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Prime Minister David Cameron said "It's great to see a family farming business like Wyke investing in such an innovative green energy scheme. Making use of their waste products in order to become 100 per cent self sufficient in green energy will make them more efficient and help the environment."

David Cameron arrived at Wyke Farms, based near Bruton in Somerset, where he conducted a tour of Wyke Farms including its anaerobic digester (AD) plant. Wyke Farms’ AD plant will deliver significant environmental benefits, simultaneously reducing and managing waste as well as producing energy, enabling Wyke Farms to save over 4 million kilos of carbon dioxide per annum. The visit was led by Richard Clothier, third generation family member and managing director at Wyke Farms. David Cameron spent some time afterwards discussing green technologies and farming with the family team at Wyke Farms.

Richard Clothier said “We are delighted to have met with Prime Minister today and to show him around our new anaerobic digester (AD) plant. It was a pleasure to be able to demonstrate our commitment to more sustainable farming. We hope that our work can be a beacon project that other farm-based businesses can emulate.”

The anaerobic digester (AD) plant will use Wyke Farms’ biodegradable waste materials as fuel. The digestate produced will be used as a fertilizer and the biogas energy generated will be used to run a combined heat and power plant. Wyke Farms’ has a desire to operate its business in a way that has minimal impact on the Somerset environment and create a truly symbiotic relationship with the countryside that provides their food and income.

Wyke Farms has been shortlisted for a BusinessGreen Leaders Award in the Company of the Year category for its renewable energy project, alongside Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s. The BusinessGreen Leaders Awards celebrate the leading businesses and individuals from across the green economy, highlighting how these pioneers are blazing a path for others to follow.

Wyke Farms has been producing its award-winning cheddar for over a century and has grown to become the largest family-owned cheese maker in Britain selling over 14,000 tonnes annually. The company have achieved substantial growth year on year by staying true to the traditional values behind the brand and have become the fastest growing cheddar brand at a rate of 10% every year for the past five years.

Wyke Farms have 150 years of family farming experience. Wyke Farms’ cheese and butter is made with the milk from their cows grazing the lush pastures of the Mendip Hills in the centre of the Cheddar making region in Somerset. 

The Wyke Farms products are available nationwide and can be found in Asda, Co-op, Makro, Sainsbury’s Tesco and Waitrose.