Three farmers championing soil health and regenerative practices have been recognised in the 2025 Soil Farmer of the Year competition.
Run by Farm Carbon Toolkit and Innovation for Agriculture, and sponsored by Cotswold Seeds and Hutchinsons, the competition celebrates farmers across the UK who are leading the way in managing soil as a vital, living resource.
First place
Presented at Groundswell 2025, First place was awarded to John Joseph, who manages 100ha of sandy loam soils at Trecorras Farm in Herefordshire. During the past decade, John has reshaped how soils are understood and managed on his farm.
Key management practices now include widespread use of companion crops, a seven year rotation which has incorporated grassland into the arable system, 100% direct drilling and reduced inputs.
Competition judge Jade Prince, soil specialist at Hutchinsons, praised John’s ‘clarity of purpose and scalability’. “Every decision on John’s farm has a clear agronomic and economic rationale,” she said.
“What stood out was his ability to link soil management to business viability, showing that good soil makes good business sense.”
Second place was presented to Jonathan Hodgson, who farms 285ha of clay soils at Great Newsome Farm in East Yorkshire. His system centres on strip tillage, companion cropping, cover crops, and integrated livestock, alongside the elimination of seed dressings and insecticides.
“Jonathan’s approach to enterprise stacking was particularly inspiring. From growing barley for his own distillery to producing dual-purpose flax and grazing sheep on cover crops, he’s building diversity and resilience into both soil and business,” commented Jade.
Third place was awarded to Andrew Mahon, who manages 800ha of Hanslope clay across Bedfordshire. Since 2015, Andrew has shifted to a predominantly direct drill-based system with shallow discing being used to establish small seeds. He’s now focused on addressing localised compaction and increasing biological activity through targeted interventions.
Deborah Crossan, head of soils and natural resources at Innovation for Agriculture, highlighted Andrew’s work with biological inputs. “Andrew is pioneering on-farm applications of Johnson-Su compost extract and biological feed at drilling. His attention to soil biology and microbial support is not just progressive, it’s proving highly effective in driving organic matter gains and establishment success.”
Farm walks
Following the awards, each of the three winning farmers will host on-farm events to share their soil management strategies in action. These farm walks will offer valuable insights for fellow farmers looking to build soil resilience and cut input reliance.
“Seeing these systems on the ground is invaluable,” added Deborah. “They demonstrate how different soil types, farming systems and business models can all benefit from a soil-first approach.”
Details on the farm walks will be announced via the Farm Carbon Toolkit and Innovation for Agriculture websites, newsletters and social media channels in the coming weeks.
