Entries for the 2026 Water Quality Farmer of the Year Award have now closed.
About the award
Open to farmers and land managers in England and Wales, the Water Quality Farmer of the Year Award celebrates the practical work already taking place on productive commercial farms to protect and enhance water quality.
The competition recognises farmers who are delivering positive outcomes for water through practical action, whether through nutrient management, runoff reduction, more targeted input use, improved livestock management, soil structure improvement, or wider catchment-based approaches.
The award has been launched by Innovation for Agriculture in 2026, with support from Portsmouth Water, Wessex Water, Southern Water, Severn Trent Water and Anglian Water.
Judging panel
The award will be judged by an independent panel including:
- Stephen Briggs, Head of Technical Development, Innovation for Agriculture, and a farmer in Cambridgeshire
- Richard Bramley, regional environment lead for NFU North and farmer in Yorkshire
- A representative from one of the supporting water companies
What happens next?
- Finalists will be shortlisted and contacted in June 2026
- Judges will visit the three finalists in June and July
- Winners will be announced at the RASE Awards Day at Cowdray Estate, West Sussex, on 23 September 2026
The overall winner will also receive an invitation to the RASE Awards Dinner on 22 September 2026.
For updates on the 2026 Water Quality Farmer of the Year Award, or to be among the first to know when 2027 entries open, sign up to the Innovation for Agriculture mailing list.
