British Farming Awards Beef Farmer of the Year 2025 award winner, Katie Davies
For fourteen years, the British Farming Awards has shone a light on the best in British Farming. During this annual event, Britain's farming industry comes together to celebrate the achievements of its contemporaries.
The 2026 Beef Farmer of the Year finalists have been selected because they are not afraid to embrace change to boost efficiencies within their business to make their margins work harder. These finalists are making the most of opportunities presented to them, whether that be in management of quality cattle, demonstrating good stockmanship or implementing best practice.
Each of these farmers have introduced different ways to positively contribute to climate-friendly farming, improving efficiency, productivity and profitability.
Finalists for Beef Farmer of the Year, sponsored by Fat Cow Skincare
J. H. Allis and Son, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire-based J. H. Allis and Son has transformed from a traditional arable farm into a diverse, 320-hectare enterprise, with a 2,500-head Angus dairy-cross beef unit at its heart.
Run by Gary Allis and his son Charles, the business supplies Sainsbury's through the Gamechanger scheme, focusing on daily liveweight gain, feed conversion and a low carbon footprint. Around 80% of cattle arrive as weaned calves, with the majority finished at 15 months, averaging 310kg across steers and heifers.
A major turning point came after the wet autumn of 2023, when the business switched towards forage-based feeding, growing grass, maize and fodder beet alongside wheat. The approach has reduced exposure to volatile commodity prices while providing profitable break crops and helping tackle blackgrass.
Alongside beef and arable, the business operates three Heston square balers and a chaser, creating additional income and year-round employment. With much of its fieldwork carried out in-house, J. H. Allis and Son has built a flexible, integrated business focused on efficiency, sustainability and long-term resilience.
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Charles Owen Grisedale, Ceredigion
Ceredigion farmer Charles Owen Grisedale has spent a lifetime working with beef cattle but says discovering pedigree South Devons in 2012 transformed his approach to suckler production.
Farming 120ha with 14ha rented, Charles runs 60 South Devon suckler cows alongside sheep, using an all-grass and silage system. Calves receive concentrate before and after weaning, with a home-grown mix of beans, barley and balancer post-weaning.
The breed's size, temperament and ability to utilise lower-quality forage have helped create a manageable and productive herd. In 2024, Charles was crowned winner of the National Herd Competition, while his young bulls regularly exceed 700kg at 12 months.
Since 2021, beef boxes have added another income stream, with Charles finishing and selling an animal roughly each month through his own chiller and cutting room. With strong herd health, careful soil management and exceptional biodiversity, the farm demonstrates how productive beef farming can work alongside nature.
T. D. Jones and Co, Chester
Chester-based T. D. Jones and Co, also known as Warren Farm, is combining scale, efficiency and innovation to build a resilient beef enterprise.
The 400-hectare family farm, run by Ben, Sarah, Mike and Caroline Jones, finishes around 1,200 cattle each year. Weaned calves are bought at three to four months and taken through to finishing, with 95% of the cattle's feed grown on-farm and manure returned to the land.
A focus on feed efficiency and methane trials is complemented by investment in technology. Two robot feeders have improved efficiency by 8%, while giving the team more time to focus on cattle welfare and performance. A recently installed nanobubble generator is also showing promising early results, with increased water intake and daily liveweight gain.
With crop rotation reducing chemical use and homegrown feed limiting reliance on external inputs, T. D. Jones and Co is continually seeking practical ways to improve productivity, sustainability and long-term resilience.
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Alex and Gemma Sell, Essex
Essex farmers Alex and Gemma Sell are developing a suckler herd designed to produce efficient beef from grass, while managing cattle across some of the county's most important nature reserves.
Running around 400 cattle, including 190 suckler cows, the couple graze land rented from the RSPB and Essex Wildlife Trust. Their predominantly South Devon herd is selected for easy calving, sound feet, good udders, temperament and the ability to produce 320-340kg calves at eight months from grass alone.
A closed herd since 2016, strict breeding has improved conception rates, reduced assisted calvings and virtually eliminated poor-performing calves. In 2025, the spring-calving group weaned 101% of cows put to the bull.
Proactive veterinary health planning, forage and blood testing have further improved performance, while ‘no fence' collars allow cattle to graze areas of nature reserves previously requiring mechanical management. With 4km of new hedgerows and a focus on homegrown feed, the business is building resilience through productive, low-input farming.
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Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE to celebrate with the finalists at The British Farming Awards on October 15 at VOX in Birmingham.
