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As part of its commitment to Net Zero, the School of Sustainable Food and Farming is working to create opportunities for farmers and producers to change the way they work sustainably – and share their findings with others.

Its Journey to Net Zero Competition is supporting the development or implementation of a system, process or processes which will have a positive, measurable impact on how the winners can farm in a sustainable way. A total fund of £50k has been awarded in grants of between £10k-£17k.

 

School of Sustainable Food and Farming Journey to Net Zero Competition Winners Announced

 

 

Word from the sponsors

Bradford Estates

Bradford Estates is delighted to be a competition partner. We believe it will help provide scientific evidence to support more sustainable and regenerative farming systems. Our mission is to become a centre for excellence in sustainable farming, guided by a target to achieve net zero by 2030, as part of a long-term holistic plan to deliver broad-based environmental regeneration across our land holding.

Harper Adams University

"With our own ambitions set for a net zero target by 2030, we are really looking forward to seeing the ideas for adoption and implementation of innovation that this competition will generate. We are delighted to have come together with industry partners to offer this opportunity to our farming community to support their Journey to Net Zero and wish all applicants the best of luck."

McDonalds

"McDonald's is delighted to be supporting this competition. As part of our 'Plan for Change' we have committed to becoming net zero across our entire value chain by 2040. Helping our suppliers and the sector more widely tackle emissions will be crucial in meeting our goals."

Morrisons

"In recognition of the climate challenge we are all facing, and in support of the NFU's net zero target, Morrisons set an ambition to be supplied by a net zero British agricultural supply chain by 2030. We are proud to support this new competition and look forward to seeing how the winners capture the net zero challenge and progress through 2023."

NFU

"As a Founding Partner of the SSFF, the NFU is committed to the vision to educate, inspire and empower current and future farmers to achieve net zero within a sustainable farming and food system. This competition provides an ideal opportunity to promote that vision, encouraging farmer-led innovation for sustainable farming."

TRINITY AGTECH AND TRINITY GLOBAL FARM PIONEERS

"Trinity Natural Capital Group is supporting the competition in two ways. Select participants will have access to Trinity Agtech's Sandy, the flagship 'smart natural capital navigator', and all participants will also have access to Trinity Global 51AVÊÓƵPioneers (GFP), a new generation, non-profit knowledge exchange and collaboration digital platform."

The winning entrants were selected from a shortlist of eight, from an application pool of over 60, in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event at Harper Adams in December.

Each of the four winners succeeded by persuading the judging panel that they had the best plan for implementing a commercially viable, scalable and sustainable farming system or process which will have a positive and measurable impact on how they farm.

Latest videos

Journey to Net Zero Competition: A catch up with Mandy Stoker

Journey to Net Zero Competition: A catch up with Ben Adams

 

The Finalists

  • Andy Bradford

    Andy Bradford

  • Andy Bradford

    Ben Adams

  • Andy Bradford

    Ben Drummond

  • Andy Bradford

    James Baird

  • Andy Bradford

    Mandy Stoker

  • Andy Bradford

    Matt Dickinson

  • Andy Bradford

    Megan Wetherell

  • Andy Bradford

    Ryan McCormack

As part of a Farmers Guardian Extra podcast series, this On Air at Groundswell special hands the mic to key voices across the farming sector, exploring what sustainable agriculture means to them and how they’re shaping its future. See the latest episodes and recap last years series below.

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On Air at Groundswell: Building resilient farming systems - people, financial stability and policies that work for farmers 
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On Air at Groundswell: How biodiversity is an important ally in building farming resilience
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Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Ben Adams
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Ben Adams - March 2023 Update
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Ben Adams - April 2023 Update
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Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Mandy Stoker
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Mandy Stoker - June 2023 Update

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Mandy Stoker - March 2023 Update
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Mandy Stoker - May 2023 Update
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Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Megan Wetherall
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Megan Wetherall - April 2023 Update
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Megan Wetherall - June 2023 Update
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Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Climate Spheres UK
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What the winners received? 

A shared prize fund of £50,000, with grants from £10,000 to £17,000

Access to sector experts and mentors from SSFF and SSFF steering partners to support them on their journey

Free access to Trinity Ag Tech carbon tools (if applicable)

Opportunity to bE part of a network which is committed to farming in a more sustainable way to reach net zero

Opportunity to be be an ambassador or advocate for the school 

What was SSFF looking for?

  • Applicants could be from any area of the farming supply chain, but had to demonstrate they are farm-based, with the project to be carried out on a farm they are associated with

  • Applicants could be from urban or rural settings 

  • The types of projects considered needed to have potential to measure big impacts through small changes which could be easily scaled, adopted and further developed by others

  • The projects had be commercially viable to support knowledge sharing and adoption by others

  • The application could be for a new project or to further develop one which had already started