Winners of the 2026 Perkins Power & Technology on the Farm Awards enjoyed an unforgettable trip to Highclere Castle – the famous location for the TV show Downton Abbey – arriving in style aboard a vintage British Pullman train.
Three winners, a runner up and third place entrant were named in the Audrey carriage, recognisable by her Art Deco strip lights and beautiful landscape scenery panels, at the front of the British Pullman.
Technology on the Farm 2026
Winner of the Technology on the Farm category was Farmers Weekly machinery editor Oli Mark for his article about a novel slurry separator.
In his submission for the article Oli explained dairy farmers were diverting clean water away from slurry pits to ease over winter storage issues, leaving an ultra-viscous product that was challenging to apply via an umbilical system and posed a contamination risk to the following crop.
“My article details a Devon contractor’s solution to the problem – a separator novel for its ability to split the solid and liquid fractions of sand-laden slurry, allowing customers to exploit the maximum value of home-produced nutrients,” he said. “It’s particularly pertinent given the winter decline in farmgate milk prices and recent rise in fertiliser costs.”
Judges described the article entitled ‘Novel trommel separator handles sand-laden slurry’ as having “a standout innovation narrative” with a “cracking intro”. The article was “creatively written…strategically used humour…and grabs attention using something as simple as a washing machine.”
Power on the Farm 2026
Freelance journalists James Andrews and Geoff Ashcroft were joint winners of the Power on the Farm Award.
Geoff’s article for Profi International looked at how a Derbyshire farmer and contractor went totally off-grid when faced with extortionate costs to bring an electricity supply to his family’s farm.
“His solution was a mix solar panels and battery storage working in combination with a wood gasification boiler for hot water and heating,” Geoff said.
“Going off-grid”was described by the judges as an “excellent power story focused on energy independence rather than machinery alone”. In tracking the unique story of a Derbyshire farmer who decided to go off-grid, it was “an enjoyable read from start to finish providing take-away detail for those faced with securing power on the farm”.
James’ nose for seeking out unusual stories was highlighted by judges for his story ‘Contractor cuts costs with revamped retro tractors’. The Farmers Weekly article shared the story of three contractors who are breathing life into old machines, showing that power didn’t always need to be costly or brand new, said Perkins’ Andy Curtis, who announced the winners on the train journey to Highclere.
“It was highly technical, with detailed and creative journalism at every corner,” Andy said.
James commented that the story showed how, with hard work and ingenuity, it is still possible to a get a foothold in the industry without needing large amounts of capital or sign up to crippling finance deals.
Runner up for an entry in the Power on the Farm category was freelancer Adam Clarke with another article in Farmers Weekly: ‘Operator rates pre-production Claas Jaguar 1200’.
The article placed “power, efficiency and output at the centre of the story, supported by real-operator data, fuel-per-tonne figures and candid contractor insight,” judges commented. In particular they singled out praise for how the article delivered a “a different angle on a new launch.”
CPM editor Janine Adamson was awarded third place for her article ‘A fast tracked connection to the future’.
“It grabs the reader’s attention…in a light-hearted yet detailed way,” judges said. “A creative article, easy to follow from start to finish, encompassing stakeholders from farmers to technology experts [sharing] their viewpoints on how private connections benefit technological advances on farms.”
Winners received bank transfers of £1500, the runner up £1000 and third prize £700 from the ever-generous sponsors Perkins.
Perkins’ generosity continues in sixth decade
During the awards’ announcements Andy also explained why Perkins continues to support the Guild with the Perkins Power & Technology on the Farm Awards now in a sixth decade.
“First, awards support the Guild’s foremost objective: promoting the highest possible standards among agricultural journalists and communicators.
“Second, [because of] the importance of having skilful practitioners of journalism and communication to support the industry in which we all work,” he said.
And thirdly, he paid tribute to journalists’ reporting as the route along which information and knowledge flowed.
“It’s your mastery of language, your ability to convey meaning and understanding and insight, that keeps this industry informed, alert, forward-looking and connected.
“And there’s no time like the present to make that point. Agricultural journalists and communicators understand the detail, the nuances, the context – the very human nature of this industry – in a detail and depth that cannot be replicated through AI.
“[AI’s] very nature means it’s derivative in a way that original copy produced by a seasoned professional will never be. The stories that stand out, the stories that matter, the stories that truly make a difference – they are the ones written by Guild members and they are the ones we’re recognising today, in support of the long-term relevance and success of agricultural journalism,” he said.
The finalists, judges and other attendees, including the Guild’s new chair Caroline Stocks and deputy chair Liv Midgeley, were then treated to a three-course brunch and Bellinis on the trip to Highclere Castle, followed by a private guided tour of the Castle.
The trip home was rounded off with a three-course dinner, including a main of a cannon of lamb.
Thanks to Perkins
Awards winners praised Perkins for their incredibly generous support for the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists. James noted that Perkins Power & Technology on the Farm was one of the most coveted prizes for agricultural journalists, while Oli thanked Perkins for putting together a fantastic day and for its continued support of agricultural journalism and the storytelling that artificial intelligence cannot replicate.
“It’s always cheering to get recognition for the work that goes into producing an article. All Guild members should consider getting involved in our awards, and this one in particular given the broad scope of Perkins ‘Power’ and ‘Technology” categories.
Geoff expressed his delight at winning his award.
“Just making it to the final for the awards presentation is an experience, especially given that Perkins continues to make this day something of an enigma,” he said.
“My thanks go to the team at Perkins, and also the judges for recognising the practical solutions highlighted in my feature. It’s an incredibly generous day out, and while winning is the ultimate accolade, it’s an experience I would like to enjoy again.”
Read more about the Perkins Power and Technology on the Farm award below ↴
Harvest Lunch 2026
Our annual harvest celebration is the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends, colleagues and network with other agricultural communicators.
