AN EAST YORKSHIRE farmer is to be recognised with a top award.

Richard Fuller, who farms at Great Givendale, Pocklington, has been chosen to receive the Royal Agricultural Society of England's Excellence in Practical Farming Award for 2004.

It will be presented to him by the Duke of Gloucester at the Royal Show in Warwickshire on Tuesday, July 6.

Mr Fuller is one of only two farmers in the UK to be selected to receive an award this year, which recognises those who are setting the pace in modern agriculture.

Mr Fuller has been part of JSR Farming for about 30 years, managing arable of about 900 acres and livestock on 500 acres at Givendale.

In 2000, he became livestock specialist and technical director of the Beef Improvement Group. Working to improve the economic production of high quality beef from forage-based systems, he led the development of a successful suckler cow breeding programme.

He was also winner of the 1995 Silver Lapwing Award for his conservation methods.

Of his latest award, he said: "I was surprised and proud to be nominated, let alone win. Being interviewed by three judges was daunting."

The panel of judges commented that all the aspects under the control of Mr Fuller showed excellent management.

They said: "Mr Fuller is an extremely capable person of modest manner with a tremendous knowledge of his subject.

"Mr Fuller has received other accolades for his work, and those of us who visited the farm are of the opinion that he is deserving of recognition by the society.

"He often gives educational access to his livestock enterprises, ponds, field margins, hedgerows and Countryside Stewardship Schemes.

Updated: 11:03 Wednesday, June 09, 2004