THE ROLL OF HONOUR 2021

Agronomy Award
Winner: Jeff Beever
Highly Commended: Graham Tomalin
Finalists: John Sarup, Richard Johnson

The winner is a driving force in the use of alternative sprout control measures since the demise of CIPC. He has succeeded in producing and processing significant tonnage across the whole of the UK. He deserves recognition for his dedication and professionalism to making new sprout controls systems work.

 

Environmental Award
Winner: AH Worth
Finalists:  ICL for Polysulphate, VAM WaterTech

The winning farm has embarked on a regenerative agriculture journey. Reducing cultivations and using cover crops to support soil structure throughout the winter and to boost soil organic matter and soil nitrogen was the basis of the plan. A 350-hectare trial area has been selected to investigate the impact of regenerative approaches on soil biodiversity and organic matter. The farm was selected by M&S as a Farming with Nature Indicator and Innovation Farm.
 

Grower Award
Winner: AR & SA White
Highly Commeded: Tom Stevenson
Finalists: Hugh Brunton, Jimmy Dagg, Matt Lyle, Matthew Steel, Mike Shapland,

Judges felt this one was a close call, so awarded a highly commended to Tom Stevenson. The winner, AR & SA White, was felt to be a true family business which works closely to produce fine quality salad potatoes. Every single detail is scrutinised and considered, resulting in high yields and excellent quality. The family try to have control of every aspect of potato production from seed to harvest, producing their own climatised seed to encourage high tuber numbers needed in Salad production. They build and upgrade their own machinery on farm with a modern workshop and fabricating skills.
 

Innovation Award
Winner: Restrain Company Limited
Highly Commended: UPL (ARGOS)
Finalists: BASF, Nufarm and Sharda Cropchem; BASF - BAS657; B-hive Innovations; Burgess Farm Produce and KisanHub; Corteva – Zorvec Endavia; i-Spud; Farm Electronics; Fera Science; NuCrop (Nufarm); ProAct - Plant Health Care; Optigro Limited.

There was such a varied and interesting selection of entries in this category that the judges were sure to award a Highly Commended which went to UPL for its new sprout control product – ARGOS. The winner, Restrain Company Limited, began its story when it set out to find a safe, effective way to prevent sprouting in potatoes. Its research led to conducting trials with ethylene, which was so successful the company was born. Since this time, the system has been used to treat more than one million tonnes of seed, table and processing potatoes in 38 countries worldwide. It’s seen as a natural replacement for CIPC in potato storages.

 

Machinery Award
Winner: GRIMME UK Ltd - VARITRON 470
Finalists: Dewulf Enduro; Dubrelle Downs; GRIMME UK Ltd – CleanLoader; Izona – izona ipass; JCB - Fastrac 4000; Metos UK – LoRAIN; Restrain.

Additions to the winning product help optimise and improve harvest performance whilst saving operating costs. Through its connectivity and the addition of a reversible bunker, practical impacts of the product include increased output and productivity, whilst improving staff and machine management through live information feeds. The patented Non-stop-Bunker allows refilling of the bunker after unloading, ensuring maximum crop protection and harvest performance.

 

Marketing Award

Winner: Isle of Ely Produce/Chippy Chat

Finalist: James Wrinch of East Suffolk Produce

The winner of this category was felt to be very thorough and provided a plethora of detail. This made the judge’s decision much easier. The company supplies potatoes to multiple marketplaces including markets, restaurants and takeaways through wholesalers and merchants. One of its main marketplaces is within the fish and chip sector. It places more than two million bags of potatoes into fish and chip shops mainly via merchants.