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As part of its commitment to Net Zero, the School of Sustainable Food and Farming is working to create opportunities for farmers and producers to change the way they work sustainably – and share their findings with others.

Its Journey to Net Zero Competition is supporting the development or implementation of a system, process or processes which will have a positive, measurable impact on how the winners can farm in a sustainable way. A total fund of £50k has been awarded in grants of between £10k-£17k.

School of Sustainable Food and Farming Journey to Net Zero Competition Winners Announced

The winning entrants were selected from a shortlist of eight, from an application pool of over 60, in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event at Harper Adams in December.

Each of the four winners succeeded by persuading the judging panel that they had the best plan for implementing a commercially viable, scalable and sustainable farming system or process which will have a positive and measurable impact on how they farm.

Latest videos

Journey to Net Zero Competition: A catch up with Mandy Stoker

Journey to Net Zero Competition: A catch up with Ben Adams

Winners: Video Diaries

The Finalists

Andy Bradford
Ben Adams
Ben Drummond
James Baird
Mandy Stoker
Matt Dickinson
Megan Wetherell
Ryan McCormack

Word from the sponsors

Bradford Estates is delighted to be a competition partner. We believe it will help provide scientific evidence to support more sustainable and regenerative farming systems. Our mission is to become a centre for excellence in sustainable farming, guided by a target to achieve net zero by 2030, as part of a long-term holistic plan to deliver broad-based environmental regeneration across our land holding.

BRADFORD ESTATES

"With our own ambitions set for a net zero target by 2030, we are really looking forward to seeing the ideas for adoption and implementation of innovation that this competition will generate. We are delighted to have come together with industry partners to offer this opportunity to our farming community to support their Journey to Net Zero and wish all applicants the best of luck."

HARPER ADAMS UNIVERSITY

"McDonald's is delighted to be supporting this competition. As part of our 'Plan for Change' we have committed to becoming net zero across our entire value chain by 2040. Helping our suppliers and the sector more widely tackle emissions will be crucial in meeting our goals."

MCDONALD'S

"In recognition of the climate challenge we are all facing, and in support of the NFU's net zero target, Morrisons set an ambition to be supplied by a net zero British agricultural supply chain by 2030. We are proud to support this new competition and look forward to seeing how the winners capture the net zero challenge and progress through 2023."

MORRISONS

"As a Founding Partner of the SSFF, the NFU is committed to the vision to educate, inspire and empower current and future farmers to achieve net zero within a sustainable farming and food system. This competition provides an ideal opportunity to promote that vision, encouraging farmer-led innovation for sustainable farming."

NFU

"Trinity Natural Capital Group is supporting the competition in two ways. Select participants will have access to Trinity Agtech's Sandy, the flagship 'smart natural capital navigator', and all participants will also have access to Trinity Global Farm Pioneers (GFP), a new generation, non-profit knowledge exchange and collaboration digital platform."

TRINITY AGTECH AND TRINITY GLOBAL FARM PIONEERS

On Air at Groundswell: The voices of the next generation

Partner Content

On Air at Groundswell: Regenerative farming practices and lowering greenhouse gas emissions

As part of a Farmers Guardian Podcast Extra series, in partnership with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, this six part special calls upon the faces of the next generation to delve into sustainable agriculture.

17 July 2024 • 1 min read

Partner Content

On Air at Groundswell: High animal health and welfare at the core of farm resilience

17 July 2024 • 1 min read

Partner Content

On Air at Groundswell: Understanding Social Sustainability in farming

08 July 2024 • 1 min read

Partner Content

On Air at Groundswell: Healthy soils delivering sustainable farming systems

10 July 2024 • 1 min read

Partner Content

On Air at Groundswell: How biodiversity is an important ally in building farming resilience

16 July 2024 • 1 min read

Partner Content

On Air at Groundswell: The importance of water and waste management in a sustainable farming system

17 July 2024 • 1 min read

Benefits of intercropping

Could intercropping help farm profitability and environmental goals? In the first of a series of articles on the winners of the Journey to Net Zero competition, we speak to Ben Adams on how he is using the award funding to find out.

10 January 2024 • 6 min read

SSFF Net Zero

The Hot Stuff project generates water for dairy farmer

Could composted manure prove effective at heating water for calf feeding and help reduce farm energy costs? Mandy Stoker, one of the winners of this year’s Journey to Net Zero competition, thinks just that.

09 January 2024 • 7 min read

SSFF Net Zero

Developing fertiliser 'teas'

This year has been a learning curve for one of the winners of the Journey to Net Zero competition who has been discovering how to develop fertiliser ‘teas’ on the family’s beef and sheep farm. We find out more about her progress.

22 November 2023 • 7 min read

Campaigns

Net Zero Finalists announced

The Journey to Net Zero competition is down to the final with eight finalists announced. Learn more about each entry and cast your vote for your favourites.

25 May 2023 • 13 min read

Campaigns

SSFF finalists have battled it out for £50k prize fund

Eight farmers with innovative ideas designed to boost the sustainability of farming practices have battled it out for a chance to win a share of £50,000 from the School of Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF).

14 December 2022 • 2 min read

Arable

Agroforestry 'essential' for net zero targets

An increase in agroforestry is essential to meet nature and climate targets, while securing long-term food production, a new report from the Woodland Trust has shown.

18 November 2022 • 2 min read

Arable

Agroforestry essential for net zero targets

An increase in agroforestry is essential to meet nature and climate targets, while securing long-term food production, a new report from the Woodland Trust has shown.

18 November 2022 • 2 min read

Campaigns

Working towards net zero

Launched by the School of Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF), the Journey to Net Zero competition has an investment pot of £50,000 to financially support farmers developing sustainable farming practices. Some of the competition’s sponsors discuss the work they or their customers are already doing to reach net zero.

27 September 2022 • 8 min read

Campaigns

On the Journey to Net Zero

Launched by the School of Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF), the Journey to Net Zero competition has an investment pot of 50,000 to financially support farmers developing sustainable farming practices. Some of the competition’s sponsors discuss the work they or their customers are already doing to reach net zero.

27 September 2022 • 7 min read

Campaigns

New virtual school leads drive towards net zero

In times of uncertainty in agriculture and with a drive towards net zero, there are opportunities for positive change. This is something Harper Adams University, Morrisons, NFU and McDonald’s are providing through the School

28 July 2022 • 8 min read

Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Ben Adams