Lancashire farmers awarded for innovation

LANCASHIRE FARMERS AWARDED FOR INNOVATION

LANCASHIRE farmers, Tod and Barbara Bulmer, have won the NFU north west Farming Excellence Award in the Best Innovation in the Food Chain category.

The award, sponsored by Marks and Spencer, is one of six categories within the NFU Farming Excellence Awards. The awards, now in their sixth year, reward excellence in agriculture and horticulture.

The Bulmers, who farm at Kenyon Hall in Warrington, have their very own quality food delivery service called Northern Harvest. Northern Harvest secured the Bulmers the Farming Excellence Award.

Northern Harvest was founded with the aim to supply top quality food from the north west to customers all year round through delivery to households, small shops and restaurants interested in promoting local produce.

Although only formally launched in January 2003 by Sir Donald Curry, Northern Harvest already employs seven part and full time staff, has a customer database of around 1,000 and draws on more than 2,000 locally produced goods from 50 suppliers. Such rapid growth is testament to the unique and highly innovative nature of the company.

As well as fresh local fruit , vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and other dairy produce, Northern Harvest supplies a great range of more speciality items.

Hand-made crisps, home-made preserves and pickles, fresh-cut herbs, fresh soup, home-cooked ready meals and freshly baked artisan breads all feature in the ever increasing product range.

Northern Harvest also caters for special dietary requirements with a wide range of vegetarian, gluten-free, not to mention organic products becoming increasingly abundant.

NFU North West’s Regional Director, Terry Abbott, said: “I would like to congratulate the Bulmers on winning the title for the north west region. Innovative farmers like the Bulmers represent the future of British farming and show there are many opportunities within the industry.”