Cambridgeshire farmer David Felce has won the 2025 Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability
Judges admired David’s commitment to collaboration, biodiversity income streams and an impeccable sustainability mindset.
Described as someone who “lives and breathes sustainable practices”, he collected his award at an event held at the Beaver family’s Rutland Vineyard.
Organised by BASF, in partnership with The Andersons Centre, the Country Trust and the Royal Entomological Society, the award was open to any grower implementing outstanding sustainable farming practices.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Alice Johnston, BASF’s agricultural sustainability manager for UK and Ireland said: “The judges selected David to win because of his broad delivery on every aspect of sustainable agriculture, particularly his soil health, commitment to water catchment management, wildlife species diversity and his full embrace of integrated pest management.”
David Felce has worked and lived on the family farm all his life and has prioritised collaboration to benefit all aspects of his business. Located in a secluded place, his investment in conserving and improving Midloe Grange Farm, Huntingdonshire, for wildlife has included widening the range and types of habitats, creating large areas of native woodlands, water protection, utilising technology for environmental monitoring, cropping to improve soil health, and undertaking farm-wide carbon assessments.
David believes in getting the basics and the technology right, seeing both as vital for any business. “With so many variables, understanding the basics, and interactions is likely to be key to developing a sustainable farm and countryside for future generations to enjoy.”
Alice added: “David is a progressive thinker, both in terms of the technology he uses, as well as his attention to continuously improve farmland biodiversity. The judges were fascinated by David’s pioneering approach to trading Biodiversity Net Gain credits generating an income equivalent to his previous support payments, as well as his decision to take delivery of an autonomous AgXeed tractor this coming year. And when it comes to collaboration, we all praised the farm’s shared machinery and labour agreement with their neighbour, something the family implemented many years ago, long before the approach became mainstream.”
Commenting on the win, David said: “I am absolutely delighted, overwhelmed and humbled to win this prestigious award. I’ve been involved in a number of public activities but this one means a great deal, especially given the previous winners and BASF’s commitment to sustainability.
“The family and farm have always been at the heart of all we do, and whilst my name is on the plate, it is recognition for my wonderful wife Hayley, and whole family.”
The joint runners up for the award were Andrew Brown from Fairchilds in Leicestershire and Emma and Martin Hamer from Meadowsweet Farm in Oxfordshire.
Andrew has made continuous enhancements, including planting 3,500 native trees – with the help of local schools and scout groups – the sowing of bird, pollen and nectar seed mixes, a 3.5km permissive bridleway for the local community, owl nesting boxes, and the implementation of two-year grass free legume mixes, to help eliminate black-grass and enhance wheat crop potential.
Emma and Martin Hamer run a mixed enterprise and are passionate about adopting new approaches to improve the business and create a completely circular system.
This has included experimenting with bi-cropping – growing peas or beans with oats – as feed for their livestock. They regularly conduct bird surveys, have sown wildflowers into grass, installed bird nesting boxes, and have offered space to a local bee keeper to encourage more pollination.
