The top prize of the 2016 National Pig Awards was claimed last night by Bedfordshire-based Bedfordia Farms who operate three different indoor production sites in the county.
First named as 2016 Indoor Producer of the Year and then unveiled as the UK pig industry’s overall 2016 Producer of the Year, Bedfordia Farms’ Christian Andersen, was widely acclaimed by an enthusiastic gathering of fellow producers and industry leaders at the London Lancaster Hotel.
Suffolk-based Pear Tree Farm, where Richard Carless runs a 430-sow outdoor unit, claimed the 2016 Outdoor Producer of the Year award.
Other award winners were:
- Contract Finisher of the Year – Richard Clifton, Bradeley Farm, Market Drayton.
- Technical Innovation of the Year – Adrian Lawson, Rattlerow Farms.
- Investor in Training Award – Rattlerow Farms, Suffolk.
- Producer Retailer of the Year – Sally Lugg, Primrose Herd, Cornwall.
- Pedigree Breeder of the Year – Huw & Ela Roberts, Oinc Farm, Gwynedd.
- Herd Productivity Award – Outdoor – Nigel and Gill Spalding, Elite Pigs, Norfolk.
- Herd Productivity Award – Indoor – Bill Bramhill, JSR Farms, Southburn, East Yorkshire.
- Trainee of the Year Award – Jess Graves, Shedden Farms, York.
- Young Pig Farmer of the Year – Winner – Joe Stent, J.E. Stent & Son, Suffolk.
- Young Pig Farmer of the Year – Highly Commended – Ruth Thomas, D.W. Filby & Son, Norfolk.
- Stockman of the Year – Wesley Heard, WJ Watkins & Son, Devon.
- Unit Manager of the Year – Gareth Virgo, J.E. Porter, Lincolnshire.
- NPA AIG Member of the Year – Vetsonic.
Headline image shows the 2016 winners – plus broadcaster Hazel Irvine, the 2016 Pig Awards host
