Over the past year, Mr Carmichael has been a consistent and vocal advocate for British farming, challenging the Prime Minister and Treasury over their untenable justifications for the family farm tax and criticising the government’s refusal to consult with the NFU and wider industry.
Under his leadership, the cross-party Efra Committee has echoed sector concerns about the tax’s impact on farmers and growers – from investment and resilience to its human toll – and called for a pause to the damaging policy.
Beyond the tax debate, he has continuously championed farming over the past year, focusing on strengthening fairness in the food supply chain and pushing for greater recognition of agriculture’s role in national food security.
“There’s no countryside without farming and no farming without government policy that does not have food production at its heart.”
Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael
His work has helped ensure farmers’ voices are heard at the heart of Westminster during a critical time for the sector.
Standout campaigner
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said Mr Carmichael was “a truly deserving recipient” of the award, and praised his work as a “standout campaigner and advocate for British farming, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes”.
“His strong political advocacy in what has been an incredibly challenging year for farmers is a testament to the values of resilience, dedication and hard work that define our industry.
“We are incredibly proud to see him receive this well-deserved recognition,” Tom added.
Upon receiving the award, Mr Carmichael said: “I’m absolutely blown away. To be recognised by the NFU in this way means a great deal. Farming has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember and it’s shaped my work in Parliament making sure farmers’ voices are heard.
“I don’t do this job for awards – I do it because backing British farming is in the national interest. There’s no countryside without farming and no farming without government policy that does not have food production at its heart, and that’s absolutely where we have to get back to.
“Even at a time when there’s no shortage of reasons to be despondent, this is still a great industry with a great future, and I’m proud to play my part in supporting it.”
Farmers Weekly’s Farmer of the Year Award was announced at the Farmers Weekly Awards ceremony on Thursday 2 October 2025 at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
