Recognition for rural producers in the West

A WEST Country family farm has been named one of the best rural businesses in the country after winning a Rural Business Award.

Cornhill Farm was judged Best Rural Food or Drink Business at the South West regional finals of the Rural Business Awards in partnership with Amazon, which took place virtually this year.

Currently run by Len Olds and his son Pete, Cornhill Farm is based near Camborne in Cornwall and has been in the Olds family for five generations since Len’s grandfather, Harry Olds, bought it in 1912.

A successful free range enterprise comprising 14,000 hens, producing 10,000 eggs a day, supplies a premium producer contract with Waitrose and a growing local customer base. The Olds also grow, sell and store grain and feed, as well as run a contracting business.

Following the impressive achievement at the regional final, Cornhill Farm will now go on to represent the South West at the national final of the Rural Business Awards in February 2022.

The Rural Business Awards is the idea of Leicestershire businesswomen Anna Price and Jemma Clifford, who wanted to showcase the wealth of entrepreneurial talent in rural areas.

Now in their seventh year, the awards are organised by rural business for rural business, with winners in the 13 categories decided by an independent panel of judges drawn from the rural business sector, rural public sector agencies, and rural charitable organisations.

The Rural Business Awards is hosting a series of regional finals in the North, East, Midlands, South West, Wales and Northern Ireland, throughout October, ahead of the national final.

John Boumphrey, UK country manager for Amazon, added: “I’d like to congratulate all the businesses nominated and wish Cornhill Farm the best of luck ahead of the national final in February 2022.”