As part of the UK Dairy Carbon Network (UK-DCN), we’re launching a new competition that challenges you to rethink how dairy is seen and understood.
This is your opportunity to cut through the noise and tell an engaging story that highlights the real progress being made by the industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and care for the environment.
We’re looking for fresh, creative ideas that can engage, inform and shift perceptions. Whether that’s through compelling visuals, powerful storytelling or innovative digital content, this is your chance to make an impact.
Five standout entries will each receive a £1,000 prize, recognising work that doesn’t just communicate the facts, but brings them to life in a way that resonates with a non-farming
audience.
If you can combine creativity with credibility and turn complex topics into content people actually want to watch, read or share, we want to see it.
How to enter
To enter, create a piece of content that communicates at least two of the key messages below in a clear, engaging and creative way. This could take the form of a social media reel, short video, poster, graphic, carousel or written article – the more original and audience-focused, thebetter.
Think about how you can make complex topics simple, relevant and shareable for a non-expert
audience.
Entries should:
• Be your own original work
• Be suitable for sharing on digital platforms (e.g. social media or online)
• Clearly demonstrate understanding of the chosen key messages
Submit your entry via email to info@ukdairycarbonnetwork.co.uk by Wednesday 31 October 2026 ensuring you’re contactable at this email address after entry.
The maximum email file size limit is 150MB. If you’re submission exceeds this, contact us via
the email address above and we’ll arrange a suitable transfer option.
Judging will take place throughout November 2026, with five winners each receiving £1,000.
Winners will be announced in December 2026.
Key messages for communication
Key message one – Economic importance and national context
- The dairy sector accounts for 20% of UK agricultural production, contributing £6.3 billion to the economy i
- Agriculture accounts for an estimated 13% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions (2025 provisional data), compared with transport (31%) and buildings and products (22%) ii
Key message two – Sustained reductions in emissions
- The emissions intensity of producing a litre of milk has decreased by 22% since 1990 iii
- Since 2008, UK dairy has achieved a 24% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with milk production iv
Key message three – On-farm action and progress measurement
- More than 80% of dairy farmers have calculated their carbon footprint and are actively working to reduce emissions v
- 40% of energy used on dairy farms comes from renewable sources vi
Key message four – Collaboration and continuous environmental improvement
- 65% of dairy-managed farmland is in environmental stewardship schemes vii
- The sector is working in partnership through initiatives such as the UK Dairy Carbon Network and the Dairy Roadmap to reduce emissions and improve environmental performance viii
Judging
Submissions will be judged against the following criteria:
• Coverage and understanding of the key messages
• Creativity and originality
• Potential to inform or influence understanding
• Evidence of research and subject knowledge beyond the text provided
Terms & Conditions
UK Dairy Carbon Network Creative Student Communications Competition 2026
1. The Promoter
1.1 The promoter of this competition is the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (“the Promoter”), registered in the United Kingdom with its head office at Middlemarch Business Park, Siskin Parkway East, Coventry, CV3 4PE (“the Promoter’s Address”).
2. Eligibility
2.1 The competition is open to all university students that are UK residents aged 18 years or over, except
employees of the Promoter, affiliates, agents or any third-party directly associated with administration of the competition.
2.2 The Promoter reserves the right to verify eligibility including requiring proof of student status (e.g. proof of valid student ID or university email address) and may disqualify any participant who does not meet the qualifying criteria above.
2.3 The competition is free to enter and no purchase is necessary.
3. Competition Period
3.1 The opening date for entries is 00:01 on 1 July 2026. The closing date of the competition is 23:59 on 31
October 2026.
3.2 Entries received after the closing date will not be accepted.
4. How to Enter
4.1 To enter, participants must create a piece of content that communicates at least two of the key campaign messages outlined on the competition page on the UK Dairy Carbon Network website.
4.2 Entries may take the form of a social media reel, short video, poster, graphic, carousel, or written article.
4.3 All entries must be submitted via email to info@ukdairycarbonnetwork.co.uk (“the Promoter’s Email Address”) by the closing date and a maximum of two entries per person is permitted.
4.4 Entries must be the original work of the participant and use royalty-free or original audio. AI tools are permitted however disclosure by the participant is required.
