A farmer near Ripon has been named Regenerative Farmer of the Year at the 2026 British Farming Awards, recognising changes introduced to improve soil health, reduce reliance on fertiliser and encourage wildlife.
James Johnson, who runs Mallard Grange Farm alongside his father Charles, received the award at a ceremony at The Vox, NEC Birmingham, on Thursday 15 October.
The family farm, located around three miles west of Ripon, has been farmed by the Johnson family since 1933. It combines arable crops with cattle, sheep and pasture-raised hens.
James began rethinking the farm’s conventional approach after an exceptionally wet autumn in 2019 and a dry spring in 2020 put pressure on the land and livestock.
Over the following seven years, the farm introduced practices including adaptive multi-paddock grazing, herbal leys, cover crops and direct drilling. These are intended to improve soil structure, reduce the need for external inputs and help the farm withstand extreme weather.
The changes have also been associated with an increase in insects and farmland birds. The farm has recorded the successful hatching of English partridge chicks for the first time.
James Johnson, Mallard Grange Farm: Winning Regenerative Farmer of the Year is a very proud moment for our family and everyone who works alongside us at Mallard Grange.
Seeing the land become more resilient and wildlife return, while building a stronger farming business for the future, has been incredibly rewarding. This award gives us confidence that we are moving in the right direction, although there is still plenty more for us to learn.
Alongside farming, Mallard Grange has been a member of Farm Stay UK for more than 30 years, offering bed and breakfast and self-catering accommodation.
The accommodation provides an additional income stream for the business and gives visitors the opportunity to experience a working farm and learn about food production.
David Brown, director of Farm Stay UK: This is a thoroughly deserved achievement for James, his family and the team at Mallard Grange. Their work shows how regenerative practices can strengthen a family farm while benefiting its soil and wildlife, and everyone at Farm Stay UK is incredibly proud to see one of our long-standing members recognised nationally.
The British Farming Awards are organised by Farmers Guardian and recognise achievements and innovation across the UK farming industry.
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