M&S Names Six Top Farmers at Royal Highland Show 2026

M&S named six farmers as winners of its annual farming awards at the Royal Highland Show on Thursday, June 18. The awards recognize producers who meet the retailer's standards on animal welfare, environmental practices, and supply chain quality.

The six winners span livestock, arable, and dairy operations across the UK. Each was selected from M&S's network of Select Farm suppliers, the retailer's dedicated sourcing program that covers roughly 1,500 farms.

M&S runs the Select Farm program as a direct sourcing model, contracting farmers to supply specific volumes at agreed prices. The approach gives the retailer more control over production methods and traceability than spot-market buying. Winners of the annual awards are typically held up as benchmarks for the broader supplier base.

The Royal Highland Show, held near Edinburgh, is one of the UK's largest agricultural events, drawing roughly 200,000 visitors over four days. M&S has used the show as the venue for its farming awards since 2018.

The retailer has been pushing its sustainability credentials in food sourcing, including a target for net-zero emissions across its own operations and supply chain by 2040. The Select Farm program is a central piece of that effort, covering standards on fertilizer use, soil health, and biodiversity alongside animal welfare.

M&S did not disclose financial terms or volume commitments tied to the awards. The company reports its full-year results in May.