Northern Isles MP wins NFU Farming Champion of the Year Award

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has this week said he is “blown away” to have been awarded Farmers Weekly’s Farming Champion of the Year Award, an award sponsored by the NFU.

In giving the award, Mr Carmichael’s as a vocal advocate for British farming was cited, including challenging the Prime Minister and Treasury over changes to inheritance tax and criticising the government’s refusal to consult with the NFU and wider industry, as part of his work chairing the cross-party EFRA Select Committee in Parliament.

Mr Carmichael also this week received Scottish Land and Estates’ (SLE) Outstanding Contribution to Rural Scotland Award.

Mr Carmichael said:

“I’m absolutely blown away. To be recognised by the NFU and the SLE in this way means a great deal. Farming has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember and it has shaped my work in Parliament making sure farmers’ voices are heard.

“I don’t do this job for awards – I do it because backing British farming is in the national interest. There’s no countryside without farming, and no farming without government policy that has food production at its heart, and that’s absolutely where we have to get back to.

“This is still a great industry with a great future, and I’m proud to play my part in supporting it. The challenges facing our rural communities are significant, but that just means we have to get better at telling the story that we do in the countryside, and why it matters to the whole country. That is why the work of the farming unions and of Scottish Land and Estates is so important.

“These are some of the most effective organisations in the country at telling our rural story and that is why it is such an honour to have received these awards.”

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said:

“Alistair Carmichael is a truly deserving recipient of the Farming Champion of the Year Award.

“A standout campaigner and advocate for British farming, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, his strong political advocacy in what has been an incredibly challenging year for farmers is a testament to the values of resilience, dedication and hard work that define our industry.

“We are incredibly proud to see him receive this well-deserved recognition.”