Farmers Guardian editor Katie Jones speaking at the British Farming Awards 2025
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 Farm Adviser of the Year finalists play a crucial role in guiding farmers through an ever-evolving agricultural landscape. From agronomy and business planning to sustainability, technology adoption, and livestock management, these finalists deliver expert insight, trusted guidance, and measurable results.
Whether working independently or within an organisation, these advisers go above and beyond to help farming businesses make informed decisions, improve performance, and build long-term resilience.
Finalists for the Farm Adviser of the Year award, sponsored by Agri-Works
Sarah Davidson, Co Antrim
Co Antrim's Sarah Davidson is combining extensive international dairy experience with a passion for helping farmers turn technology and data into practical improvements.
A Farm Adviser with DeLaval since 2024, Sarah did not come from a farming family but built her career through determination and hands-on experience. After studying at Greenmount College and Queen's University, she worked on dairy farms in New Zealand and Australia, progressing to Herd Manager on a 1,000-cow operation with responsibility for more than 500 youngstock.
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Today, Sarah uses that practical experience alongside her technical knowledge to advise dairy farmers on everything from cow comfort and feeding to herd management, labour efficiency and robotic milking. Rather than promoting a single approach, she works with each farmer to understand their goals and translate complex herd data into meaningful, achievable changes.
Sarah measures success through both performance and relationships, building long-term partnerships with clients and providing proactive support through regular communication and remote monitoring. Passionate about making agriculture accessible, she also hopes her own journey can inspire more young people, particularly women and those without farming backgrounds, to consider careers in the industry.
Ben Griffiths, Shropshire
Farm adviser Ben Griffiths has spent 20 years helping farming businesses navigate funding, agronomy and the challenges of running a sustainable, profitable business.
A Harper Adams graduate, Ben began his advisory career with FWAG before establishing his own consultancy in 2010. Today, through Rural Grant Co, run in partnership with his wife Hannah, he supports around 320 farm businesses with grant applications, business planning, compliance and agricultural advice, while also working as an agronomist with Agrii.
His clients span enterprises from arable, livestock and dairy to poultry, pigs, AD, hops, hemp and goats, with Rural Grant Co supporting businesses ranging from seven-acre smallholdings to 10,000-acre estates. Alongside this, Ben advises around 70 farmers across 12,000 acres of combinable crops.
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For Ben, successful advice starts with understanding what each farmer wants to achieve. His client base has grown entirely through recommendations, reflecting the importance he places on trust and long-term relationships.
Whether helping a family secure a viable future for the next generation, tackling severe blackgrass or supporting a farming business through bereavement, Ben sees his role as ensuring farmers know they are not facing challenges alone.
Jack Hughes, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire-based Jack Hughes has spent more than 16 years working in the poultry sector, building experience across production, auditing, farm data and biosecurity before joining Livetec's Biosecurity Advisory team.
Starting his career on a local egg farm, Jack progressed into site management before moving into auditing across the Lion Code scheme and later farm data and performance monitoring.
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Today, he works with poultry producers across the UK, advising on biosecurity management, contingency planning, disease preparedness and new-build design, while supporting improvements to existing units and delivering producer training.
Jack's practical experience allows him to translate technical biosecurity requirements into solutions that work within the realities of day-to-day farming. He places particular importance on being accessible when producers need support, including during periods of heightened disease risk.
For Jack, success is measured by seeing practical recommendations adopted and embedded on farm, alongside the long-term relationships built with producers who return for ongoing advice and support. He also shares his expertise through producer talks, training and Livetec's 'At the Farm Gate' podcast.
Kaz Monteith, Herefordshire
Kaz Monteith has spent 14 years with CXCS, progressing from a junior team member to Agricultural Compliance Specialist and Appointment Manager, supporting farming businesses across England and Wales.
With agriculture firmly in her family background, Kaz has developed extensive expertise in NVZ regulations, Farming Rules for Water, SSAFO and Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales inspections.
Her role spans dairy, beef, sheep, arable and mixed farms, with a focus on translating complex legislation into straightforward, practical advice.
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Alongside client support, Kaz leads colleagues, delivers internal training and contributes to industry content and events, helping share knowledge across the wider sector. She is also involved in developing services that improve the customer experience, including CXCS's online portal.
For Kaz, success is built on trust and long-term relationships. Many clients have worked with her for years, relying on her advice before, during and after inspections. Her commitment was demonstrated when she travelled almost two hours to support a client during a serious pollution incident, remaining involved throughout the challenging months that followed. For Kaz, being an adviser means providing not just technical expertise, but reassurance when farmers need it most.
Chloe Rodriguez, Midlothian
Midlothian-based Chloe Rodriguez is combining animal behaviour, research and practical farm experience to help livestock producers create healthier, more productive environments.
An Animal Welfare Specialist at Galebreaker, Chloe has worked in farm advisory roles for around three years, following a bursary placement while studying Bio Veterinary Science at Harper Adams. She has since completed CowSignals training as a Licensed Master and made 116 advisory visits and knowledge-exchange engagements in the past year.
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Working predominantly with dairy cows and youngstock, Chloe assesses ventilation, airflow, temperature, humidity and animal behaviour, providing tailored recommendations for issues including calf health, respiratory disease and heat stress. She has produced more than 25 detailed advisory reports, helping farmers translate technical findings into practical priorities.
Her work also extends into research and knowledge exchange, including the CEVEC and A-SHED projects, alongside conferences, calf clubs, webinars and training. For Chloe, success is seeing advice lead to measurable improvements in animal health, welfare, productivity and farm efficiency, while giving farmers the confidence and information to make informed decisions.
