Farmers Weekly Awards: Environmental Champion of the Year 2024
© Jim Varney David and Helen Brass of The Lakes Free Range Egg Co, Cumbria are the Farmers Weekly Environmental Champion of the Year 2024 winners.
Environmental delivery is a concept that has driven David and Helen long before it entered the minds of policymakers in Westminster.
They have been planting trees for almost 30 years, having worked with McDonald’s and the Farm Animal Initiative to develop a system that has since become an industry standard.
See also: Farmers Weekly Awards 2024 – Environmental Champion of the Year finalists
They now boast an average 25% tree cover – both on their own ranges and on those of producers contracted to the Lakes egg packing business – and tree planting has become a core standard for RSPCA Assured status nationally.
As well as sequestering large amounts of carbon, this encourages birds to range further and reduces stress, so lifting egg production.
In an effort to further reduce their carbon footprint, David and Helen have invested heavily in renewable energy.
Some of their sheds – including for pullet rearing – have underfloor heating, fired by biomass boilers to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
They have also created a bespoke poultry feed, cutting the soya content from 19% to 8% over five years. What soya is used is sourced from areas of the world with a lower risk of deforestation.
The Brasses have established a flock of white laying hens, which have an extended laying life, reduced daily feed intake and a lower carbon footprint.
The Lakes is also the first in the industry to harmonise carbon calculation across all its contracted farms, so all can be benchmarked and carbon hotspots identified.
The business also requires its farmers to have a biodiversity action plan, with David and Helen paying for an on-site visit by an ecologist.
As well as rich insect life and diverse flora, the farms are now home to numerous red-listed bird species, barn owls and bats.
David and Helen’s egg packing station is also a testament to environmental commitment, with ground source heat pumps, solar panels galore, battery storage, movement-sensitive lighting, and rainwater harvesting – all part of the effort to limit resource use.
5 things that make David and Helen Brass the winners
- Pioneers in the egg industry for tree planting, whose methods have become the industry norm
- Real innovators when it comes to lowering their environmental impact, with lower shed emissions and enhanced biodiversity
- Great communicators and influencers, setting an example and then sharing knowledge with the wider sector
- Visible benefits to the rural landscape at both a macro and a micro level
- Passionate about the environment, their business and the whole egg sector, with numerous industry roles and exemplary public engagement
A word from our sponsor – Environment Bank
“We would like to wholeheartedly congratulate Helen and David Brass on winning the Environmental Champion Award.
Environment Bank are proud to celebrate their efforts to create a greener future for their business through a dedication to sustainable practices and commitment to animal welfare.”