The South West Dairy Farm Business of the Year Award 2008 is organised by the Royal Bath & West of England Society and presented at the forthcoming Dairy Show, held at the Bath and West Showground on 1st October and sponsored by Dairy Crest and NatWest.
The competition is open to all farm businesses across Devon, Cornwall, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, whose income is mainly derived from milk production. The overall winner of the competition, which is sponsored by Milk Link and Clydesdale Bank, will receive £1,000 in prize money plus an engraved glass bowl and framed photograph of the occasion. The presentation will take place at 12.15 in the Bath and West Theatre.
The farms were each visited by a panel of three judges – Mark Glendall from Clydesdale Bank plc, Paul Charlton from Milk Link and Peter Clark, a retired local veterinary surgeon. The standard was high but the judges chose six finalists. W E & J M Jones from Crediton, Devon, R Gibson from Tiverton, Devon, I J Tuckett from Newton Abbot, Devon, J Davis from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, N G & S Loder from Sherborne, Dorset and R & M Parker from Sturminster Newton, Dorset
The Dairy Show is now recognized as the hands-on event for the dairy farmer, attracting visitors and exhibitors from all over the country. As well as the ever popular livestock classes, the Show is hosting a series of talks and discussions throughout the day in the Bath and West Lecture Theatre. The timetable will be:-
9.00 Life Academy Talk
10.00 Life Academy Talk
11.00 The Future of the Dairy Industry – as seen by some of the major players.
Chaired by John Alvis and speakers will be: Mr Paul Fraser (Marketing Director – Food, Dairy Crest), Peter Nicholson (Robert Wiseman Dairies), Mr David Mitchum (Representative on MPF with Arla Foods) and Rex Ward (Milk Link Vice- Chairman).
12.15 Presentation of the South West Dairy Farmer 2008
1.00 Life Academy Talk
2.00 What a Difference a Vet Makes – talk given by Mr Peter Edmondson
3.00 Life Academy Talk
The Life Academy is holding "e;taster"e; sessions to raise awareness and understanding of retirement planning and financial issues for farmers.
The Dairy Show welcomes the return of the livestock that were so notably absent at the postponed Dairy Show held in January this year. Organisers are delighted with the level of entries and everyone is looking forward to a very successful show.
