Finalists chosen for Dairy Industry Woman of the Year Award

Finalist Karen Halton rents 550 acres in Congleton with her husband Tom where they milk their 530 all-year-round calving herd.

The finalists for the prestigious Dairy Industry Woman of the Year Award – which recognises the achievements of women in the British dairy industry – have been selected.

The award will be presented at the Women in Dairy Conference, taking place on 30th September, to the individual who has demonstrated the core Women in Dairy values – connect, share and inspire.

RADBF says the quality of the nominations this year has been exceptional, demonstrating the skills and excellence women have right across the dairy sector.

Rachel Bowcutt, the organiser of this year’s event, said: “We were delighted with the quality of the entries and have three outstanding women as finalists.

“The judging process will be tough with each of the finalists operating different businesses and involved in a range of activities. All are deserving winners.”

This year’s three finalists were chosen by the advisory board and will now face an interview round ahead of the winner announcement next month.

The finalists are:

Karen Halton  

After 14 years of working in legal recruitment, Karen joined her husband Tom, who farms in Cheshire. Together they rent 550 acres in Congleton and milk their 530 all-year-round calving herd, becoming an AHDB strategic dairy farm in 2018.

Their vision is to be in the top one per cent of profitable dairy farms in the country. They are winners of numerous awards including NMR’s Johnes Control Best Practice Award 2016, Supreme Champion in the 2019 Cheshire County Farming Competition and were finalists in the 2018 RABDF Gold Cup.

Abi Reader is a third-generation dairy farmer working with her parents and uncle on a 750-acre mixed farm in South Wales.

Abi Reader  

Abi Reader is a third-generation dairy farmer working with her parents and uncle on a 750-acre mixed farm in South Wales. Abi manages the 200-cow dairy enterprise comprising 100 Holstein Friesians and 100 Dairy Shorthorns.

Abi is also NFU Cymru Dairy Board Chair and Chair of Cattle Health Certification Standards (CHECS) as well as a proud Open Farm Sunday host and Co-Founder of CowsOnTour – a group of farmers who visit schools to talk about food and farming.

Hannah is a partner in the three-generation family dairy farm in Haverfordwest.

Hannah Lawrence  

Hannah is a partner in the three-generation family dairy farm in Haverfordwest. The farm consists of 240 milking cows as well as a flock of 200 commercial Texel and Suffolk crosses. Hannah has also established her own pedigree Texel flock Preseli View Texels with her partner.

Hannah is passionate about educating the public about the ins and outs of farming and has a successful Instagram account with over 1,500 followers. She hosts live question and answer sessions online and has hosted farm tours attracting over 600 visitors. She is also involved in groups such as First Milk Next Generation.

Hannah also volunteers for mental health charity DPJ Foundation, which offers a helpline for farmers.

The 2020 Women in Dairy (WID) Conference, sponsored by HSBC, will run from 10-3pm and will consist of five sessions, including talks on the state of the dairy market, sustainability, animal health, and marketing.

The online event will also include a social event in the evening where the winner of this year’s award will be revealed.

Ticket sales are now open and cost £25 for the event and evening social. Members of Women in Dairy can attend at a reduced rate of £18.75. The ticket price includes a delegate pack with two delicious samples of Quickes cheese.

More information can be found at https://www.womenindairy.co.uk/conference