A FARM in South Tawton has clinched the champion product prize at the prestigious Taste of the West Food and Drink Awards 2012.

Husband and wife team Jane Barber and Simon Kemp, of Lovaton Farm, clinched the overall champion prize for their Dexter Cross Devon t-bone steak, which also won the best of meat and poultry category in the product awards.

The pair were among a wide range of food and drink producers honoured at the Eden Project where an audience of almost 200 producers, food lovers and local businesses celebrated their achievements.

Jane Barber, managing director and farm owner, said: 'We are absolutely thrilled to have won. We put a lot of passion, time and love into what we do and to get this recognition just makes all the mud and rain at 6am worth it.

'Winning Best of Meat and Poultry was amazing, but Champion Product leaves me speechless.

'Lovaton is a small, family-run farm. Our customers know us personally and these awards give them the confidence that what we sell is the best, in the whole of the South West.

'We are obviously doing something right and whilst we plan to expand, our methods and practises will stay the same.'

The pair run the farm of 193 acres in South Tawton, specialising in traditional British rare breeds, including Dexter and Dexter cross cattle, and Gloucester Old Spot and Saddleback pigs.

Jane took over the farm from her father in 1999 and went on to train in butchery skills. The meat is prepared by Jane and a highly-experienced butcher in the on-farm cutting room.

Their home-bred Dexter and Dexter Cross Devon cattle graze all spring, summer and autumn on land under 'Countryside Stewardship', a scheme to promote wildlife friendly farming.

In the winter the cattle are supplemented with home-grown feeds, allowing them to be reared in a stress-free traditional manner.

All the beef is hung for two to four weeks to enhance the flavour and tenderness. It is then cut and vacuum packed ready to use or freeze. Beef is available in meat boxes or cut to order into all types of joints, steaks, lean mince, burgers and sausages.

This year's champion judge was Tim Maddams, formerly of River Cottage and now running his own catering company. Speaking about the champion meat from Lovaton Farm, he said: 'Wow, this is stunning. A truly incredible piece of meat with no compromise on flavour. A great cross of breeds and simply the best piece of beef I have eaten in a long time.'

The aim of the Taste of the West Awards is to acknowledge food and drink of the highest quality produced in the South West.

The awards incorporate Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. They comprise 24 food and drink product classes overall.