Farmers celebrated in Soil Farmer of the Year competition

Three farmers from across England have been recognised in the 2026 Soil Farmer of the Year competition after demonstrating how better soil management can strengthen farm business resilience, improve profitability and help businesses adapt to increasingly challenging weather conditions.

The awards were presented at Groundswell by competition organisers Innovation for Agriculture and Farm Carbon Toolkit, alongside sponsors Cotswold Seeds and Hutchinsons. Farmers attending the ceremony heard directly from the winners about the practical changes they have made to improve soil health and the impact those changes have had on their businesses.

Although representing very different farming systems, all three winners demonstrated how investing in soil health can reduce costs, improve resilience and create more profitable businesses over the long term.

First place was awarded to Chris Molyneux, a field vegetable grower from Lancashire. Through legume-rich cover crops, strip tillage and controlled traffic farming, he has improved soil structure, drainage and biological activity, creating more resilient soils capable of supporting productive vegetable crops.

“There are so many people here doing amazing things I feel humbled,” says Mr Molyneux. “I don’t quite feel like the winner yet as there is still more that I’d like to do, it’s a real learning process.”

Second place was awarded to Paul Baker, who farms both organic and conventional systems in Devon. By combining plant tissue analysis with cover cropping, mob grazing and reduced cultivation, he has significantly reduced inputs while cutting diesel use by around 75% and maintaining crop performance.

Third place went to Colin Chappell, an arable farmer from Lincolnshire, whose gradual transition towards reduced tillage and cover cropping has improved water infiltration, reduced flooding risk and released nutrients already present within the soil, allowing lower nitrogen applications without compromising output.

Becky Willson, business development and technical director at Farm Carbon Toolkit, shared that all the winners and finalists demonstrated an extraordinary level of dedication to managing soil health.

“Year-on-year we meet farmers through this competition who are thinking outside the box and trying new ways to improve soil structure, build organic matter and enhance microbial activity,” she says. "What's particularly encouraging is that these changes aren't just improving soil health, but also reducing costs, increasing resilience and helping businesses cope with increasingly unpredictable weather."

A key part of the competition is ensuring the knowledge gained by the winners is shared with the wider industry. Over the coming year, each winner will host a farm walk, giving other farmers the opportunity to see their systems in practice and discuss both the successes and challenges of implementing change.

"Soil health influences almost every aspect of a farming business, from crop establishment and water management to input efficiency and profitability," says Ms Willson. "By opening their farms and sharing their experiences, this year's winners will help other farmers identify practical ideas they can adapt within their own businesses."

Details of the farm walks will be announced through the Innovation for Agriculture and Farm Carbon Toolkit websites, newsletters and social media channels over the coming weeks.