Search for next Scottish Arable Farm of the Year begins

Sponsored by SoilEssentials, and organised by AgriScot and AHDB, the Award aims to demonstrate best practice in sustainable crop production and farm business management.

Donald Ross, a fifth generation farmer from Tain, who was the recipient of last year’s award, will co-judge this year’s entries, alongside AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds board member Andrew Moir.

He says: “We’ve got some brilliant arable farmers in Scotland so I’m sure we’ll see some fantastic entries this year. I found the whole process really helpful as it makes you look over your business and think about how you manage it and where you excel.

“Farmers can nominate themselves, but they may not feel confident enough, so I would really urge others in the industry to put forward names of those farmers they really respect and admire.”

The recipient will win a bespoke precision farming package from SoilEssentials which will give them the opportunity to analyse vital data with the most up-to-date technology.

For Chris Leslie, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager, the Award not only aims to showcase some of the industry’s best farms but supports the drive towards a more resilient arable sector.

He says: “We want to encourage businesses to future proof themselves in an increasingly volatile environment, to make full use of technical and business management tools such as precision farming techniques and benchmarking to get a more in depth understanding of their business, and make informed decisions which will ensure they are sustainable long-term.

“Awards like the AgriScot Scottish Arable Farm of the Year which highlight best practice, and demonstrate the benefits of adopting new tools and techniques, help drive our industry forward.”

Nominated farmers fill out an application form which focuses on areas such as crop management, soil health and agronomy, market planning and policy, and innovation and technology.

Once the judges decide on their shortlist of three farms, they will visit each in the autumn before making their final decision. The recipient of the award will be announced at AgriScot on Wednesday 20 November.

Anyone interesting in submitting a nomination should contact Chris Leslie for more information; chris.leslie@ahdb.org.uk.