Farmer of the Year award for County Derry's David

A second-generation farmer from Magherafelt is celebratng after being named Pig Farmer of the Year and Farmer of the Year.

David Fulton received the Farmers Weekly awards on Thursday night (October 7) in front of a packed audience of farmers and industry representatives at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.

The saying “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” is often talked about in agriculture, but for David Fulton it is an ethos engrained in every aspect of his business. And it is this approach that has led David and his 180-sow unit at Carricknakielt Farm to rank among the top pig producers in the UK.

Benchmarking is central to management, with David using multiple sources and platforms to compare current figures with his own historic performance, other producers, and national averages.

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He reviews data at least once a month so management can be adapted quickly to prevent any small issues becoming big problems.

Independent Pig Farmer of the Year judge and Chief Policy Adviser for the National Pig Association Rebecca Veale said: “David’s attention to detail is incredible across all aspects of his farm, and this shows in his pigs.

“He embraces the technology that works for him to the absolute maximum and turns any challenge into an opportunity to better the performance of his herd, without compromise.”