The Caroline Drummond Award – Celebrating and Communicating Farming Excellence

The search is on for the first recipient of The Caroline Drummond Award - Celebrating and Communicating Farming Excellence.

Set up in memory of former LEAF Chief Executive, Caroline Drummond MBE, who led LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) for over 30 years, the award will recognise an individual who personifies her passion and drive to advance more sustainable farming and communicating that to their peers, the wider food chain and the public. The award is open to farmers and other individuals involved in the farming industry.

As well as LEAF, the award is supported by The British Guild of Agricultural Journalists and The Institute of Agricultural Management, both of which Caroline had a close involvement with.

“I hope that the award will encourage others to approach the communication of sustainable farming in a similar fashion to Caroline`s methods. That is using encouragement, motivation, enthusiasm and excitement for the good of all,” says Caroline’s husband Philip Ward.

“Caroline had a passion for improving the way the world farms and protects the environment and for sharing that message to as wide an audience as possible. This award means that others with that passion can be recognised for what they do,” says Cedric Porter, LEAF vice chairman and agricultural journalist.

“This award is a fitting tribute to Caroline and her determination to show the wider world that good farming practice and looking after the environment go hand in hand. The twin challenges of feeding an increasing global population and climate change make that goal more important than ever before,” says BGAJ chairman Johann Tasker.

“Caroline Drummond was an inspirational leader in agriculture. IAgrM is delighted and proud to support this award in recognition of Caroline’s work and as a lasting legacy to inspire others working in sustainable farming,” says Victoria Bywater, Director IAgrM.

Entrance procedure

Entrants can enter themselves or be nominated by others. Evidence of the impact they have had will be required. That impact can be at a local, national or international level. The judging panel will consist of representatives of The British Guild of Agricultural Journalists, The Institute of Agricultural Management, Linking Environment And Farming and Caroline’s widower Philip Ward.

The recipient will be invited to key British Guild of Agricultural Journalists, Institute of Agricultural Management and LEAF events in late 2023 where they will be presented with a trophy and invited to share their approach to farming excellence. They will also be presented with free membership of all three organisations if they are not already members.

Entrants have until 31 July 2023 to submit their entries to Cedric Porter via email: [email protected]. Call him on 07881 956446 for more information.

For more information see

BGAJ news website: https://www.gaj.org.uk/article/caroline-drummond-award-open-for-applications

IAGRM news website: https://www.iagrm.com/news/the-caroline-drummond-award-celebrating-and-communicating-farming-excellence/

What we are looking for

• An individual who embodies Caroline Drummond’s passion for farming and the environment, who has improved the way they or others farm and protect the environment and communicated that passion to others.
• Entrants can be an individual representing their own farm or a leader of a business or institutional team.
• Entrants will need to demonstrate commitment to how they have improved the way they/others have farmed and what they have done to protect or enhance the environment.
• Entrants will need to demonstrate how they have communicated that commitment to a wider audience, whether that is farmers, the food and retail industry, policymakers, pupils/students, the wider public, media or others.
• The award is open to farmers, environmentalists, those involved in the agricultural supply chain, teachers/lecturers, scientists, policymakers, businesses or institutional leaders, members of NGOS, influencers, or any others meeting the criteria.
• Entrants do not need to have a high national or international profile, with judges looking for exceptional impact on the audience the entrant interacts with, especially those who have been previously unsung.

Information required:

• Evidence of positive impacts on the way you or others farm and manage the environment. This could be farming or environmental performance data, visual evidence, third-party testimonials, anecdotal evidence or independently verified data or evidence.
• Demonstrate the improvements you have made have been communicated to a wider audience through face-to-face interactions, print, broadcast or digital media.
• Outline of business/organisation (location, enterprise etc).

The judges may ask for extra information or evidence.

You may enter yourself or be nominated by others. If you are entering yourself, you will need to be proposed by at least one other person. If you are nominated by someone else, then you will have to give them permission to do so. The judging panel may also approach individuals directly to ask them to consider entering. Organisations can ask those they feel deserving of the award to enter.