Based in North Wiltshire, Mike is a fourth generation farmer living with his husband Matt and their whippet Todd. At home he works alongside his mum, dad and sister, farming around 2,000 acres of primarily arable land, through a mix of in-house and contract farming.
The family also run a range of native rare breed livestock, including British White cattle, Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, and Wiltshire Horn sheep, as well as non-native Boer goats.
Alongside this, Mike is Manager of CP Farming Ltd – a 4,000-acre mixed estate spanning Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
A graduate of The Royal Agricultural University, he studied agriculture and business management and went on to serve as chair of the Students' Union.
Mike is passionate about environmentally conscious farming and inspired by the regenerative agriculture movement. The team are working to reduce tillage, increase cover cropping, integrate livestock and herbal leys, and exploring the impact of cropping techniques on soil carbon. They are also growing miscanthus and trialling agroforestry as part of a broader low-input approach.
He is a strong supporter of the NFU's net zero target and believes in focusing on reducing emissions within the industry before selling its carbon-saving potential externally.
You may also recognise Mike from series 15 of The Great British Bake Off.
For more information on Mike S Q Wilkins visit his social media @mikesqw.
