OMSCo FARMER NAMED ‘DAIRY STUDENT OF THE YEAR’

22 July 2006

William Willis, the son of long-standing OMSCo member Anne Willis, has been named ‘Dairy Student of the Year 2006’ by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF). William, who has just graduated in Agriculture and Business Management from the University of Aberdeen, was chosen to represent the University at the RABDF National Dairy Student Awards. Following a rigorous selection process, William was presented with his award at the Royal Highland Show last week.

William was encouraged to help out on the family farm from an early age. Now, as ‘Dairy Student of the Year’, William has highlighted his depth of knowledge and understanding of the organic dairy industry and will be able to use his acquired expertise to work alongside his mother in the day to day management of the farm.

Rosie Palmer, Marketing Manager at OMSCo said: ‘We are delighted to hear that William has been named ‘Dairy Student of the Year’. He is clearly a passionate and dedicated young man who firmly believes in the principles of organic farming. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge his achievements and we very much look forward to working with him in the future’.

The future of farming in the UK is in the hands of youngsters like William. OMSCo understands therefore how important it is to encourage and support existing young farmers and to attract new, younger entrants into organic dairy farming. Currently, there is little incentive to enter the dairy industry and so OMSCo launched its first-ever bursary for dairy farmers earlier this year. The bursary supports those looking to gain further education qualifications in the agricultural sphere by offering up to £5,000 per year to selected individuals. It is available to OMSCo members, their immediate families, and employees on OMSCo farms. The Cooperative hopes that this will encourage more young people to study for a career in organic agriculture

OMSCo believe that organic farming results in a wide range of environmental benefits, upholds the highest levels of animal welfare and produces top quality milk that is naturally higher in essential nutrients such as Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. By farming organically farmers improve soil quality, herd health and enjoy the satisfaction of sustainable farming.

ENDS

For further information please contact Liz Oulton or Kate Woods at Grayling on 0117 922 7799