BGS GRASSLAND FARMER OF THE YEAR 2026
COMPETITION ENTRY FORM
STAGE 1: ALL ENTRANTS - Please complete the candidate details and sections A and B
Sections A and B of the entry form are needed in the first stage only. This should be completed by all local society winners and full BGS members (if a local society is not operating in their area) who wish to enter the competition. The deadline for submission of section A & B is Friday 19 June 2026 at 11:45pm.
STAGE 2: REGIONAL WINNERS - Please also complete sections C, D & E
If selected as a regional winner the fully completed form (The candidate details and sections A, B, C, D & E) must be submitted. To avoid the duplication of information, regional winners will be able to access and add to their original submission using the edit link provided in their confirmation email from their section A & B submission. An edit link can also be provided by the BGS office if the original confirmation email is unavailable. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 22 July 2026 at 11:45pm. This form will be used by the national judges to select the three finalists.
Please include as much relevant detail as possible.
Additional supporting documents may be uploaded e.g. up-to-date production and performance figures, costings, soil analysis. Where appropriate, please include photographs, the file name should include a brief description of what the image is showing. The form can be saved and continued later up until the relevant submission deadline. If the form has been submitted it will also remain available for editing up until the relevant submission deadline.
Candidate Details
Full Name
*
First Name
Last Name
From which society category (your individual membership) are you entering the competition?
*
As an individual member of a Local Grassland Society (Usual answer)
As an individual member of the British Grassland Society (Full BGS members may only enter if there is not an active affiliated local society in your area)
Local Grassland Society Membership
Please Select
Aberconwy Grassland Society
Aberystwyth Grassland Society
Anglesey Grassland Society
Brecon Grassland Society
Bro Ddyfi Grassland Society
Bude Grassland Society
Cardigan & District Grassland Society
Carmarthenshire Grassland Society
Central Yorkshire Grassland Society
Cheshire Grassland Society
Cleddau Grassland Society
Cumbria Grassland Society
Derbyshire Grassland Society
Devon Grassland Society
Dorset Grassland Society
Durham Grassland Society
East Radnor Grassland Society
East Riding Grassland Society
East Scotland Grassland Society
Fermanagh Grassland Club
Glamorgan Grassland Society
Gloucestershire Grassland Society
Herefordshire Grassland Society
Isle of Man Grassland Society
Lutterworth Dairy Discussion Group
Meirionnydd
Mid Cardigan Grassland Society
Monmouthshire Grassland Society
Narberth & District Grassland Society
North Cornwall Grassland Society
North Devon Grassland Society
North of Scotland Grassland Society
North Pembrokeshire Grassland Society
Powys Grassland Society
Shropshire Grassland Society
Somerset Grassland Society
South East Cornwall Grassland Society
South West Scotland Grassland Society
South Yorkshire Grassland Society
Sussex Grass & Forage Society
Ulster Grassland Society
Upper Severn Grassland Society
West Cornwall Grassland Society
West Sussex Grassland Society
Whitby Discussion Group
Worcestershire Grassland Society
Wye Valley Grassland Society
Other
If other please specify
British Grassland Society Membership Number
Please select the region you are applying from
*
Scotland
Northern Ireland
North East
Yorkshire & Humber
North West
East Midlands
West Midlands
Wales
East of England
South East
South West
Address
*
Address line 1
Address Line 2
Town
County
Postcode
Email Address
*
example@example.com
Phone Number
*
-
Area Code
Phone Number
Section A: Farm Details
Farm Area
Please provide a brief description of the background/history of the farm and farm business
*
Total Farm Area
*
Rows
Total Area
Acres
Hectares
Farm Area
Total Annual Rainfall
*
Rows
Total Annual Rainfall
Inches
mm
Annual Rainfall
Altitude
*
Rows
Maximum
Minimum
Feet
Metres
Altitude
Forage Area
Total Forage Area
*
Rows
Total Area
Acres
Hectares
Forage Area
Main soil type(s) on the farm
*
Clay
Peat
Chalk
Loam
Sand & Gravel
Shallow soil over chalk/rock
Please give the details of the area of each forage type on your farm
*
Rows
Area
Acres
Hectares
Permanent pasture
Long term leys (up to 10 years)
Short term leys (less than 5 years)
Very short term leys (1-2 years)
Please give the details of the area of any other forage types (e.g. turnips, kale, cereals fed to stock) on your farm
Rows
Crop name
Area
Acres
Hectares
Other crop 1
Other crop 2
Other crop 3
Other crop 4
Arable Crops
Total Arable Area
*
Rows
Total Area
Acres
Hectares
Arable Area
Mark as appropriate
Cereals - sold grain
Oil seed rape
Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes
Other
If other please indicate the land use
Labour
Please state the farm labour units (whole or part labour units). One Annual Work Unit (AWU) corresponds to the work performed by one person engaged in full-time agricultural work. The standard for one full-time equivalent worker is 1,800 hours per year (typically 225 working days of 8 hours).
