A RECORD attendance at the December meeting of the Masham and District Agricultural Group heard a fascinating and inspiring talk from Guy Poskitt, the 2012 arable farmer of the year.

Mr Poskitt, who explained his agri-business, which is based on carrot growing, was given a warm welcome to the meeting at Masham Sports Association by Mark Marley, chairman.

He said Mr Poskitt’s drive and professional approach, which made him a winner in the vegetable-growing sector, was proving to be just as successful for his combinable crops.

Over the years, he has transformed the family arable farm into a major vegetable supplier to Asda and is one of the retailer’s biggest suppliers of carrots, also supplying parsnips and swede. He sells into the food service, wholesale and manufacturing sectors.

Mr Poskitt, one of the largest carrot producers in the country, operates across more than 2,600ha of land in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Scotland, and was presented Arable Farmer of the Year award at a glittering ceremony in London.

Farmers Weekly editor Jane King said Guy and his family had built a phenomenal, sustainable business by innovating.