Kent farmer wins M&S ‘Farming for the Future’ award
A local producer for M&S has been rewarded for his talent as an inspirational young producer at the M&S ‘Farming for the Future’ awards presentation, which took place at the Royal Welsh Show.
Andrew Collins, from Wintersell Farm in Edenbridge, Kent, scooped the Young Producer Award which champions forward-thinking individuals whose technical ability or business aptitude promises to make a positive impact on their sector, and who demonstrate they have what it takes to lead the next generation of farmers.
Andrew manages a heart of 440 Holstein cows, producing milk for M&S through Müller Dairy. Working closely with the farm owner John Downing, Andrew has demonstrated the farm’s commitment to animal welfare, driving forward the performance of the herd.
Wintersell Farm has consistently achieved a gold level ranking in its M&S health and welfare audits for five consecutive years, which has been credited to Andrew’s ability to co-ordinate and motivate an enthusiastic team of staff. Andrew has also recently overseen a successful move to a modern barn, improving cow comfort and health.
Nick Bell MRCVS, who oversees cow health for M&S dairy farmers and nominated Andrew for the award said: “Andrew is one of the most hard working and dedicated herd managers I know, and the success of the Wintersell herd shows how good cow health and welfare, combined with good cow comfort, translate into excellent herd productivity.”
Steve McLean, head of agriculture and Fisheries at M&S, said: “The Farming for the Future awards are now in their eleventh year, and we continue to be impressed with the dedication and commitment our suppliers show towards sustainable farming practices.
“Andrew is a very worthy winner, impressing our judging team with commitment to animal welfare and his ability to motivate and inspire a fantastic team. We applaud his hard work and are delighted to present him with this award.”
Pictured: Andrew Collins
Canterbury farm highly commended at M&S ‘Farming for the Future’ award
A local producer for Marks & Spencer has been rewarded at an M&S ‘Farming for the Future’ Award presentation, which took place at the Royal Welsh Show.
Philip Hermon, CEO of Mansfields based in Canterbury, scooped runner up for the Outstanding Producer Award which champions forward-thinking individuals or teams whose technical ability or business aptitude promises to make a positive impact on their sector.
Mansfields was established in 1968 on a 20-acre site, but now produces more than 25,000 tonnes of fruit, including strawberries, cherries, plums, apricots, apples and pears, supplying M&S. The business employs 250 full time members of staff, as well as 1,000 seasonal workers during peak times of the year.
As with most other fruit growers, Mansfields provides its seasonal workers with caravan accommodation. However, the business has made significant efforts to improve the quality of staff accommodation over the last few years and has been a key driving force in establishing a new industry accommodation standard in the fresh produce sector, which was rolled out in May 2017.
In 2015, Mansfields launched an extensive audit at all seven of its accommodation sites, over 200 caravans. The business identified and carried out renovation and modernisation required, as well as establishing open spaces for sport and social activities for staff. By pro-actively seeking to improve worker accommodation and maximise the opportunity for workers to enjoy social and community activities, Mansfields has demonstrated a forward thinking approach to attracting and retaining staff.
“As a company, we are extremely proud of our part in bringing the issue of accommodation to the forefront of the fresh produce industry and being instrumental in helping to publish an industry standard,” explains Mansfields CEO, Philip Hermon.
“Our workforce is the most important part of our business and welfare is paramount. Internally, we have made huge positive steps in improving our staff accommodation and have embedded a robust and transparent management system to ensure we maintain our accommodation to the industry standard.”
Steve McLean, head of agriculture and Fisheries at M&S, said: “The Farming for the Future awards are now in their eleventh year, and we continue to be impressed with the dedication and commitment our suppliers show towards sustainable farming practices.
“Mansfields is a very worthy runner up, impressing our judging team with their use of external professional support to produce a cohesive and transparent approach to accommodation management, as well as their drive to establish a recognised industry accommodation standard in the fresh produce sector.”
