customers?

Machinery: Describe your fleet, how it has changed over the years and why you bought those machines

• How do you pick the machines that you run?
• Do you buy new or second-hand?
• How long do you keep machines for, and does this vary?
• Do you rely on warranty, or do you do most of the fixing yourself?
• How do you handle the rising capital cost of machinery?

Relationships: How do you balance your needs with those of your customers?

• How do you maintain relationships with existing customers?
• Do your staff play a role in this?
• How do you build relationships with potential new customers?
• Do you have a close relationship with your local dealers?

Social responsibility: Adhering to legislation, communicating with the public and looking after the environment

• How do you keep up with health and safety laws?
• Have you implemented any rules to improve workplace standards?
• How do you minimise the impact of your work on the public?
• Do you doing anything to engage with the local community?

Staff management:

• How many staff do you have?
• Where do you find new staff?
• Do you provide accommodation?
• Do you offer staff training?
• What appraisal and payment schemes do you operate?

Achievements/differentiators: What would you say are your biggest achievements over the past few years? Why do customers choose you rather than your competitors?

Anything else? Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about you or your business that marks you out as a winner?

References: You will be required to provide two character references. Questions for your references will include:

• Contact details including name, address, telephone and email.
• What services do you supply this client?
• How long have you been working for this client?

1. Describe your system and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

2. Tell us about your current herd/flock performance and how it has improved over recent years (e.g. Dairy gross margin, reproductive performance, animal health). What have you done to improve herd performance?

3. Please tell us about your following policies (where relevant):
a. Breeding
b. Soil and grassland management
c. Feeding and nutrition
d. Herd health

4. What technology are you using on your farm to support day-to-day decision making?

5. How do you benchmark your enterprise against other businesses? Do you know your cost of production or gross and net margins? Please include your figures if you have them (this will be kept confidential).

6. What people are involved in your business (e.g. staff, consultants), what roles do they play and how do you ensure you get the best from them?

7. Where and how do you sell/market your product? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

8. What are you doing to protect your natural resources? (e.g. renewables, stewardship schemes, biodiversity).

9. What animal welfare standards do you adhere to (red tractor, RSPCA, supermarket standards) and what do these entail?

10. What plans do you have for the future? Explain the opportunities and challenges ahead and how you plan to exploit or overcome them.

Is there anything else that marks you out as a winner? (e.g. wider industry/community role; collaboration with suppliers, customers or other farmers)

Your business
Describe your diversification business, how it came about and how it has developed over the past few years. What are the main challenges you have overcome and what opportunities have you exploited? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Fit with your farming enterprise
How does the diversification complement your farm business? How do the two work together (thinking about resources, finance and demands on the time of you/your team)?

Your market/customers
How do you make sure that you understand customers’ needs? How do you promote/market your products/services? Why should customers choose you over your competitors – what makes you stand out?

Costs
What are the main costs of your diversification business, and how do you manage/control them?

Your vision
Where do you see your business in five years and what do you plan to do to get there?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about you or your business that might mark you out as a winner? For example:

• Your team and the way they are managed?
• How you are making the most of and nurturing natural resources.
• Your profile/wider industry/community role.

Summary
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Diversification Farmer of the Year?

Your business
Describe the business you manage and your role. How has the business developed under your management? What have been your main challenges/opportunities and how have you addressed them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Innovation
What do you count as your most significant innovations – how were they introduced and what difference have they made?

Your market
Where and how is your produce sold? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

Risks
What are the main risks in the business you manage? Explain briefly how you manage those risks?

Staff
Describe your approach to staff management. What changes, if any, have you made to this aspect of management during your time in the business and with what results?

Your vision
Where do you see the business you manage in five years? How do you plan to get there?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about you or your business that might mark you out as a winner? For example:

• How you are looking after the natural resources of –the business you manage e.g.
  stewardship/other environmental schemes or independent initiatives, energy saving/production, water protection, soil management, biodiversity enhancement or other initiatives
• Your profile/wider industry/community role. Do you hold any appointments outside your job, for example on local or farming committees or organisations? Do you help to promote farming to the wider public? If yes, describe briefly what you do in those areas.

Summary
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Farm Manager of the Year?

1. Your Business – Describe your grassland system and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

2. Champion of Farming – Are you proactive in educating the wider general public about the role that farming plays in modern society today? This could be anything from Open Farm Sunday to sitting on the local council or a retail committee.

3. Tell us about your current grassland performance and how it has improved over recent years (e.g. production per hectare/production of beef or lamb per hectare or milk solid production per hectare).

4. Please tell us about your following policies (where relevant) – Soil management (testing etc.), reseeding (species and varieties used, how often you reseed and methods used), slurry and fertiliser application, protection of water courses, pest and disease control, grazing and silage making practices.

5. What technology are you using on your farm to support day-to-day decision making? (e.g. EID, performance recording, computer programme, grass monitoring, software to record growth and allocation).

6. How do you benchmark your enterprise against other businesses? Do you know your cost of production or gross and net margin? Please include your figures if you have them (this will be kept confidential).

7. What people are involved in your business (e.g. staff, consultants), what roles do they play and how do you ensure you get the best from them?

8. Where and how do you sell/market your product? How important is the grass-fed message and how do you market this to your customers?

9. What are you doing to protect your natural resources? (e.g. renewables, stewardship schemes, biodiversity).

10. What animal welfare standards do you adhere to (e.g. red tractor, RSPCA, supermarket standards) and what do these entail?

11. What plans do you have for the future? Explain the opportunities and challenges ahead and how you plan to exploit or overcome them.

