Herefordshire farmer shortlisted for top award

The manager of a Herefordshire farm has been shortlisted for a prestigious industry award.

William Barnett, who runs The Co-operative Farms’ fruit farm at Tillington, near Hereford, is a finalist for Horticulture Week magazine’s Fruit Grower of the Year title.

He will find out if he is successful when the winners are announced at the Grower of the Year Awards ceremony, in London, on 11 February.

William is Farm Manager at The Co-operative’s 900-acre Tillington farm, which grows fruit, including apples, for sale in Co-operative food stores across the UK.

He said: “I am delighted to have been shortlisted as a finalist for such a prestigious award. It reflects well on the dedication and hard work of everyone here at Tillington. Now I’m looking forward to going to London for next month’s awards ceremony.”

Tillington Farm is owned by The Co-operative, which has farmed there since 1909. The Co-operative Farms, part of The Co-operative Group, is Britain’s largest farming business, farming more than 50,000 acres at sites across the UK.

The Co-operative’s “Grown by Us” range – food and drink grown by The Co-operative Farms, or made using ingredients grown by the business, including apples, cider and apple juice from Tillington, is also shortlisted for the Grower of the Year’s Business Initiative of the Year category.