Penrith & District Farmers Mart has been announced as the winner of Marts The Heart Auction Mart of the Year Award 2025 as part of the British Farming awards 2025 hosted by Farmers Guardian.
The award aims to identify and acknowledge the driven and progressive auction houses who serve their farming communities by generally stepping up to the plate, demonstrating they are keeping their marts alive with new initiatives and revamped sales, and using various platforms and technology to keep people linked to sales.
Nominations can come from anyone. A judging panel will select four finalists, and Farmers Guardian readers will be asked to vote (in paper and online) for their favourite, based on a summary about each of them.
Penrith one of five auction marts shortlisted that included:
Frome Market Livestock Market
Nock Deighton
Melton Mowbray Market
Ruthin Farmers Auction
And Penrith & District Farmers Mart
A spokesperson for Penrith & District Farmers Mart said: “Penrith & District Farmers Mart LLP, is very proud to have been nominated for the “Marts the Hearts Auction of the Year”.
“In 2002 when our landlords threatened to close Penrith Auction a group of local farmers came together to challenge this threat. The action was successfully overturned, and the partnership was formed which now has over 300 members of what has become a huge success story.”
“Several of our key staff have given 24/7 devoted service to the cause and greatly deserve to be acknowledged. Turnover has grown from complete stagnation to a total sales value in the last financial year of £80 million. “
“Our opening remit was to be “farmers working for farmers” providing an essential service to the rural community of Cumbria and beyond. We are proud to have delivered our initial challenge and can rightly claim to be the “mart at the heart of the farming population of this district”.
The final winner was selected by a combination of public votes, the strength of nominations, overall personal summary and by opinion of the panel of judges.
On winning the Auction Mart of the Year Award 2025 Penrith & District Farmers Mart thanked everyone who voted for them.
Also winning at the British Farming Awards 2025 in the Diversification of the Year (Small to Medium) category was Eden Yard.
Nestled in the Eden Valley, Eden Yard is proving how farming innovation and local food production can go hand in hand. Run by husband-and-wife team Jannike and Ben Taylor, alongside Ben’s father Alan, the 260-hectare mixed arable and sheep farm has taken a bold regenerative path while building a thriving diversification.
Three years ago, Eden Yard became Cumbria’s first producer of cold-pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil. What began with a passion for local, homegrown produce has blossomed into a celebrated food brand supplying over 75 retailers and many of the county’s Michelin-starred restaurants, including Simon Rogan’s three-starred L’Enclume. Alongside award-winning oils, the range now includes flavoured dressings, mayonnaises, rapeseed honey and Cumbrian flour, developed in partnership with an artisan bakery using the farm’s wheat and heritage grains.
On-farm investment in pressing, bottling and filtering equipment has ensured zero food miles and complete control of quality. Later this year, the Taylors will open a new farm shop showcasing their products and other Cumbrian producers.
Balancing farming with food production, Eden Yard champions short supply chains, sustainability, and community engagement. With school visits, food bank donations, and a clear “Field, Farm, Fork” ethos, they are securing a resilient future for both their farm and the region’s food culture.
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