Family
*
Paid
*
Section B: Stock
Please select the stock type(s) relevant to your farm
Dairy Cows
Suckler Cows
Finishing Cattle
Sheep
B1: Dairy Cows
Dairy Cows
Please list the number of dairy cows for each breed, including youngstock and outline your breeding policy
Milk Production System
Conventional
In conversion to organic
Fully organic
If in organic conversion or fully organic, please state the conversion start date:
Calving pattern
All Year Round
Spring Block Calving
Autumn Block Calving
Split Calving
Pedigree Herd
Yes
No
Is the herd milk recorded (NMR, CIS or QMMS)?
Yes
No
Heifer replacements
Home reared
Purchased
Average age of heifers at calving (months)
Milking frequency
Once a day
Twice a day
Three times a day
Robotic Milking
Calving period(s)
Rows
From
To
Calving period 1
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Calving period 2
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Housing System
How are the cows housed?
Rows
% of herd
Cubicles
Loose yards
Herd Costings
Please complete this section or attach a copy of your latest 12month rolling results
Rows
Value
Costings for the year ending
Average cows in herd
Milk sold per cow (litres)
Yield from forage (litres)
Yield from grazed grass (litres)
Butterfat %
Protein %
Bactoscan
Cell count
Milk price (pence per litre)
Concentrate use (kg per cow)
Concentrate price (£/tonne)
Total purchased feed costs (£/tonne)
Average stocking rate (Cows/ha)
If you wish to attach a copy of your latest 12 month rolling results please upload here
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Winter feeding and supplementation
Winter forage feeding system
Self feed
Easy feed using a loader
Forage box
Mixer wagon
Concentrate feeding
Rows
In parlour feeders
Out of parlour feeders
On top of silage in feed troughs
Forage box
Complete diet
Housing
Grazing
Type of concentrates fed
Compounds
Sugar beet pulp
Brewers grains
Blends
Maize gluten
Wheat
Soya
Rape
Other
If other please name the feed(s)
System of concentrate allocation
Rows
Feed to yield
Step rate
Flat rate
Total mixed ration only
Housing
Grazing
Briefly describe your winter feeding regime
B2: Suckler Cows
Suckler Cows
Please list the number of cattle for each breed (including youngstock and bulls) and outline your breeding policy
Heifer replacements
Home reared
Purchased
Heifer calving age
What is the calving period?
Rows
From
To
Calving period (Spring herd)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Calving period (Autumn herd)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Briefly describe your winter feeding regime
How are stock marketed?
B3: Finishing Cattle
Finishing Cattle
Are the cattle homebred or purchased?
