The awards ceremony celebrated the very best of farming across the county, and Niall was named both Farmer of the Year and Farming Champion.
The Ipplepen-based dairy farmer impressed the judges with his tireless dedication to educating the public about food provenance and his forward-thinking approach to farm diversification.
A thriving destination
What began as a Jersey milking herd has grown into a thriving local food destination, complete with a milk vending machine, a vegetable shed, an ice cream parlour, a food truck, meat vending machine and even a children’s play park. His collaborative spirit and passion for continuous improvement set him apart.
Niall also won Best Dairy Farmer at the 2023 awards and helped judge that category this year. He is widely respected for his commitment to innovation and community engagement.
The Farming Champion category was sponsored by NFU South.
An outstanding contribution
In addition, Stephen Dennis, Regional Lead at FCN, was honoured for his outstanding contribution to Devon’s farming community.
Sue English, Director at Addington Fund, said “Everyone in Devon knows Stephen. He’s dedicated more than 25 years to supporting farmers – he truly is a legend.”
Other winners included former Devon NFU chair Andrew Branton and his family (Best Family Farm), Dr Louise Lethbridge (Best Woman in Agriculture), Greg and Nicky Parsons of Sharpham Dairy (Best Farm Processor) and Andy Broomfield (Best Dairy Farmer).
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.
The evening also raised more than £5,000 in support of the Addington Fund.
Team Devon at the awards with Stephen and Sue Dennis (left) and NFU President Tom Bradshaw (picture: Addington Fund)