A huge congratulations to our CRT trustee Nicholas Watts, who has won Arable Farmer of the Year at the British Farming Awards. 

Nicholas has farmed at Vine House Farm in Lincolnshire since 1964. In that time, Nicholas has trialled many conservation ideas on his farm. 

Not only has he shared his results and advice with the CRT, but with other farmers and conservation organisations, too. 

His knowledge and passion for farming and wildlife resulted in the Vine House Farm Bird Seed business that supplies many of our farms with bird seed and is available for the public to buy. 

Nicholas has been a CRT trustee for 15 years. 

He said: “If I had won an award for British Farming a few years ago, it would have been something like a ‘Countryside farmer of the year’ award and the winner of the Arable farmer of the year would have gone to someone who farmed intensively, ploughing up the field edges and close cutting all their hedges and dyke sides too.

“I’m really proud mainstream agriculture is recognising that we have to look after the countryside.” 

But Nicholas said there are still big challenges ahead. 

“It shows there’s been a move towards the environment, although a lot more needs to be done.  

“But farmers are reliant on what they get grants for. You cannot expect people to do the work without grants, but if the Government can get that right, it will be a great asset to wildlife.” 
 Nicholas said he was amazed to win the award.  

“There were a thousand people at the dinner, and I was really thrilled. I have won awards before, but when you think how many arable farmers there are in Britain that could have entered, it is a real honour to accept this.” 

Congratulations again Nicholas!