Devon farmer recognised nationally for pioneering soil health and climate resilience
23/07/2026
A Devon farmer has been recognised as one of the UK’s leading innovators in soil health and regenerative agriculture after being awarded second place in the 2026 Soil Farmer of the Year competition.
Paul Baker, of Wishay Farm in Devon, received the award at the Groundswell regenerative farming festival, where farmers from across the country were recognised for improving soil health while building more resilient and profitable businesses.
The judges highlighted how Paul combines plant tissue analysis, cover cropping, mob grazing and reduced cultivation practices to improve soil health and farm performance. These approaches have enabled him to significantly reduce agricultural inputs while cutting diesel use by around 75% without compromising crop performance.
The Soil Farmer of the Year awards, organised by Innovation for Agriculture and Farm Carbon Toolkit, celebrate farmers who are demonstrating how healthy soils can strengthen business resilience, improve profitability and help farming systems adapt to increasingly challenging weather conditions.
Healthy soils play a vital role in storing carbon, reducing flood risk, improving water retention during drought, and supporting food production. As Devon experiences the impacts of a changing climate, farming practices that improve soil health can help agricultural businesses adapt while also benefiting nature and local communities.
Paul’s national recognition highlights how Devon farmers are leading the way in practical climate action. By adopting regenerative approaches that work with natural systems, farmers can build resilience to extreme weather, reduce costs and contribute to a more sustainable food system.
The competition organisers noted that all of this year’s winners demonstrated that investing in soil health can reduce costs, improve resilience and create more profitable farming businesses over the long term. Winners will also host farm walks over the coming year to share their experiences and encourage wider uptake of these approaches.
Read more at Farm Carbon Toolkit
How is this helping devon adapt to climate change?
Action NEB 1: Promote and Improve soil management techniques (Min-till cultivation, cover crops, ley-arable rotations) to protect soil structure / nutrient levels and increase resilience to adverse weather / aridity impacts. Consider adoption of a systems thinking approach such as the Land Use Framework.
Action NEB 4: Farmers to engage with the Resilient Farming Futures (RFF) programme; undertake a farm resilience plan to identify climate impacts and opportunities; and assess suitable on-farm adaptation options to increase resilience.
Action NEX 2: Promote soil health, reduce runoff, surface water flooding and adopt soil conservation techniques (e.g. cover crops, wider crop rotations, contour ploughing to reduce soil erosion); preventing landslips and land movement, and reduce compacted soils and improve aeration of soils to increase rate of infiltration and absorption. To address soil wetness and aridity.
Action NEX 10: Improve drainage systems (in the right place and done properly), insert buffer strips, hedgerows etc.
