The Judging Panel will be chaired by the Chair of RBST, John Atkinson. John is the sixth generation farming at Nibthwaite Farm in Cumbria, also farming another 400 acres belonging to trusts and private landowners. His rare and native livestock includes Luing and Whitebred Shorthorn cows as well as Teeswater, Castlemilk Moorit, Hebridean, Boreray and Blue Faced Leicester sheep. John is passionate about carving out premium markets for high quality native breed produce, and incorporating native breeds into farm diversifications.
Other judges include:
Wendy Barrie – Founder Scottish Food Guide
Scottish Thistle Award Regional Ambassador, Wendy Barrie is a highly respected campaigner for local produce, cook & food writer.
Wendy is a popular cookery show presenter and highly respected campaigner for finest local produce, where to find it and what to do with it. She provides independent food related expertise at her Food Studio and can be found on the highways and byways checking out the best in Scotland’s outstanding food larder.
Wendy is Founder and Director of the independent award-winning Scottish Food Guide , with its specially created food studio in Fife being the perfect setting for meetings and courses.
Rosemary Champion – The Accidental Smallholder
Co founder of the Scottish Smallholder Festival, Rosemary runs a smallholding in Barry, Angus. She started the Accidental Smallholder website to pass on her experiences and to provide more information to anyone wanting to start their smallholding journey. She keeps Shetland Cattle, Coloured Ryeland, Shetland and Blue Faced Leicester Sheep and a flock of laying hens. She runs courses throughout the year.
Ceri Ritchie – Head of Food and Enterprise, SAC Consulting
Ceri is Head of Food and Enterprise at SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), and undertakes project work for a variety of clients across Scotland. With 37 years’ management and marketing experience in the UK food & drink supply chain Ceri has recently focussed on local food & drink, food tourism, rural enterprise and entrepreneurship.
With an understanding of what drives consumer behaviour and key industry challenges such as climate change and sustainability, Ceri provides strategic advice to a range of businesses and organisations. Ceri also project manages the Scottish Government’s Veterinary Services Programme and managed Connect Local, the Scottish Government’s Local Food & Drink Marketing Advisory Service (2016 to 2020).
Prior to joining SAC Consulting Ceri worked in the UK grocery multiple sector as a Category Manager (and prior to that a Senior Buyer, Buyer and Product Manager) for the Cooperative Wholesale Society.
Fiona Richmond – Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink
Fiona Richmond has been actively promoting and supporting quality food and drink production for more than 18 years, working with industry leadership organisation Scotland Food & Drink since 2009 managing various projects across food tourism, regional food development, foodservice and major events. Named one of the UK’s top 20 icons of the industry by Speciality & Fine Food magazine, she previously worked with the Slow Food movement, including a period in the international headquarters in Italy. She is currently Guest President of Les Dames D’Escoffier London, a branch of the international philanthropic association of leading women in the world of food, drink and hospitality. She has an honours degree in Sociology and a Masters in Social Research Methods. www.foodanddrink.scot Twitter @scotfooddrink @fionarichmond8
Ewan Pate
Ewan Pate is a partner in the family farming business at South Powrie, near Dundee. He is also Scottish correspondent for Farmers Guardian and arable editor for Farm North East. He is immediate past chairman of farming charity RSABI and a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies