A FORMER rotation crop is now the main product of a farm-based enterprise.

North Breckenholme Farm at Thixendale is a 200-acre arable farm that is also home to 600 breeding ewes. Adam Palmer took over the farm aged 19 after the sudden passing of his grandfather.

Historically, the farm had grown rape as a rotation crop, but Mr Palmer realised the value of the crop as a culinary oil.

The Breckenholme Trading Company (BTC) was founded in 2007 by directors Mr Palmer, his father Ben Palmer and Paul Scothern, and set out to produce high-quality cold-pressed rapeseed oil.

It is now a contender for the Family Business of the Year title at The Press Business Awards.

BTC presses rape for the food industry from UK-grown seed and markets the oil through its consumer-facing brands, Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil and Charlie and Ivy’s.

BTC also supplies bulk oil and meal and contract presses for other producers.

Now in its ninth year of production, BTC presses 40 times the amount of seed in comparison with the first year.

The company said: “Thanks to our growing reputation and flexibility to innovate, we have been invited to work with seed breeders to trial growing and crushing some new and exciting varieties of rapeseed.

“As farmers and food lovers, we took advantage of the rise in popularity of rapeseed oil and our top of the Wolds location that imparts a gentle, nutty flavour to the cold-pressed and triple-filtered oil to create a range of rapeseed oil-based products.”

BTC established its consumer brands so it could be in control of the route to market for the rapeseed crop it grows and add value to it.

BTC has grown rapidly and its product ranges have expanded accordingly.

The business now involves 13 people, all of whom are family members and long-standing friends.