Suffolk's most progressive and innovative farming champions have been celebrated at the county's flagship annual awards evening.

The prize-winners gathered at Trinity Park in Ipswich for the presentation dinner hosted by the Suffolk Agricultural Association (SAA).

Trophies on offer included the 2023 Suffolk Farm Business Competition, which aims to find the county's best small, medium and large farms.

The Class One title, for farms up to 250ha, was won by the Bramfield Hall Estate, at Broad Oak Farm, Bramfield, while Class Two, for farms between 251-500ha, was won by Porters Farms (Walpole) at Hill House Farm, Walpole, and the Class Three champion among the largest farms over 500ha was Troston Farms, based at Park Farm in Stanton, Bury St Edmunds

As well as the championship trophies, there were also certificates awarded in each class for best crop, best conservation, best livestock enterprise, and best farm diversification.

SAA chief executive Phillip Ainsworth said: "The Suffolk Farm Business Competition has been running for over 60 years and we are tremendously proud to have created a competition that showcases Suffolk farms at their best, shines a light on the farming techniques and gives opportunity to fellow farmers to get together and share their farming practices.

"The Agricultural Awards Dinner is a chance to celebrate all the winners of the Suffolk Farm Business Competition as well as SAA’s education initiatives and to acknowledge their achievements in a formal setting."

Other winners were as follows.

Class One. Best Conservation: EJ Barker & Sons, Fairoaks Farm, Westhorpe. Best Crop: ACC Green (Skyscraper wheat), Red House Farm, Badingham. Best Livestock Enterprise: Bramfield Hall Estate (cattle), Broad Oak Farm, Bramfield. Best Farm Diversification: Valley Farm Equestrian Leisure, Wickham Market.

Class Two. Best Conservation: Winfield Farms, Lodge Farm, Bedfield, Woodbridge. Best Crop: Steward & Son (winter wheat), White House Farm, Dennington. Livestock Enterprise: AE & KW Bullock (cattle), Church Farm, Cotton, Stowmarket. Best Farm Diversification: Stephen Cobbald, Acorn Farms, Acton Hall, Sudbury.

Class Three. Best Conservation: EJ Barker & Sons, Lodge Farm, Westhorpe, and Kiln Farm, Gt Ashfield. Best Crop: Troston Farms (Skyfall wheat), Park Farm, Stanton, Bury St Edmunds. Best Livestock Enterprise: RH Forrest & Co (cattle), Mowness Hall, Stonham Aspal, Stowmarket. Best Farm Diversification: Euston Farms, Euston.

The awards evening also crowned Suffolk's agricultural apprentice of the year, chosen in association with Suffolk New College.

The winner was Callum Hayes, who works for Porters Farm (Walpole), while the runner-up was Archie Keenan, of David Miller Farm Services.

And the School Show Garden Competition, which gave pupils an opportunity to design and build a 3mx3m garden at the Suffolk Show to reflect the 2023 theme of "A Garden Fit for a King", was won by Walsham Le Willows Primary.