Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, famously known as The Black Farmer, has been awarded an MBE for his services to British farming.
Recognised for his long-time campaigning for diversity in farming and the food industry, Emmanuel-Jones is the founder of The Black Farmer brand.
The Devon farmer's latest campaign The Black Farmer ‘Windrush Initiative’ has just launched, with an aim to put diversity at the top of the food industry agenda.
He collected his MBE for services to British farming from Prince Charles at St James Palace last month, where he was accompanied by his daughter Scarlett.
“My visit to St James Palace was just incredible and I loved every minute of this special day. It was a momentous occasion that I will cherish forever,” Wilfred said.
"As Britain’s only Black farmer, I am passionate about rural farming and diversity within the agricultural industry."
Wilfred is, his own words, ‘a poor boy, done good’. He was born in Jamaica and then, after his parents came to the UK in the 50s as part of the Windrush generation, was raised in inner city Birmingham.
In 1994 he founded a food and drink marketing agency in London which went on to run successful marketing campaigns for Loyd Grossman sauces, KETTLE Chips and Plymouth Gin.
Wilfred subsequently fulfilled a lifelong ambition and bought a small farm in Devon in 2000, which inspired him to develop his own food brand - the now successful The Black Farmer brand of gluten free foods.
On accepting the MBE, he said he would continue to use his profile to promote British farming and continue to take action to address the 'woeful lack of ethnic diversity in farming'.
The farmer added he would "use my own success to champion greater diversity and representation within the sector, through initiatives such as my Black History Month campaign and Windrush Celebration."
“My brand and motto ‘flavours without frontiers’ really sums up this philosophy – I feel at home on my farm, and it is my hope that others can have the opportunity for the countryside to become a place they can also call home," he said.
