A FARMER from Gulworthy has been named 'Agricultural Student of the Year' in the 2014 British Farming Awards.

Ross Edwards, 22, graduated last month from Harper Adams with a first class BSc (Hons) Agriculture degree and was one of four students from the university to be shortlisted for the award.

Ross was nominated for the accolade by agriculture course manager and principal lecturer Dr Russell Readman, in recognition of his achievements throughout his degree, including an impressive 74% average across all modules.

Ross said: 'I am amazed and really pleased to have won agricultural student of the year, it really does top off four fantastic years at university.

'To have been nominated by Dr Readman makes the award even more special as he has always been so supportive of my studies at Harper Adams.

'I'm now off to New Zealand for five months to work on a dairy farm before joining the Velcourt trainee farm managers scheme, as they have kindly held my job offer open until I return.'

During his studies, Ross secured the Velcourt Dairy Scholarship, which included spending his placement year on a 3,800 acre estate in Dorset, helping to run 1,000 dairy cows across two units, 2,500 Romney sheep and 400 beef stores. 

He was chosen to represent the university at the Oxford Farming Conference, spent a year as chairman of the Harper Adams Forum society, and for his dissertation investigated the effect of using forage crop lucerne in the diets of high-yielding dairy cows.

At graduation, Ross was presented with the Royal Agricultural Society for England's top student in agriculture award and was a co-finalist in the Institute of Agricultural Management Farm Planner of the Year competition.

Judges said: 'Ross' approach to joining the industry was well-planned and based on more than hard work on the farm.

'This ranges from building his flock of Texel sheep from the age of 10, to contributing through membership within the Texel Sheep Society, National Sheep Association and Young Farmers.

'Ross involved himself in the student community, taking on leadership roles, and showed strong understanding that complacency is not an option in farming.'

The youngest of four brothers, Ross and his family run a 110 pedigree South Devon herd and 550 ewe flock across 330 acres, supplying directly to the local butcher.