A FAMILY whose farm spans 1,300 acres on Herefordshire’s border with Wales thinks they have what it takes to scoop an accolade at this year’s Hereford Times Three Counties Farming Awards.

Tom Davies, with his wife Julie and their children, live and work in Clifford, near Hay-on-Wye. Together they’ve achieved high yields over the last four years, which Mr Davies said is down to good management.

“We run a mixed arable and grassland farm, comprising 400 acres of grass and the remaining 900 acres is made up of wheat, barley, oats, beans and maize,” he said.

“Sixty per cent of our grain is manufactured on farm to produce our own brand of animal feed. This is for sale to local beef and sheep farmers, and to feed our own award-winning commercial suckler herd and finishing enterprise.”

He added: “Our arable enterprise yield is scrutinised using our on farm weighbridge. We’ve recorded high yields in the last four years due to our strict management.”

Mr Davies also said the animal feed business, which was only started in 2016, now sees more than 200 tonnes a month go to local farmers, doubling year on year.

The family, who have put forward the business in the Arable Farmer of the Year category, tries to limit their environmental impact. “We work hard to make environmental improvements. We are in the mid-tier countryside stewardship scheme,” he said.

“With some of our land bordering the river Wye, we operate six-metre buffer strips to prevent pollutants from being transported in surface water run-off.”