Welcome to the Marts the Heart

Back again for 2018, the Mart’s the Heart Awards are open for entries. Could you be one of this year’s winners?

Auctions are essential to the success and wellbeing of any livestock farm business. Auctioneers are, in many ways, at the forefront of the livestock industry. Their purpose is to bring farmers together and to achieve the best price for whatever they are selling. This year, Farmers Guardian’s Mart’s the Heart Awards are back, with the aim of celebrating this vital sector of British agriculture. This is your opportunity to shout about those within the industry who you feel deserve special recognition. The Mart’s the Heart Awards were launched in 2015 and the campaign proved to be an outstanding success and was incredibly well received. Last year, the awards generated more than 460 nominations and 12,000 votes were cast for the shortlisted auctioneers and marts. The closing date for entries is July 16. We are looking for outstanding winners for the following awards: Lifetime Achievement; Auctioneer of the Year; New Auctioneer of the Year; and Auction Cafe of the Year. The awards will be presented at the British Farming Awards in October. We hope you will help us identify and reward individuals and cafes which are doing a great job for the industry.

A Word from the Sponsor

As the leading supplier of Red Tractor Assurance for stores, fat cattle and lambs SAI Global are truly delighted to sponsor the “Marts the Hart” award at the Farmers’ Guardian British Farming Awards. The assurance service offered by SAI Global goes beyond the farm gate, covering livestock transport, auction markets and collection centres which are such a vital commercial link in the UK assured supply chain. As such this is a natural award for SAI Global to sponsor, recognise and acknowledge the truly fantastic operational and social role that auctioneers and livestock markets play in UK agriculture.

THE PROCESS

The closing date for nominations is July 16. Judges will select five finalists, who will be announced in the paper, and public voting will commence from July 27 and close on August 29. Winners will be announced in paper and the website on September 7 and presented with their awards at the British Farming Awards later in the month.

What will the finalists receive?

All finalists will have their status raised, with a profile in print and online during public voting. Winners will be guests at the British Farming Awards, with their awards presented by Farmers Guardian, the LAA and the award’s sponsor SAI Global. Photographs of the presentation will be made available to winners and their companies for their own use and will appear in FG. Each winner will feature in an in-depth profile in print and online

Mart’s the Heart Social

To keep abreast of what is happening at key sales and shows make sure to check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/FGShowsandSales

You can also follow us on our dedicated Twitter account @MartsTheHeart 

MEET THE JUDGES