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Press release / Somerset farmer receives further recognition for farming and environmental credentials

Press release issued for Somerset food company Fussels Fine Foods

South west entrepreneur and renowned food producer Andy Fussell has again been awarded for his farming practice

Following a shortlisting for the national Food and Farming Awards, the rapeseed farmer attended a prize ceremony at the House of Commons last week.

He was highly commended for the Progressive Farmer of the Year category which champions those re-engineering farming through good business practice that recognises the importance of marketing.

The award was sponsored by crop management experts Agrovista; the judges were particularly impressed with Andy’s environmental credentials.  The pressed rapeseed left over from his Fussels Fine Foods oil production is sold as rape meal to livestock producers.   He also collects used oil from customers and recycles it into biodiesel to fuel several of his delivery vehicles.

Andy founded the food business when oilseed rape prices fell sharply; he needed to find a way of adding value to a crop central to Fussell Farms’ financial performance.   He now uses 130 tonnes of his own oilseed rape to produce his extra virgin cold-pressed rapeseed oil which has found favour with popular chefs including Rick Stein.

The Rode farmer continues to develop the Fussels Fine Foods range by entering into partnerships with fellow regional producers; locally-grown Bird’s Eye chillies and Somerset-brewed beer are the latest product additions.

Fussell Farms moved away from being a traditional arable-based business in 1991, when its haulage firm Rode Haulage was founded with one artic lorry.   It has now grown to be the largest business in operation at the farm, with 23 artic lorries transporting dry bulk products such as stone, grain, feed and raw materials.

His award nomination follows Andy’s recognition at the Farmers Weekly Awards earlier this year.

The Food and Farming Awards celebrates the very best people and companies in agriculture and this year’s ceremony was hosted by agriculture minister Jim Paice.   The annual awards are organised by Farm Business magazine.

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