4.5 Participants must not infringe the rights of any third-party.
4.6 Content must not be unlawful, be offensive, defamatory, or inappropriate. The Promoter reserves the right to remove or disqualify any such entries that it reasonably considers, in its sole discretion, to breach these terms.
5. The Prize
5.1 There are five (5) prizes to be won of £1,000 cash.
5.2 Prizes will be awarded to the entries judged to best meet the competition brief described at condition
5.3 The prize for each winner is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and no alternative is offered.
5.4 The prize is supplied by the Promoter who reserves the right to replace the prize with an alternative prize of equal or greater value if circumstances beyond the Promoter’s reasonable control make it necessary
to do so.
6. Judging and Winner Selection
6.1 Entries will be judged by a judging panel appointed by the Promoter.
6.2 The judging panel’s criteria will be based on the competition brief which includes:
• Coverage and understanding of the key messages
• Creativity and originality
• Potential to inform or influence understanding
• Evidence of research and subject knowledge beyond the text provided.
6.3 Judging will take place during November 2026.
6.4 Winners will be selected at the sole discretion of the Promoter’s judging panel, and the decision regarding any aspect of the competition is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into about it.
7. Winner Notification
7.1 The Winners will be notified via email (using details provided at entry) and telephone (if provided) before 30 November 2026. Winners will be contacted only from the Promoter’s Email Address.
7.2 If a winner does not respond within 7 days of being notified by the Promoter, then the winner’s prize will be forfeited and the Promoter will be entitled to select an alternative winner in accordance with the process described above.
7.3 The prize will be sent to the winner within 30 of days of being notified of their win and upon receipt of their account details
8. Publicity
8.1 By entering, participants agree that their name, county and their piece of content may be used by the Promoter for promotional and marketing purposes, including use of submitted reels, short videos, posters, graphics, carousels, written articles or publishing a list of the winners on the Promoter’s website.
8.2 This may include use across social media channels, websites, press releases, and industry communications without additional compensation.
8.3 If you object to your surname being published or made available, please contact the Promoter (Contact us | AHDB). In such circumstances, the Promoter must still provide the information and winning entry tothe Advertising Standards Authority on request.
9. Intellectual Property
9.1 Participants retain ownership of their work.
9.2 By entering the competition, participants grant the Promoter a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide licence to use, reproduce, adapt, promote, distribute, and publish their entry for promotional, educational, and industry purposes.
10. Data Protection
10.1 Personal data supplied during the course of this competition will only be processed in accordance with UK data protection legislation, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 and as set out in the Promoter’s Privacy Policy: https://ahdb.org.uk/privacy-notice. See also condition 8 with regard to theannouncement of winners.
10.2 Data will be used solely for administering the competition and contacting participants and winners.
11. Liability
11.1 The Promoter accepts no responsibility for entries not successfully completed due to a technical fault of any kind.
11.2 To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from participation in the competition or acceptance of any prize. Your statutory rights are not affected.
12. General
12.1 The Promoter reserves the right to hold void, amend, suspend, or cancel the competition due to
circumstances beyond its control.
12.2 Participants are deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions upon entry. The Promoter reserves the right to refuse entry, or refuse to award the prize to anyone in breach of these terms and conditions.
12.3 These terms and conditions and this competition are governed by English law. If any participants to thiscompetition wish to take court proceedings, then they must do this within the courts in the United
Kingdom.
13. Social Media Disclaimer
13.1 This competition is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta, TikTok or any other social media platforms.
References
iGOV.UK (2025) Farming evidence – key statistic ‘Which products contribute most to the value of UK agricultural output?’
Farming evidence – key statistics (accessible version) – GOV.UK
ii GOV.UK (2025) 2025 UK greenhouse gas emissions: provisional figures – statistical release – GOV.UK
iii GOV.UK (2022) 2.2 ‘Dairy emissions intensity’ Agri-climate report 2022 – GOV.UK
iv Dairy UK – The Dairy Roadmap https://www.dairyuk.org/working-for-a-healthy-planet/
v, vi, vii, viii
The Dairy Roadmap https://dairyroadmap.co.uk/