It has been a busy few week of announcements and exciting plans for AgriScot 2023 (22nd November), and over the next few months you will receive an AgriScot newsletter introducing our new Directors, podcast, seminar plans, exhibitors and sponsors.
In the meantime, last week you may have seen an exciting announcement in the Scottish Farmer and on social media about the AgriScot Farm Business Awards, and a new collaboration with the Scottish Farmer and RHASS…
The Background to the Awards
When our awards were launched, nearly 15 years ago, the objective was to acknowledge and celebrate enterprises that were innovating, operating efficiently, and looking to the future. Over the years, the awards have evolved and in 2021 Diversified Farm of the Year was added to demonstrate the changing landscape of agricultural and rural businesses.
These objectives are still true today but through the award winners, they have expanded to include knowledge transfer with ideas and solutions are shared through case studies, such as those published in the Scottish Farmer, and events where winners are either directly hosting visitors to their own farm or invited to attend and speak at other events.
Furthermore, winners have shared benefits such as good well-being for their team who, through the award, have felt gratification and additional motivation, increased revenue as a result of raised business awareness, and more recently, a winner highlighted how the application process and involvement gave them a chance to reflect on their business, resulting in some significant positive changes.
Over the last year we have been reviewing the awards, to see if we could offer a more formal awards ceremony, raising the profile of the winners further, whilst also ensuring they still complement AgriScot, as the premier farm business event in the UK.
Following a strong collaboration between AgriScot and the Scottish Farmer over the last decade, the board felt it was the perfect time to partner with the Scottish Farmer, and collectively do all we can to celebrate and inspire our industry.
Our awards will now be part of “The Scottish Agricultural Awards”, taking place at The Crowne Plaza in Glasgow on 26th October 2023.
In addition to the AgriScot categories, which will continue to be supported by AgriScot (Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Arable and Diversified), there will be awards managed by the Scottish Farmer for Advisor, Contractor, Young Farmer, Agricultural Employee, Machinery Dealer, Agroforestry, Unsung Hero, Animal Health and Supplier).
We will also be expanding our awards to include Sustainable Farm (Agroecology) of the Year.
The AgriScot Business Skills Competition will remain fully managed by AgriScot and SRUC, culminating at AgriScot on 22 November.
How will it work?
All entries will be submitted via an online portal, found here, with applications for the AgriScot categories shared with our judges for shortlisting, interviews and selection.
We will all then attend the awards ceremony to continue to celebrate outstanding applicants, who are driving our sector forward and ensuring that farm businesses remain profitable for the future, whilst also protecting and preserving our land, environment, and people.
Thank you
I would sincerely like to thank all our supporters and sponsors, who have been an integral part of the AgriScot Business Awards over the years, including SAC Consulting (Diversified Farm of the Year), Thorntons (Sheep Farm of the Year) and Soil Essentials (Arable Farm of the Year) who will be continuing to support the new format. I would also like to welcome on board ABP Food Group (Beef Farm of the Year), GEA (Dairy Farm of the Year) and Polycrub (Sustainable Farm of the Year)
I look forward to welcoming everyone back to AgriScot on Wednesday 22nd November 2023, which will provide another opportunity to acknowledge all the winners.
Robert Neill
AgriScot Chairman