Homebred
Purchased
If purchased, please explain purchase policy, breeds and numbers
Age at start of finishing period
Rows
Age (months)
Heifers:
Steers:
Young bulls:
Finishing system
Rows
Forage based throughout
Intensive throughout
Forage based followed by intensive
Heifers
Steers
Young Bulls
Performance
Rows
Value
Growth rate (kg/d):
Slaughter age (months):
Conformation:
Fat grade:
Slaughter weight (kg):
Carcass weight (kg):
Length of finishing period (days):
Please include reports as appropriate
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Briefly describe your winter feeding regime
How are stock marketed?
B4: Sheep
Sheep
Breeding flock
Please list the sheep breeds and numbers (including ewes and rams) and outline your breeding policy.
Briefly describe your winter feeding regime.
Ewe replacements
Home reared
Purchased
Flock type
Pedigree
Commercial
Weaned lambs
Sold at weaning
Sold as stores
Finished
Lambing period
Rows
From
To
Lambing period:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Lambing period:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Finishing Lambs
Performance
Rows
Value
Growth rate (g/d):
Slaughter age (months):
Conformation:
Fat grade:
Slaughter weight (kg):
Carcass weight (kg):
Length of finishing period (days):
Please include reports as appropriate
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Finishing System
Forage based throughout
Intensive throughout
Forages based followed by intensive
Source of lambs
Home reared
Purchased
Finishing start age:
Rows
Age (months)
At purchase:
At weaning:
Briefly describe your winter feeding regime
How are stock marketed?
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Section C: Grassland Management
Grazing System
Turnout dates
Please include the dates for all stock that applies to your farm
Housing dates
Please include the dates for all stock that applies to your farm
System(s) used
Set stocking
Block grazing
Paddock grazing
Strip grazing
Zero grazing
How do you optimise your use of grazing?
Please include how you measure grass growth
Describe your policy for supplementing grazing stock - include concentrate/forage type
What is the clover content of the grassland?
Rows
None
Low <10%
Mod 10%-40%
High >40%
Grazing
Silage
Grass Improvement & Reseeding Policy
Explain your grassland improvement policy e.g. reseeding and rejuvenation methods, mixture selection
Explain your weed management policy in new sown leys and established grassland
What is the Nitrogen use on grassland?
Rows
Value
kg/ha
units/acre
Nitrogen use:
Explain your policy on Nitrogen (N) use and why this is appropriate on your farm
Explain your policy on Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) use
Conserved Forage - Grass Silage
Please give quantity and quality details for conserved forages in winter
Describe your grass silage making system
Please include details such as: how you decide on number and timing of cuts, integration of cutting and grazing, wilting policy, type of silage made (e.g. clamped; round bale)
Silage Quality
Rows
Cut 1
Cut 2
Cut 3
Cut 4
Cut 5
Cut 6
Area cut (acres or hectares)
Date silage made
DM %
ME
CP %
Ammonia-N
Intake factor
Other Forages
Do you grow any forage types other than grass?
Yes
No
Describe the alternative forages grown and how they are utilised, including Maize and Wholecrop
If you have the quality data for ensiled alternative forages, please include it here
Rows
Ensiled forage 1
Ensiled forage 2
Ensiled forage 3
Ensiled forage 4
Forage type
Area cut (acres or hectares)
Date silage made
DM %
ME
CP %
Ammonia-N
Intake factor
Machinery Policy
Please give details of your machinery policy including the proportion of field operations carried out by contractors.
Section D: Environmental Issues
Environment Schemes
Please give details of the schemes you participate in
Proportion of the farm in an NVZ (%)
Has a phosphorus balance been completed?
Yes
No
In progress
Has a carbon audit been completed?
Yes
No
In progress
Summarise what actions you have taken to farm in an environmentally beneficial way
Section E: Additional Information
Please give details of any farm assurance schemes for which you are certified
How have you cooperated with other farmers to improve efficiencies and save costs?
e.g. Labour sharing, buying groups etc.
Describe what you have done to put research into practice or innovative practices which improve your grassland management
Is there anything you would like to add to your application?
Please upload any additional information here.
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