The BBC Food & Farming Awards 2026 Judges

The three finalists in each category were chosen from thousands of nominations by an expert panel of judges led by chef Paula McIntyre. They were looking for those individuals and businesses who make life better through food. They could be at the cutting edge of innovation, leading on the best environmental practices or bringing communities together.

The awards ceremony takes place this year in Belfast, where we will announce the winners. The event is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and FoodNI The judges are currently meeting all the finalists to assess who will be chosen as the winner. Here are the finalists in each category:

BEST FOOD PRODUCER AWARD – Judged by Paula Mcintyre and Sheila Dillon

Broighter Gold Rapeseed (County Londonderry)
Sixth generation farmers Richard & Leona have created an award winning cold pressed rapeseed oil, which is grown, bottled & pressed on their farm, the same land where the Broighter Hoard was discovered in 1896.The reclaimed land is unique to Broglasco on which they grow a single variety seed to ensure their Liquid Gold has distinctive milder taste & rich golden colour.

Dun Flashadder Cottage Croft (Skye)
Nestled on croft land on the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides, Jake, Aoife and their daughter Corran breed, finish and sell native Hebridean hogget renowned for its exceptional quality and flavour. Their hogget has been showcased on Great British Menu.
Committed to whole-animal butchery and sustainability, they make full use of each carcass and also finish rare-breed Mangalitsa pork. Alongside livestock, they manage a mature fruit orchard producing blackcurrants and blueberries, supplied directly to consumers, chefs and local gin distillers in Portree.

Fresh Flour Company (Devon)
Fresh Flour Company is a worker-owned, not-for-profit organic stone mill in Buckfastleigh, Devon. Founded by Andrew Gilhespy after he grew, scythed, threshed and milled an acre of heritage April Bearded wheat by hand in 2015, the mill works with four named organic farms across the South West and Welsh borders — paying farmers what they ask, not what the market dictates. Fresh milling wholegrain flour on granite stones, the team turns heritage and population wheats into sourdough crackers, digestive biscuits, slow-dried pasta and ramen noodles. The mission is simple: decentralised, farmer-first food production, one town at a time.

BEST DRINKS PRODUCER AWARD – Judged by Jaega Wise

MOMO Kombucha (London)
MOMO’s mission is to produce the UK’s tastiest kombucha. The company makes authentic kombucha the traditional way, fermenting sweetened tea into a delicious, naturally healthy drink using only the finest ingredients. MOMO keeps its kombucha raw to deliver a fuller depth of flavour, ensuring every bottle is packed with live cultures and remains true to what kombucha should be.

Mourne Mountains Brewery (County Down)
Based in County Down, Northern Ireland, the independent brewery produces a diverse range of ales, lagers, and stouts using fresh mountain water from the Mourne Mountains and high-quality Irish ingredients. With a focus on quality, creativity, and consistency, it crafts characterful beers that appeal to drinkers seeking distinctive flavour. Committed to sustainability and community, the brewery remains deeply rooted in its local surroundings and actively supports positive environmental and local initiatives.

Shortcross Rademon Estate Distillery (County Down)
Shortcross is an award-winning independent distillery based on the Rademon Estate in County Down, Northern Ireland. Known for its handcrafted gin and whiskey, the distillery combines traditional methods with locally sourced ingredients to create premium spirits that reflect the character of the surrounding landscape. With a focus on quality, innovation, and sustainability, Shortcross has earned a reputation as one of Ireland’s leading craft distilleries.

THE DIGITAL CREATOR AWARD – Judged by Leyla Kazim

Gilly Smith @foodgillysmith
Gilly Smith is an award-winning food journalist, author, and podcaster known for her deep exploration of food culture, identity, and sustainability. She is recognised as an early adopter in British food podcasting. Notably, she produced the delicious. podcast, which was the first podcast to accompany a major food magazine in the UK and was nominated for a Fortnum and Mason award in 2017.
She also produces and presents Cooking the Books with Gilly Smith, a weekly show featuring top food writers, which has also received award nominations. Her work extends to producing and presenting podcasts for organizations like the Food Foundation and Compassion in World Farming, focusing on ethical eating and food system reform.

