AS consumer trust and confidence in our farmers reaches a record high the Cumbria Farmer Awards returns in 2022 to salute the fantastic work taking place across the county's agriculture.

The second Cumbria Farmer Awards will showcase the diversity and adaptability of the county's farming community, no matter the size or scale of your business.

Hosted once again by John Wharton, farmer and livestock manager and auctioneer at Mitchell's Auction Mart in Cockermouth, the 2022 awards are launched by Newsquest Cumbria in partnership for the second year with Carlisle-based accountants and business advisors, Armstrong Watson.

Winners will be celebrated in a glittering awards ceremony on Friday, August 5 at the Greenhill Hotel, near Wigton, when entertainment will be provided by the popular Cumbrian band, the Soul Survivors.

This year over 227 farmers and industry specialists helped celebrate a massively successful inaugural Cumbria Farmer Awards night, an incredible testament to the determination and resilience of the industry, and a celebration of everyone coming together after a tough 18 months.

Alongside farming's core sectors - dairy, beef, sheep and machinery, there is also recognition in other valued groups such as students, young farmers' clubs, new entrants, food, local agricultural businesses, and the huge number of diversifications, which are now so crucial to many businesses. New to the event this year is the introduction of two awards, Farming Family Business of the Year and Women in Agriculture

The Awards will be judged by a panel of respected industry experts and specialists from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, headed by Andrew Robinson, partner and head of agriculture and farming at Armstrong Watson, who said: “Farmers have faced a number of tough years and 2022 looks to bring with it another set of challenges for the industry. The Cumbria Farmer Awards gave a huge boost to the farming community and we were very proud and humbled to have been involved as the headline sponsor for the awards in their first year. We’re looking forward to celebrating the amazing work of unsung farming heroes again next year.

“In 2022 we will continue to support our agricultural clients in overcoming the hurdles they’re faced with, providing advice and support to help their businesses thrive."

Our other judges for 2022 are: David Hall, NFU North West Regional Director; Alistair Mackintosh, west Cumbrian beef and sheep farmer and chairman of Red Tractor Assurance, as well as the National Farmers’ Union Cumbrian council delegate; Ian Bowness, Aspatria dairy farmer and NFU county chairman; Julia Aglionby, Armathwaite farmer and Executive Director of the Foundation for Common Land; Lois Mansfield, 'University of Cumbria' Professor of Upland Landscapes, and Director of Ambleside Campus; Robert Craig, Nuffield Scholar and Armathwaite dairy farmer; Heather Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Manager at H&H, based in Carlisle, Adam Day, Managing Director of The Farmer Network, based in Penrith, Michael Peile, agricultural partner at David Allen Accountants in Dalston, David Black, Managing Director of Paragon Veterinary Group, and Craig Brough, Hopes Land Agency Manager, Wigton.

Nominations can either be made using the form opposite or by the link https://forms.office.com/r/xQasKE87nK