12. Is there anything else that marks you out as a winner? (e.g. wider industry/community role, collaboration with suppliers, customers or other farmers)

1. Business Outline: Describe your business and the services that you offer to farming clients. How has your business changed over the past few years, both in size and in the services it offers? What innovations have you introduced in recent years?

2. Client Impact: What impact have your services had on your clients’ farming businesses over the past few years? Please give an overview across all the businesses you cover and also at least one specific client case study.

3. Achievements/differentiators: What are your biggest achievements over the past few years? Why do customers choose you rather than your competitors? What are you most proud of in terms of the services and support you (and, if applicable, your team) offer? How do you go the extra mile?

4. Intelligence: How do you keep abreast of changes that impact on your recommendations/services and stay one step ahead of the client?

Client References: Please supply the names and contact details of two farming clients who can be contacted to support your entry. Questions for your references are:

• What services do you supply this client?
• How long have you been working for this client?

Your business
Describe your business and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Innovation
How you have improved your farm’s performance/output/profitability/sustainability over the past few years? Describe what you have done (e.g. changes to working practices, technical innovations) and the results of these actions (e.g. increase in yield, reduction in costs, control of disease/pests), with supporting data if you have it.

Your market
Where and how are your products sold? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

Your vision
Where do you see your business in five years and what do you plan to do to get there?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about you or your business that might mark you out as a winner? For example:

• Your team and the way they are managed?
• How you are looking after the natural resources of your farm – e.g. involvement in stewardship schemes, energy saving/production, water protection, biodiversity
• Your profile/wider industry/community role. For example, do you represent farmers on any committees, or help to promote the image of farming to the wider public through activities such as Open Farm Sunday

Summary
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Mixed Farmer of the Year?

1. Describe your system and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

2. Tell us about your current herd performance and how it has improved over recent years (e.g. FCR, daily liveweight gain, farrowing rate, mortality rates). What have you done to improve herd performance?

3. Please tell us about your following policies (where relevant):
a. Breeding
b. Feeding and nutrition
c. Herd health

4. What technology are you using on your farm to support day-to-day decision making?

5. How do you benchmark your enterprise against other businesses? Do you know your cost of production or gross and net margins? Please include your figures if you have them (this will be kept confidential).

6. What people are involved in your business (e.g. staff, consultants), what roles do they play and how do you ensure you get the best from them?

7. Where and how do you sell/market your product? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

8. What are you doing to protect your natural resources? (e.g. renewables, stewardship schemes, biodiversity).

9. What animal welfare standards do you adhere to (red tractor, RSPCA, supermarket standards) and what do these entail?

A) Champion of Farming – Are you proactive in educating the wider general public about the role that farming plays in modern society today? This could be anything from Open Farm Sunday to sitting on the local council or a retail committee.

B) Describe your system and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Your business
Describe your business and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

Innovation
How you have improved your flock performance/output/profitability/sustainability over the past few years? Describe what you have done (e.g. changes to working practices, technical innovations) and the results of these actions (e.g. increase in output, reduction in costs, control of disease/pests), with supporting data if you have it.

Your market
Where and how are your products sold? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

Your vision
Where do you see your business in five years and what do you plan to do to get there?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about you or your business that might mark you out as a winner? For example:

• Your team and the way they are managed?
• How you are looking after the natural resources of your farm – e.g. involvement in stewardship schemes, energy saving/production, water protection, biodiversity
• Your profile/wider industry/community role. For example, do you represent farmers on any committees, or help to promote the image of farming to the wider public through activities such as Open Farm Sunday?

Summary
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Poultry Farmer of the Year?

1. Describe your system and how it has developed over the past few years. What have been your main challenges/opportunities and what have you done to tackle them? What do you think are your biggest achievements?

2. Tell us about your current flock performance and how it has improved over recent years (e.g. Rearing %, barren rates, kg of output/ha, gross margin per ewe). What have you done to improve flock performance?

3. Please tell us about your following policies (where relevant):
a. Breeding
b. Soil and grassland management
c. Feeding and nutrition
d. Flock health

4. What technology are you using on your farm to support day-to-day decision making? (e.g. EID, performance recording, computer programmes, weigh heads)

5. How do you benchmark your flock against other businesses? Do you know your cost of production or gross and net margins? Please include your figures if you have them (this will be kept confidential).

6. What people are involved in your business (e.g. staff, consultants), what roles do they play and how do you ensure you get the best from them?

7. Where and how do you sell/market your product? What do you do to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and how they are changing?

8. What are you doing to protect your natural resources? (e.g. renewables, stewardship schemes, biodiversity).

9. What animal welfare standards do you adhere to (red tractor, RSPCA, supermarket standards) and what do these entail?

10. What plans do you have for the future? Explain the opportunities and challenges ahead and how you plan to exploit or overcome them.

11. Is there anything else that marks you out as a winner? (e.g. wider industry/community role, collaboration with suppliers, customers or other farmers)

You and your background
Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you start farming, what training have you had and what are your roles/responsibilities in the farming business?

Your impact & achievements
What impact have you had on the farm business over the past five years? What changes have you championed? What do you think are your greatest achievements?

Your vision
Where do you see your farm business in five years time and how do you plan to achieve this? How do you see yourself developing personally – e.g. your activities/responsibilities/skills/achievements – over that period?

Anything else?
Is there anything else that you would like to tell us that might mark you out as a winner? For example:

• Are you personally doing anything to make the most of and nurture the natural resources of your farm?
• Your profile/wider industry/community role. Are you active on any committees or farmer organisations? Do you help to promote the image of farming to the wider public?

Summary
In summary, why do you think that you should be considered for Young Farmer of the Year?