The recipients across the various AgriScot farm of the year awards are a diverse bunch, however, what they have in common is the desire and drive to make the best of their farming businesses.
Recognising that not every farm can be blessed by the best soils, climate, location or infrastructure, the recipients have all demonstrated that they are working to get the very best out of what they have.
Now, it is your chance to help identify and celebrate success in 2018, either by nominating a farm for one of the awards, or by putting your own farm forward.
AgriScot chairman, Robert Neill, told The Scottish Farmer: “We are delighted with how, over the years, our awards have given recognition to hard work, endeavour and achievement across the dairy, beef, sheep and arable sectors.
“The long-running ‘Scottish Dairy Farm of the Year’ award, in particular, has served to highlight how Scottish dairy businesses are at the pinnacle of the industry in terms of output, performance and cow welfare.
“We have been lucky in the fact that, unlike the others, the dairy sector has a widely accepted and utilised performance recording system – milk recording. This recorded data has historically formed the basis for our shortlisting criteria in the dairy farm of the year category.
“But, for 2018 onwards, we are delighted to announce that the dairy farm of the year award will follow the same steps as our other awards, ie it will be open for entry to every dairy farm in Scotland. This new system will also mean that, just as they can with the other awards, people will have the chance to nominate worthy farms – a great opportunity for advisors, suppliers and others in the industry to put forward their customers and clients,” he pointed out.
“We are keen to hear from and about dairy farmers who may be doing something a bit different in terms of innovation, diversification or in their efforts to promote and sustain their business or the industry as a whole.
“In 2015, the inaugural winner of the ‘Sheep Farm of the Year’, Armadale, in Sutherland, was selected partly because Joyce Campbell and her team at the farm showed they were doing so much to promote the wider sheep sector to the general public.
“The inaugural ‘Arable Farm of the Year’ recipient was South Redbog, a farm whose name suggests should not be up to much and yet farmer, Peter Chapman, was able to demonstrate that he operated a strong sustainable business.
“We believe that there are many dairy farms in Scotland with potentially award-winning stories to tell. The milk recording figures may not be able to tell them, so we look forward to hearing more from the farmers, or anyone in the industry who would like to nominate a worthy farm.
“The same is true of our beef, sheep, and arable awards. We want to hear from and about, potential entrants!”
Nominations and entries for the various AgriScot farms of the year awards are welcome from now onwards, simply e-mail info@agriscot.co.uk for further information.
AgriScot's roll of honour – all of the winners to date
Scotch Beef Farm of the Year, the winners so far:
2017 – Castle Sinniness, Glenluce, Wigtownshire
2016 – Drumdow, Stranraer, Wigtownshire
2015 – Darnford, Banchory, Aberdeenshire
2014 – Wedderlie, Gordon, Berwickshire.
2013 – Netherton, Holm, Orkney
2012 – Upper Nisbet, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire
Scottish Sheep Farm of the Year:
2017 – Barnside, Abbey St Bathans, Berwickshire
2016 – Bankhouse, Stow, Selkirkshire
2015 – Armadale, Sutherland
Scottish Arable Farm of the Year:
2017 – South Redbog, Strichen, Aberdeenshire
Scottish Dairy Farm of the Year:
2017 – Meldrum, Blair Drummond, Stirlingshire
2016 – Trailflat, Lochmaben, Dumfries-shire
2015 – Kennetsideheads, Eccles, Berwickshire
2014 – Meldrum, Blair Drummond, Stirlingshire
2013 – Dendoldrum, Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire
2012 – Drum Farm, Beeswing, Dumfriesshire
2011 – East Drumlemble, Campbeltown, Kintyre
2010 – Potstown, Lockerbie, Dumfries-shire
2009 – Dendoldrum, Inverbervie, Kincardineshire
* AgriScot's directors are grateful to all award supporters and sponsors – AHDB, QMS, CowAlert, Soil Essentials and Thorntons.
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