Rural champions recognised at national awards ceremony

The awards ceremony, which was held at The National Conference Centre in Birmingham on 8 November, attracted 500 young farmers, supporters and alumni to the glittering black tie event.

Host NFYFC president John Lee OBE DL was supported by well-known names in agriculture to present the eight award categories, which recognise the achievements of those involved in YFCs across England and Wales during the previous membership year.

Among the judges this year was Adam Henson, who helped to choose the winner of the Young Farmer of the Year Award alongside Vice President of the NFU David Exwood and NFYFC’s Vice Chair of Council Alex McMenemy.

Magnus Brown, 22, from Staffordshire won the award and was commended for his positive attitude and effective use of both social and traditional media to champion British farming.

Adam Henson said: “I was very impressed by the nominees and if the future of farming is in the hands of people like them, then I am warmed and encouraged.

“What stood out was their resilience in difficult times, their positive attitude towards the future, their entrepreneurialism and their business-minded aptitudes.

“It was a tough competition, and Magnus stood out because of his communication skills and particularly his positive attitude to improving and developing the culture of British farming. Congratulations.”

The Young Farmer of the Year Award was one of eight awards presented on the evening, where members enjoyed a three-course meal, using British produce.

The eight YFC Achiever Award winners and eight runners up were:

• Young Farmer of the Year – Magnus Brown from Staffordshire. Runner up Jessica from Leicestershire and Rutland.
• Entrepreneur of the Year – Harvey Daniell from Gloucestershire for Buckover Country Clothing. Runner up Jake Fosker from Cumbria for The Cumberland Turkey Company.
• Community Spirit Award – Dyffryn Tanat YFC from Montgomeryshire. Runner up Wainfleet YFC from Lincolnshire.
• Heart of YFC Award – Stuart Brown from East Riding of Yorkshire. Runner up: Joe Hilyer from Leicestershire and Rutland.
• Aspiring Rural Leader – Georgia Hunter from Cumbria. Runner up Andrew Gregory-Campeau from Derbyshire.
• Club of the Year, sponsored by CFMOTO, Heckington and Sleaford YFC from Lincolnshire. Runner up: Homewood School YFC from Kent.
• YFC Supporter of the Year –Sharon Jones from Clwyd. Runner up Robert Healey from Brecknock.
• New Member of the Year – Max from Northamptonshire. Runner up Thomas Cracknell from Suffolk.

Dyffryn Tanat YFC from Montgomeryshire was recognised for its impressive 90 Acts of Kindness project that they delivered in honour of the club’s 90th anniversary.

Their mission involved everything from re-opening abandoned playgrounds to delivering mince pies to older residents. Judges said the club had left a ‘real legacy’ and ‘shown the true spirit of YFC.’

James Nixey, chair of NFYFC Council, said: “I feel incredibly proud to represent such an amazing organisation that has so many outstanding individuals involved in it. Our 23,000 members make a huge impact on rural communities and the rural economy and we’re proud to champion the countryside and British farming.

“YFC offers so many opportunities to learn, grow and make a difference. Our winners are a brilliant example of what can be achieved when young people get involved and give back to their communities. Congratulations to all the winners.”

The awards, which were first launched in 2020, are a way of recognising and rewarding members of Young Farmers’ Clubs (YFCs) for the work they do in the community, for enterprising initiatives and for helping to develop other rural young people.

The awards are sponsored by CFMOTO and marketing manager Jasmine Kent said: “We’re incredibly proud to be the headline sponsor of the YFC Achiever Awards and to continue supporting the event for the third-year running.

“Young Farmers represent the future of British agriculture and it’s a huge privilege for us to affiliate with such a passionate and hard-working group of young people.

“We’re committed to supporting the next generation of farmers not only through partnerships like this, but also by offering all NFYFC members a 5% discount on our agricultural machines as a thank you for the vital work they do in shaping the future of farming.”

Top names from the farming industry were among the line-up of judges who helped to choose the 2025 winners. Judges included agricultural content creator and farmer Charlotte Ashley (@charlotteashleyfarms), farmer and content creator Sophie Aplin (@farmer_in_training), rural podcaster Ben Eagle (@mtf_podcast) and farmer Michael Nixon (@mikewheelchairfarming).

Nominations for the YFC Achiever Awards 2026 will be open to YFC members and supporters again next year.

More information about joining a local YFC can be found at https://www.nfyfc.org.uk/joining-yfc