A Powys farmer who produces millions of eggs and raises thousands of livestock each year has been named the UK's Mixed Farmer of the Year.

Stephen Matthews-Jones, of Upper House Farm, has won the title at the Farmers Weekly Awards 2026, recognising the success of his diversified farming business.

The 170-hectare farm combines egg production with sheep, beef cattle and arable crops, with the business having grown tenfold over the past decade.

Its 32,000 laying hens produce around 12 million eggs over a production cycle lasting more than 80 weeks. The farm also finishes more than 1,000 lambs and 30 cattle annually.

Stephen takes a hands-on approach to the business and is regularly found grading and packing eggs in the farm's packing shed.

Animal health and welfare are a priority, with the hens maintaining good feather cover late into their laying cycle. The farm's sheep flock comprises 780 Welsh Mule and Scotch Blackface Mule ewes, which achieve scanning rates of 185 per cent.

Lambs are sold through Dunbia's Taste the Difference Gold scheme, while the beef enterprise uses British Blue cross dairy suckler cows bred to either Limousin or Parthenaise bulls.

The farm's arable operation grows wheat, spring barley, oats and fodder radish, providing feed and bedding for the livestock and helping reduce reliance on bought-in inputs.

Winter wheat yields regularly reach 10 tonnes per hectare, with poultry manure and farmyard manure used to support soil health and reduce the need for artificial fertilisers.

The business has also invested in renewable energy, installing 57kW of solar panels on poultry shed roofs. The panels have cut electricity costs by a third.

Alongside his farming work, Stephen has maintained strong links with the agricultural community, coaching stock judging and public speaking for local Young Farmers' Clubs.

He has also welcomed students to the farm to gain practical lambing experience for more than 20 years.

“Supporting young people – whether through work placements or involvement in Young Farmers is something I value highly,” Stephen told the publication.

He credits his employee Jamie, 33, who has worked on the farm for more than a decade, alongside experienced lamber Fred, for helping the business succeed.

Stephen's 14-year-old twins, Cerys and Owen, also lend a hand, helping to grade and pack eggs and working during lambing.

The Farmers Weekly Awards judges praised the farm's integrated approach, highlighting the consistency of its livestock and the performance of its laying hens.

They described Upper House Farm as “a very good example of a mixed farm working for now and the future”.

Stephen was named Mixed Farmer of the Year ahead of fellow finalists Edward Walters, of Bower Farm in Berkshire, and JL White & Son, of Manor Farm in East Yorkshire.

The annual Farmers Weekly Awards recognise achievements across British agriculture, celebrating farmers' contributions to food production and the wider industry.

For more information about the Farmers Weekly Awards, including the categories and sponsorship opportunities, visit the Farmers Weekly Awards website at: www.fwi.co.uk