Today the Queen has commemorated her Diamond Jubilee by reiterating her pledge to serve us all.
Serving the nation is something UK farmers know all about. Providing food for our growing population whilst also being stewards of our countryside for future generations takes particular care and dedication. We celebrate their hard work each year with the RSPB Telegraph Nature of Farming Award.
The 2012 competition is now open, so if you think you could be crowned the UK’s most wildlife-friendly farmer this year, visit our website to download an entry form today. You could win £1,000!
But the biggest prize is spreading the word about the vital work that so many farmers are doing for wildlife. Each year we ask the public to show support for UK wildlife-friendly farmers by voting for the overall winner. Last year the Award was featured in the national and farming press, radio (including a mention on the Chris Evan's breakfast show, which gets 9 million listeners), TV, and was tweeted and blogged about by celebrities such as wildlife film maker and presenter, Gordon Buchanan.
Watch our video to hear more about the award from farmers themselves. Hear from last year's winners - 2011's king and queen of wildlife-friendly farming Somerset and Carolyne Charrington, finalists Robert Law, Robert Kynaston and David White, and regional winners Andrew Jackson, Andrew Hughes and Gethin Owen. Also see our website for details for more fabulous Highly Commended farmers who were pipped to the post, but are definitely diamonds too. Could you be on that list for 2012?
The EU LIFE+ Programme funds RSPB work which supports wildlife-friendly farming that furthers sustainable development in the European Union.