The Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability finalists announced.

  • BASF reveals three finalists, showcasing environmental, social and economic sustainability.
  • Award in partnership with The Andersons Centre, The Country Trust and The Royal Entomological Society.
  • The winner will be announced on 9th July 2025

The Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability has announced its finalists ahead of the award presentation next week.

Hosted by BASF in partnership with The Andersons Centre, The Country Trust and The Royal Entomological Society, the award was open to any grower implementing outstanding sustainable farming practices that deliver the three tenets of environmental, social and economic value.

The Finalists, Andrew Brown from Fairchilds in Leicestershire, David Felce from Midloe in Huntingdonshire, and Emma and Martin Hamer from Meadowsweet Farm in Oxfordshire all impressed the judges with their practices and commitment.

With a string focus on wildlife and the environment, Andrew Brown's vow to continuous enhancements and improvements has included planting 3,500 native trees - with the help of local schools and scout groups - the sowing of bird, pollen and nectar seed mixes, the 3.5km permissive bridleway for the local community, owl nesting boxes, and the implementation of two-year grass free legume mixes, to help eliminate black-grass and enhance wheat crop potential.

For Andrew, sustainability centres around economic growth, "The first rule of sustainability is economic sustainability. I have always tried to run a profitable farming business alongside and to the benefit of the environment."

David Felce has worked and lived on the family farm all his life and has prioritised collaboration to benefit all aspects of sustainability. Located in a secluded place, the enterprise has joined forces with a neighbour to spread machinery and labour costs, allowing David time to conserve and improve the farm for wildlife. This has included increased habitat divrsity, large areas of native woodlands, water protection, utilising technology for environmental monitoring, cropping to improve soil health, and carbon assessments.

David believes that getting the basics right, is vital for any business. "There are few 'black and whites' in our profession, and so many variables, so understanding the basics, and interactions is likely to be key to developing a sustainable farm and countryside for future generations to enjoy."

Emma and Martin Hamer run a mixed enterprise, where half the land is arable and the other half is in grass, allowing them to combine a wide rotation with their beef herd, contributing positively to soil and crop health. They are passionate about adopting new approaches to improve the business and create a completely circular system. This has included experimenting with bi-cropping - in their situation growing peas or beans with oats - to produce a feed ration for their livestock. They regularly conduct bird surveys, have sown wildflowers into grass, installed bird nesting boxes, and have offered space to a local bee farmer, encouraging pollination.

The integration of wildlife has been a crucial part of supporting food production for Emma and Martin, “We need to balance pests and diseases so we can manage them through integrated pest management. By creating habitats where invertebrates survive, they can control some of the pests for us.”

The winner will receive a full ticket, including accommodation and meals, to the Oxford Farming Conference 2026, themed “Growing Resilience”, and access to BASF’s Global Sustainability network and industry experts to help advise and support their on-farm activity.

Commenting on the award, BASF’s Sustainability Manager, Alice Johnston, said, “The quality of the applications this year demonstrated the value, and importance, that the agricultural and rural sector is putting on sustainability at all levels – environmental, societal and economic.

“All three finalists demonstrated the balance between food production and nature, whilst also giving back to their communities through collaborations and sharing of knowledge, building trust and strong relationships.

“When BASF launched the Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability, our hope was that it would become a platform to showcase best practice, inspiring others, and developing a network of support. All three finalists are worthy of joining this network and I look forward to welcoming them to the award ceremony.”

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 9th July 2025.

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