Jade Greenhalgh @jadesbites
Jade is a self-taught chef, passionate recipe developer, and the winner of Next Level Chef UK 2023, mentored by Gordon Ramsay. With a natural flair for flavour and creativity in the kitchen, Jade has captured the hearts (and stomachs!) of food lovers across the UK with achievable, wholesome, scratch- made and budget/family-friendly recipes designed for real life.
Whether it’s a one-pot weeknight dinner, a clever twist on a classic, or a plant-to-plate creation from the garden, Jade's recipes are made to be made. No fuss, no fluff, just home-cooked goodness that actually fits into busy lives.

Meet the Farmers @mtf_podcast
Meet the Farmers Podcast was started ten years ago by Ben Eagle. Each episode profiles a different farmer and their business, connecting farmers and giving them a platform to tell their story. In 2025 Ben teamed up with Herefordshire arable farmer Ally Hunter Blair and Dorset dairy farmer Sophie Gregory to launch a current affairs sister show - Meet the Farmers: the Big Debate; which discusses 'the big topics and issues in food and farming' and sits alongside the main show.

THE FARMING FOR THE FUTURE AWARD WITH THE ARCHERS AND BBC FARMING TODAY – Judged by Charlotte Smith and Mali Harries

FarmEd (Oxfordshire)
FarmED is a 107 acre demonstration farm situated in the heart of the Cotswolds. It was founded in 2021 by Ian and Celene Wilkinson who recognised the need for climate-friendly solutions to the global issues facing farming and food production. FarmED is a space for open discussion, debate and research. It offers an opportunity to see regenerative farming and sustainable food systems in action. It all starts with the soil! Facilities include a farm-to-fork Cafe, conference barn and meeting rooms in award-winning buildings, boasting beautiful views across the farm and the rolling Cotswold countryside. All of our visitors leave us feeling nourished, inspired, and hopeful for the future of our planet

Food & Forest (London)
Charles Tebbutt is committed to supporting and spreading the word on the benefits of agroforestry – a broad term that essentially means farming with trees – and its many economic and environmental advantages. Specialising in native varieties and those sourced from our European neighbours, Food & Forest offers a range of raw, organic nuts alongside roasted savoury nuts and sweet brittles.

Bronagh O’Kane (County Tyrone)
Bronagh returned to the family farm in Co Tyrone after an engineering career in the Royal Air Force. Driven by a desire to improve the farm’s resilience and future legacy, and troubled by the decline in Northern Ireland’s biodiversity, Bronagh made it her mission to find practical, nature-based solutions to the challenge of degraded, sticky, compacted soil and to farm in a new, more sustainable way.

She also established GrowIN, a network that connects over 800 farmers and growers, and in co-organising ‘Fields Good’, Northern Ireland’s first agroecological farming festival, Bronagh is inspiring and educating farmers of all ages and backgrounds.

THE FOOD INNOVATION AWARD – Judged by Dan Saladino

Bags of Taste
Alicia Weston is the Founder and CEO of Bags of Taste, a behaviour change programme that helps people in disadvantaged communities develop healthier, more affordable approaches to food. Inspired by her work with vulnerable adults and drawing on her background in finance, policy and science, she created an evidence-based model that tackles the psychological and practical barriers to cooking. Through this approach, Bags of Taste helps participants build confidence, cook more from scratch, reduce reliance on takeaways, and develop lasting habits that improve both health and household finances.

Sole of Discretion (Plymouth)
A collective of small-scale fishers fishing out of Plymouth harbour, committed to procuring fish and shellfish that have been caught with as little damage to the marine environment as possible, have contributed to the livelihood of small-scale fishers and their communities, and to get these high quality and delicious fish to the customer door. They range from local, under-utilised species such as dab, flounder or lemon sole and dive-caught scallops to fish sourced from similarly-minded small-scale fishers overseas, with relationships formed through the Slow Food movement, such as sablefish (black cod) and albacore tuna. All fish is iced at sea so it arrives with the consumer in peak condition. They cure fish and offer fish boxes.

Tilda Sustainable Rice Programme
Tilda’s Sustainable Rice Programme (TSRP) is a pioneering supply chain transformation initiative designed to make rice cultivation more sustainable while improving farmer livelihoods and strengthening long-term supply resilience. Launched in 2021 as a pilot involving just 50 farms in northern India, the programme was created to address one of the biggest environmental challenges in rice production: the high greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and energy use associated with traditional flooded paddy cultivation. The impact has been significant. By 2025, the programme had expanded to 3,840 farms covering more than 15,000 hectares and represented around 87% of Tilda-branded basmati sourcing.

