2011 Sustainable Farming Award Winner
2011's Biosphere Sustainable Farming Award has been awarded to Robin Milton, of Partridge Arms Farm, West Anstey, near South Molton.They were presented their award by Dr Mike Moser, Chair of the Biosphere Reserve Partnership on 7th September 2011 at West Anstey. After the presentation, Robin and Rex Milton gave a guided tour of their farm to over 30 fellow farmers, FWAG members and representatives of farming and other local organisations.
Sustainable farming is a key goal for North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, but the the Devon Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group's (FWAG) also awarded Mr Milton their Bronze Otter Award, which is presented annually to the Devon farmer who best demonstrates commercial farming combined with environmental management.
Paul Cottington, S W NFU Environmental Adviser and one of the judges explains just what makes Partridge Arms Farm special "it shows us exactly how you can make the best bits of land do a little more whilst letting the rest focus on wildlife and resource protection. Robin has taken very practical steps that only someone who knows the land can ever do. He has changed the crops in certain areas where he knows there will be issues and instead fitted them around delivering more birds and bees whilst still enabling him to make an income to pay for it all. The fact that Robin has common land, lowland and upland means that he is an example of best practice for so many farmers. At the end of the day the reason he won was because this is a commercial farm that has built sympathetic management of the landscape and its wildlife into its very core."
Mike Moser, Chair of the Biosphere Partnership and another of the judges agrees, "How Robin and Rex manage their farm on the edge of Exmoor effects not just their land but through rivers and streams, water quality and wildlife further downstream. We are all linked by our shared need for high quality environments and farmers like the Miltons are key to delivering them".
Mr Milton and two runners up in the Bronze Otter competition also received an award from the Western Morning and Mole Valley Farmers vouchers from their marketing manager, Ms Julie Edwards.
North Devon Journal article, Aug 10 2011
The first Biosphere Reserve Sustainable Farming Award was given to Hefyn Llwyd, a sheep farmer near the Biosphere's southern edge at South Tawton at the 2010 North Devon Show. Taw Barton Farm.
North Devon Journal report, 12 August 2010
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