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.
Meet the Winners
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.
Professor Michael Lee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Harper Adams University, was among the competition’s judges. He says: “Tackling the challenges of Net Zero requires fresh ideas and new approaches – that is both the driving force behind both the School of Sustainable Food and Farming and this competition.
“We knew we wanted to see ideas and innovation which could be implemented in the real world, so watching our winners get to work on real farms and share the knowledge they create over the coming year will be fantastic.”
What happens next
Our four winners will be documenting their progress throughout the year. Watch out for our short video updates here each month, and a four-page special report in Farmers Guardian in June, with a further four-page update published in December.
Winners' Vlogs
Follow each of our individual winners through a monthly vlog as they use their share of a £50,000 shared prize fund to deliver their sustainable farming project and understand the opportunities and challenges as they navigate their journey in the months ahead.
Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Ben Adams
April 2023 Update
March 2023 Update
Introducing - Ben Adams
Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Mandy Stoker
April 2023 Update
March 2023 Update
Introducing - Mandy Stoker
Journey to Net Zero Competition Winner - Climate Spheres UK
April 2023 Update
March 2023 Update
The Finalists
Andy Bradford
Ben Adams
Ben Drummond
James Baird
Mandy Stoker
Matt Dickinson
Megan Wetherell
Ryan McCormack
School of Sustainable Food and Farming Journey to Net Zero Competition Winners Announced
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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
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).
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.
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.
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
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8 min read
On Air at Groundswell: The voices of the next generation
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.
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.
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.
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
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1 min read
What the winners received?
A shared prize fund of £50,000, with grants from £10,000 to £17,000
Access to sector experts and mentors from SSFF and SSFF steering partners to support them on their journey
Free access to Trinity Ag Tech carbon tools (if applicable)
Opportunity to bE part of a network which is committed to farming in a more sustainable way to reach net zero
Opportunity to be be an ambassador or advocate for the school
What was SSFF looking for?
Applicants could be from any area of the farming supply chain, but had to demonstrate they are farm-based, with the project to be carried out on a farm they are associated with
Applicants could be from urban or rural settings
The types of projects considered needed to have potential to measure big impacts through small changes which could be easily scaled, adopted and further developed by others
The projects had be commercially viable to support knowledge sharing and adoption by others
The application could be for a new project or to further develop one which had already started
14 December 2022
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2 min read