COUNTRYFILE YOUNG COUNTRYSIDE CHAMPION – judged by Adam Henson

Chris Bailey (Wiltshire)
Growing up in Wiltshire, surrounded by nature, Chris developed a lifelong passion for wildlife that evolved into conservation, photography and public engagement. As a Young Ambassador for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, he champions local biodiversity through reserve management, species surveys, nature writing and wildlife photography, while inspiring others to take action for the environment.

Born with a cleft palate and having faced challenges with confidence and belonging, he found purpose and acceptance through nature. Today, he uses his platform to share the stories of local wildlife, engage communities, and encourage others to believe in their ability to make a positive impact. His goal is to ensure that Wiltshire’s natural landscapes and species continue to thrive for future generations.

Jessica Tilley-Moore (Staffordshire)
Jessica Tilley-Moore has established herself within British agriculture despite coming from a non-farming background, building a career that spans livestock farming, pedigree breeding, animal health, and agricultural communication. Since entering the industry at 17, she has gained extensive hands-on experience across sheep and dairy farms, developing strong skills in animal husbandry, flock management, and commercial livestock production.
In 2025, she established her own pedigree Greyface Dartmoor flock, reflecting her commitment to British sheep breeding and native breed conservation. Alongside practical farming, she is passionate about supporting sustainable agriculture and encouraging new entrants into the industry. Through writing in the farming press, she advocates for rural careers and demonstrates that farming is open to anyone with dedication, resilience, and a passion for the countryside.

Lily Herniman (Devon)
Lily is a dedicated young conservationist and volunteer with the UK Wild Otter Trust, where she has been involved since the age of 15. With a strong farming background and an impressive knowledge of wildlife, she is passionate about protecting and restoring natural habitats. She has championed the regeneration of wildflower meadows using traditional management techniques and has played a key role in enhancing the wild areas at the Trust’s otter rehabilitation centre through pond creation, tree planting, and habitat improvement projects.
Committed to nature recovery and sustainable countryside management, Lily combines practical conservation skills with genuine enthusiasm for the environment. Her hard work, knowledge, and dedication to creating better spaces for wildlife make her an inspiring advocate for the natural world and a promising future leader in conservation.

THE BBC ULSTER FOOD HERO AWARD – judged by Eve Blair

Jenna Morris (County Down)
Jenna Morris works as Seaweed Food Ambassadorat Crawford's Rock, a producer of wild, sustainably harvested seaweed. Jenna is a passionate advocate for local food, coastal heritage, and food tourism in County Down, and she has shown exceptional creativity and commitment in celebrating Northern Ireland’s unique food culture.
Crawford's Rock Seaweed is a family-run business dedicated to preserving Ireland's coastal food heritage through the principles of slow food. The sustainably hand-harvest seaweed using traditional methods, passing on knowledge that has been valued by our family for generations while educating people about its incredible flavour, nutritional benefits, and place in everyday cooking.

The Alexander Family, Ballyboley Dexters (County Down)
Ballyboley Dexters is a family-run farm on the east coast of County Down, Northern Ireland, with two generations actively involved in the business. While best known for producing Dexter beef, their wider mission is to champion local food, nature-friendly farming and producers across Northern Ireland.

Stephen and Lorraine, alongside Hannah, Matthew and Naomi around ten years ago made the decision to create their own market for the food they produce. What began as selling beef directly to customers has grown into a wider project focused on helping people understand where their food comes. Through farm walks, wild dining experiences and educational visits, we showcase the wider food culture of Northern Ireland.

Sean McDermott and Rory Blight (Keen 2b Green and Source Grow)
Rory and Sean are owners and directors of Source Grow and co-founders and directors of Keen 2B Green. Source Grow aims to promote a fairer food system by providing local growers with a direct route to market. The organisation operates through a variety of channels, including event catering, a local food box scheme, partnerships with community gardens for farmers' markets and wholesale deliveries, business-to-business sales, and, most recently, a retail space known as The Wee Shop on the Ormeau Road.
Keen 2B Green is a social enterprise dedicated to connecting people with their local environment through wildlife and food. From its Wild Shed community space, the organisation runs volunteer days and provides services for adults with learning disabilities, helping participants build connections with both people and nature through meaningful activities.