Farmers Guardian’s Emily Ashworth has scooped the top prize in the 2022 LEAF Public Engagement Award.
The award celebrates celebrates the work of journalists, broadcasters and podcasters who shine a light on individuals and businesses who go above and beyond to tell the story of more sustainable and regenerative UK food production.
This year’s award invited entries showcased people who realise how important it is for consumers to understand where their food comes from and take the opportunity to get the message across.
Carl Edwards, director of LEAF education (pictured, right) said Emily’s article about a Cheshire farm offering lambing tours had all of the judges hooked and keen to know more about the on-farm experience.
“The article was excellent in showcasing the journey of Bates Farm from their initial steps into engaging the public, learning plenty of lessons and adapting what they offer, to delivering something meaningful,” he said during the awards presentation at the Guild Harvest Lunch.
“The article was able to capture the passion the family had for public engagement and how it now sits seamlessly alongside their main farm enterprise.”
Runner up in the competition was Farmer’s Guardian’s Alex Black, who wrote about Yew Tree Farm and its efforts to engage with the local community in Bristol.
“For us all this quote summed up how and why we chose our runner up: ‘Every child should experience having their welly boots bitten by piglets’,” said Carl. “Congratulations to Alex.”
