John was one of four finalists for this year’s award which has been running since 1992 and champions commercial farms who go the extra mile to make space for wildlife.
The judging panel – NFU South environment and land use adviser Madeleine Sweet, hedge expert Rob Wolton, farmer Audrey Compton and FWAG farm environment adviser Eli Sherlock – had had a challenge on their hands deciding on a winner, but in the end it was the range of habitats on Frenchbeer Farm that really stood out.
“John clearly enjoys exploring new ways of achieving environmental outcomes and is not afraid to try something different,” said Rob Wolton.
“The expansion of the turkey enterprise in favour of more traditional livestock farming was a bold decision, and he’s adding value to his beef by promoting their conservation grazing credentials.”
John’s parents moved to the 450ha organic Duchy of Cornwall farm in 1986, building up a flock of sheep and herd of suckler cows. Turkeys were added to the enterprise mix to aid cash flow, and John now rears 8,000 birds a year for a loyal local customer base. He is an alumnus of the NFU's Poultry Industry Programme.
“The backbone of Frenchbeer Farm is very much the environmental stewardship schemes” explained John. “Beef from the suckler herd is sold through Farm Wilder and the cows have an important conservation job to do too”.
Turkeys at Frenchbeer Farm
Like many moorland farmers, John is keen to see the return of the curlew and has been working with his landlord to create the right conditions for these moorland birds.
The award is named after Audrey Compton’s late husband John, himself a previous winner and judge for many years.
“I’m excited to see the award going from strength to strength, John would be delighted to see such a diverse range of finalists,” said Audrey.
“As a farmer I know how difficult it is to make a living and still have the time and energy to maintain important habitats such as ponds, headlands, woodland and hedges”.
Madeleine added: “It’s a privilege to get the opportunity to visit each of the farms, what stood out for me was the passion they all had for preserving wildlife and doing what they can to protect the environment.”
FWAG Devon adviser Eli Sherlock said: “Our farm conservation awards are at the heart of what the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group is all about, they highlight what can be achieved at a farm scale.
“All the finalists showed a passion for producing food and preserving the landscape for future generations and that’s worth celebrating!”
To enter the 2027 awards, visit the FWAG South West website.