Agriculture degree student receives National farming award

Andy Smith, an Agriculture student from Wincanton, has won First Prize in a prestigious national animal health competition, the second year in a row that a student from University Centre Somerset has won the award.

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) Farm Health Management Awards 2019, sponsored by Volac, invites students from colleges and universities across the country to write an essay on animal health planning, taking into account farm animal health and welfare. The panel of judges included a farmer, a practicing veterinary surgeon, and the founder of the competition. The standard of entries was said to be encouraging, and Andy (pictured, left) was delighted to be invited to the ceremony at the Dairy-Tech show as a finalist, and subsequently crowned the national winner. 

Andy, 35, is currently studying a Foundation Degree in Agricultural Management at University Centre Somerset’s Cannington campus. Andy’s tutor, Matthew Riddle, said of his achievement in the Agricultural College student category,

 “This is great news, following on from our success in last year’s competition. The essay brings together the health and welfare of farm animals which are very important aspects of farm management. We are delighted that Andy won the competition and we look forward to seeing if another one of our students can do the hat-trick next year.”