British Farming Awards names 2026 dairy farmer finalists
The British Farming Awards has been held for 14 years and brings together farming businesses to recognise achievements across the industry. The judges said the 2026 dairy finalists were selected for developing new ideas and opportunities, strengthening their businesses and applying technology or alternative systems to improve efficiency.
Sarah Bevan and Paul Williams run Wallhope Farm in Gloucestershire across 90 hectares with a 200-cow herd. The business mainly uses spring block calving, supplemented by a smaller autumn block, raises its own replacement heifers and milks twice a day. A pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull is used on the remaining cows. Since May 2022, the farm has operated a grass-fed system, and its herd and grassland have received recognition in the Monmouthshire Herds Dairy Competition and at Chepstow Show.
Wallhope Farm uses milk-cooling equipment and condenser heat recovery, alongside grassland management, controlled nutrient application and waste reduction. Flowers, trees, bird feeders, bat boxes and beehives have been added to support wildlife. The dairy is complemented by Moo HQ, which sells farm-produced milk and gelato, and The Nook, a holiday accommodation business. The diversification enterprises use locally sourced goods, refillable products and recycling, while seeking to reduce single-use plastic and energy and water use.
Dowsons Dairies in Lancashire combines an 82-hectare farm carrying 80 to 90 cows with an ice-cream factory, a farm park and an educational visitor attraction. The family business was established in 1954, when Eric's grandfather bought a small farm in the Ribble Valley, and remains under family ownership four generations later. Milk from the farm is used in the ice cream, while Mrs Dowsons Farm Park offers educational activities, seasonal events and other attractions. Eric's children, Elliott, Ethan and Amelia, work across ice-cream production, marketing and livestock, and the wider operation employs about 90 people.
Dowsons has installed solar panels and is working on waste reduction, resource efficiency and shorter supply chains through its farm-to-freezer model. The business is also investing in its products and visitor facilities amid higher costs, labour shortages and changing consumer expectations.
Craig Mounty operates F & M Mounty & Sons in Somerset across 300 hectares with a 350-cow Holstein herd. The partnership uses a total mixed ration system and produces an average of 10,000 litres per cow. It rears all replacement animals on the farm and finishes Aberdeen Angus cattle at 22 months on a grass-based ration. Sexed artificial insemination introduced over the past five years helped raise average yield from 8,000 to 10,000 litres without higher nutritional inputs. The removal of Friesian male calves enabled greater Aberdeen Angus production, while finishing time fell from about 30 months to 22 months and concentrate use declined.
The farm changed calf rearing from buckets to teat feeding, giving calves four litres twice daily for 14 weeks. Individual pens and thermostatically controlled heat lamps were also introduced, and the farm reported fewer cases of scour and pneumonia. Older tractors are retained to limit depreciation and preserve flexibility; one rebuilt Claas 950 forager cost £72,000. The farm has 205 solar panels and a 1MW wind turbine and exports more electricity than it consumes. Heat exchangers and plate coolers have been installed, while planned buildings are expected to keep about 1,200 cubic metres of water a year out of slurry storage. Mounty also represents farmers through roles with Arla. The finalists will be celebrated at the British Farming Awards at Birmingham's VOX venue on October 15.
