In the first year of Alltech’s support for the Guild awards, Keenan Alltech chief executive Robert Walker emphasised how appropriate it is that the diet feeder manufacturer and animal nutrition business, which has been built on innovation, should continue to encourage articles and broadcasts that reflect the high level of innovation practiced by farmers.
The winning entry by Caroline Stocks described an innovative approach to running a dairy business and was published in Farmers Weekly.
It detailed how the decision to adopt high-tech management systems has made it possible to increase yields, reduce costs and create a profitable enterprise.
With financial and production data, as well as advice for farmers, the winning article stood out for the range of fresh ideas it contained and was considered to be a clear and practical piece for readers.
Caroline was away when the awards were presented at the Guild’s Harvest Lunch; she is pictured (right) receiving her IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders Award at IFAJ Congress 2016.
Runner-up for the BGAJ Keenan Alltech 2016 award, freelance Nick Fone, wrote in Profi International about the huge investment made on a Dorset dairy unit.
He is pictured (left) with Robert Walker and Farmers Weekly editor Karl Schneider, who collected Caroline’s award on her behalf.
Nick’s article revealed how the installation of robotic milkers and a technology-packed building with underground slurry storage has enabled the dairy farm’s cow numbers to be doubled and economies of scale to be made – shaving 2.5ppl off the cost of production.
