ONE of the leaders of the organic farming movement, Richard Young, of Broadway, has been awarded the highest accolade - The Organic Trophy 2001.

The award is made by the Soil Association to the person who, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most significant contribution to the continued success of the organic movement in the last year.

The judges said that some organic farmers did their bit for the environment and food quality by farming itself.

For more than 20 years, however, Mr Young, of Kites Nest Farm, in Snowshill Road, had also, after putting his beef suckler herd to bed, been helping to produce the data needed by the Soil Association to put organic farming on a sound scientific basis.

Patrick Holden, the association's director, said: "Richard Young has fought a tireless crusade to draw attention to the damaging consequences of industrial farming, especially the misuse of antibiotics in the intensive livestock systems, the use of genetic engineering and the threat to Britain's small abattoirs."

He added: "The bottom line is that organic farming wouldn't be taken so seriously today without his contribution which has helped provide the ammunition to convert shoppers, politicians, ministers and farmers - and the Prince of Wales who visited in 1989 when he embarked on his conversion."

Helen Browning, chairman of the association, said: "Richard is an unsung hero who is finally getting the recognition he deserves."

Mr Young said: "I didn't even know that I had been nominated for the award.

"I was both pleased and surprised to get it."

He attributed his success to his series of reports on some of the dangers of intensive farming, the fight to save small abattoirs and his work on GM crops.

Jane Garner, of Garner's Dressing, Pickle and Chutney, Cobham Road, Pershore, was commended for her organic pickled onions.